Seochang-dong pork belly restaurant with free parking: Daepae Sinhwa

I went looking for a good BBQ spot in Seochang-dong today because I wanted to have a meat party after a long while. I'm always up for casual, hearty, good-quality daepae samgyeopsal (thin-sliced pork belly), so I headed to the already well-known Daepae Sinhwa.

Where is Daepae Sinhwa, and how are parking and the wait?

Daepae Sinhwa sits on the ground floor of a building right along the main Seochangbangsan-ro road, so it was really easy to find even on my first visit. Access to the restaurant is great, and there's a spacious, comfortable parking lot in the building, so driving there felt totally stress-free. They also handled parking registration smoothly after the meal, so I could eat without worrying about parking.

We went during a slightly quieter lunch hour, but during peak meal times it can get crowded with a wait, so I'd recommend calling ahead or going a bit early.

Daepae Sinhwa at a glance

• Parking: Dedicated in-building parking lot available (parking registration supported during meals)
• Hours: Daily 11:30 - 23:00 (last order 22:00)

Inside Daepae Sinhwa: does it work for family meals and group dinners?

Walking into Daepae Sinhwa, I was surprised at how clean and upscale the interior was, fitting for a newer, popular spot. Daepae samgyeopsal restaurants usually bring to mind greasy or somewhat chaotic vibes, but here everything from the tables to the grills to the floor was kept spotless, giving off a comfortable yet sophisticated feel that I really liked.

The tables were spaced generously apart, and with the partition walls and layout, it felt great for a family meal or a private gathering. There's also plenty of space for group get-togethers or work dinners, so it would be perfect for a friend meetup or a family birthday dinner next time!

What we ordered and how the salad bar works

Looking over the menu, we went with the signature value option, the Daepae Set (600g).

This place runs on a system where you pay a small per-person salad bar fee and then help yourself freely to fresh lettuce wraps and side dishes. Checking out the salad bar, it was neatly and hygienically stocked with fresh vegetables like lettuce and perilla leaves, plus bean sprouts, kimchi, and bracken fern — perfect for grilling alongside the meat.

I picked out side dishes to my taste and added a bowl of rice, since no meat meal is complete without it. Putting together such a full spread even before the meat arrived already put me in a great mood.

What comes with the 600g Daepae Set

Finally, the main Daepae Set 600g arrived. I loved that it's a set menu letting you enjoy thin-sliced pork belly, beef brisket, and beef short rib all at once. The moment I saw the color and dramatic visual of the meat piled high, it was satisfying enough to bring a smile just from looking at it.

I could tell the meat quality was a cut above — this wasn't cheap, paper-thin daepae meat, but had a proper thickness with a golden-ratio balance of lean meat to fat. It was clearly a different level of quality from the ordinary daepae meat you usually get elsewhere.

I grilled the daepae meat on the hot pan along with kimchi and bean sprouts from the salad bar. As the kimchi cooked in the savory fat rendering off the meat, the fragrant smell hit my nose.

How did the thin-sliced pork and beef taste?

I tried a well-grilled piece of daepae meat first, and the moment I bit in, the savory juices burst in my mouth and it melted away with a soft texture — truly a work of art. There was no gamey smell at all, just a clean yet deeply savory flavor, and the meat disappeared in no time.

I ordered a bowl of rice and topped it with freshly grilled meat and nicely cooked kimchi, and it was an absolute rice thief. Wrapping fresh lettuce from the salad bar around the meat, chive salad, and ssamjang (thick dipping sauce) made for an even richer, more flavorful bite of that signature daepae umami.

I ordered a bowl of rice and topped it with freshly grilled meat and nicely cooked kimchi, and it was an absolute rice thief. Wrapping fresh lettuce from the salad bar around the meat, chive salad, and ssamjang (thick dipping sauce) made for an even richer, more flavorful bite of that signature daepae umami.

Quality of the salad bar vegetables

There was one thing that really impressed me while eating — the quality of the vegetables at Daepae Sinhwa's salad bar. The lettuce and perilla leaves had no wilted spots at all; they were crisp and fresh as if just picked from the field, and I could taste that freshness fully.

With plenty of fresh vegetables and ingredients that brought out the meat's flavor even more, I never got tired of wrapping bite after bite, and it was a truly satisfying meal.

Final verdict on Daepae Sinhwa

Today I visited Daepae Sinhwa, well known as a great BBQ restaurant in Seochang-dong. From the lively fresh vegetables and salad bar to the clean, comfortable space and the quality of the hearty daepae set, everything left me satisfied. If you're looking for a solid, atmospheric BBQ restaurant or a place for a family meal in Seochang-dong, I definitely recommend giving Daepae Sinhwa a visit!