Korean BBQ with a baby in Dongtan, Hwaseong: Gogigaondang Dongtan

Where is Gogigaondang Dongtan Branch, and what are its hours?

Gogigaondang Dongtan Branch is a cauldron-lid pork belly restaurant located at 경기 화성시 동탄구 동탄반송3길 46-13 상가 1층. Hours are weekdays 16:00–22:00 and weekends 12:00–22:00, with a break time on weekends from 15:00 to 17:00 and last order at 21:30. Parking is available right in front of the restaurant.

Dining out with a 4-month-old: parking right in front in Bansong-dong

I recently stopped by Dongtan with my sister, her husband, and their 4-month-old baby and visited Gogigaondang. With such a young baby along, parking and the atmosphere of the restaurant naturally became things I paid extra attention to when deciding where to eat.

We had a lot of luggage with us, so being able to park and walk right in was great. I was looking for a good Bansong-dong restaurant and found this one, and having a spot to park right in front made things easy from the very start!

Seating and atmosphere inside Gogigaondang Dongtan

Walking inside, there were more seats than I expected. The tables were spaced generously, which made it look like a good spot to visit with a larger group.

We visited on a weekend evening, and families kept coming in throughout our meal. Definitely felt like a neighborhood favorite!

Ordering three servings of ogyeopsal and one hangjeongsal

We ordered three servings of ogyeopsal (five-layer pork belly) and one of hangjeongsal (pork neck). There were many types of meat available, plus plenty of meal options to go alongside them. Ordering both ogyeopsal and hangjeongsal together was great since the textures were different, and we enjoyed them both haha.

Domestic down to the kimchi: checking the origin labels

Personally, what caught my eye the most was the origin labeling! I checked each one, and every ingredient listed was domestic.

I was especially glad to see the kimchi was domestic. A lot of Korean BBQ restaurants use Chinese kimchi, so I usually avoid eating the restaurant kimchi. At Gogigaondang, it was clearly labeled domestic, so I could eat it without any worries.

The side dishes served were a moderate amount, but there was a separate self-serve bar so I never felt like there wasn't enough.

Cauldron-lid ogyeopsal grilled by the staff

At Gogigaondang Dongtan Branch, the staff grilled the meat for us, which made things so convenient. While chatting with my sister and her husband and keeping an eye on the baby, I didn't have to worry about the grilling at all, so we could eat at a relaxed pace. Just look at the quality of the meat ,,

On the cauldron lid, they piled on all sorts of things — doraji (bellflower root), bean sprouts, garlic, onion, mushrooms, and more.

They grilled the pork belly to a golden brown right on the cauldron lid, cooked to just the right point so all we had to do was eat. At the end, they even added tofu to grill along with everything! It wasn't just meat on its own — being able to enjoy so many things together at once was really nice!

How did the ogyeopsal taste?

Between the three servings of ogyeopsal and one of hangjeongsal, along with tofu, various vegetables, and kimchi all grilled together, it was seriously filling. The ogyeopsal had a good balance of lean meat and fat, so the more I chewed, the more savory it got.

Cooked golden on the cauldron lid, the outside looked so appetizing while the inside stayed juicy, so it was delicious even eaten on its own ㅠㅠ It had a good thickness, so each bite had a satisfying chew ,, I want to eat it again already haha.

Free side dish refills at the self-serve bar

At the self-serve bar, you can refill side dishes as much as you want, so there was never a shortage. The ingredients in the side dishes were also really fresh! You could immediately tell the owner uses good ingredients.

Is Gogigaondang Dongtan worth a return family dinner?

I usually check the origin of the kimchi at Korean BBQ places, and since this one was domestic, I could eat without worry. Grilling the kimchi right on the cauldron lid alongside the ogyeopsal really was a perfect match ㅜㅜ

This was a meal with my sister, her husband, and their 4-month-old baby, and the staff welcomed us kindly. With fresh ingredients and domestic side dishes!!! we could eat comfortably. The food was so delicious, and from parking to the meal everything was satisfying, so I think I'll come back again the next time I'm craving meat!

Who will like this Dongtan pork belly restaurant?

• Anyone looking for a family-friendly Korean BBQ restaurant in Bansong-dong
• Anyone who wants to grill ogyeopsal with all kinds of sides on a cauldron lid
• Anyone who prefers a place where the staff grills the meat for you
• Anyone who cares about domestic kimchi and ingredient origins