Busanjin Korean BBQ restaurant for a birthday dinner: Gilchon

For my birthday, I visited Gilchon Sutbul Galbi with a friend to find a delicious Seomyeon spot and celebrate modestly. Happy birthday to me 🎉🎉🎉

Maybe it was the autumn blues, but I had suddenly lost my appetite and all my energy. That’s exactly when you need to get in front of some meat and revive that appetite, right? My friend lives nearby, so I’d often passed this place—and finally went in!

Gilchon Sutbul Galbi Seomyeon Main Branch: location and hours

• 24, 1st floor, Dongcheon-ro 107beon-gil, Busanjin-gu, Busan
• Weekdays 16:00–23:30 / last order 23:00
• Weekends 12:00–23:30 / last order 23:00
• Nearby paid parking recommended: Lucky Parking Lot, Logi Tower Parking Lot
• Free corkage; high chairs available

As I remember it, it took under five minutes from Seomyeon Station exits 8, 10, or 12. We arrived a little after 8 p.m. on a weekday after work, and since it stays open until 11:30 p.m., I could see plenty of guests coming in later too.

A tidy interior that works well for get-togethers

The interior was tidy with a slightly old-fashioned feel, and the tables were arranged in different ways. There are no separate rooms, but it can still feel private, making this a Seomyeon meat restaurant where you can comfortably chat and grill with your group. Across from us, there was even a Monday company dinner going on, haha.

Use the self-serve bar for extra side dishes

The staff kindly bring the side dishes when they first serve you. If you want more, there’s no need to call anyone over: just use the self-serve bar set up in one corner of the restaurant for small plates, side dishes, and more. You can also grab a disposable apron. Can’t have oil splattering on your clothes~

Fresh pork ribs ordered by tablet

Each table has a tablet kiosk with menu photos and prices, so we looked through it carefully while hungry. We had originally come craving marinated pork ribs, but it seemed this was actually known for fresh ribs, so we first ordered one fresh pork rib platter for ₩29,500—done!

Gilchon Sutbul Galbi’s side dishes came out so neatly: cabbage, soy-marinated onions, seasoned scallions, ssam (wrap) vegetables, radish, pickles, wasabi, and more. In particular, I almost finished the potato salad with truffle oil before even getting to the pork ribs ;;

After they put in well-heated charcoal, we received the 500g fresh pork rib platter. Along with the beautifully colored meat, they gave us potatoes and what looked like scallions to enjoy with it, which made it look even more appetizing.

The heat was pretty intense, so my friend worked hard, turning everything this way and that to keep it from burning. Being treated for my birthday and eating great meat put me in such a good mood.

It was actually my first time trying fresh pork ribs, and they were mild, nutty, and delicious on their own!

We dipped them in jeotgal (salted seafood), wrapped them in ssam, and worked our way through dinner with all kinds of combinations.

We diligently grilled even the bones, then the two of us inhaled all 500g—so, naturally...!

A half platter of marinated pork ribs and barley shrimp doenjang-jjigae

We added a half platter of marinated pork ribs, 270g for ₩15,900. For two women visiting, one platter should probably be enough if you’re having meat and rice together, but that day we wanted to go all in on the meat, so we had the half platter too~

The marinade did not disappoint our palates either. They give you a little dish of sweet soy sauce, and after grilling the ribs, already nicely sweet and savory with marinade, then dipping them in the sauce—pure happiness. As expected of Gilchon... confirmed as a delicious meat restaurant. No wonder people kept coming in even after 9 p.m.

We even finished with barley shrimp doenjang-jjigae (soybean paste stew). The stew was not heavy or murky but rather a little clear, so it was nice and clean to eat. The only disappointment was the rice, which came with scorched bits; apart from that, everything was great, haha. It was a good Seomyeon spot for sitting comfortably and grilling meat over a late meal!