Balsan Station galbi restaurant, 45,000-won beef king galbi: Ihwajeong
In short
Ihwajeong Galbi Myeongga Magok-Balsan Branch is a marinated beef galbi restaurant a 3-minute walk from Exit 4 of Balsan Station in Gangseo, Seoul. Two servings of soy-marinated beef king galbi (310g, 144-hour cross-aged) cost 45,000 won, basted with pear juice and grilled over charcoal, with doenjang stew and pear sherbet to finish, and the marinade is not overly sweet. With the floor split into three halls so noise doesn't echo, Ihwajeong works well for a family meal with parents.
Good to know
- Location
- 42 Gangseo-ro 54-gil, 1st floor, Gangseo-gu, Seoul (about 200m, a 3-minute walk from Balsan Station Exit 4)
- Hours
- Daily 11:00–22:00, last order 20:30, no break time
- Parking
- Available in the building next to the restaurant
- What we ordered
- Soy-marinated beef king galbi, 2 servings, 45,000 won (310g, 144-hour cross-aged)
- Seating
- Floor split into 3 halls, private rooms available, generous space between tables
as written by the visitor on Sep 22, 2026
A Gangseo-gu restaurant worth knowing: Ihwajeong Galbi Myeongga Magok-Balsan Branch.
There are honestly so many BBQ restaurants around Balsan Station. I had no idea a galbi place with this kind of atmosphere existed here. From the moment you walk in, the vibe is quite different from your typical BBQ joint.
The space is spacious and clean, and everything from the soy-marinated beef king galbi to the side dishes, the meal, and dessert felt polished and put-together — a good spot for taking your parents out to eat or hosting a family gathering. 😊
Where is Ihwajeong Galbi Myeongga Magok-Balsan Branch, and where do you park?
- 📍 Location: 42 Gangseo-ro 54-gil, 1st floor, Gangseo-gu, Seoul (about a 3-minute walk from Balsan Station Exit 4)
- ⏰ Hours: Daily 11:00–22:00 / Last order 20:30
- 🚗 Parking: Available at the building
- ✔️ No break time
Ihwajeong Galbi Myeongga is about 200m from Balsan Station Exit 4, so it's easy to reach by public transit. If you're driving, just search for 42 Gangseo-ro 54-gil — you can park at the building next door.
Sitting between Balsan Station and the Magok district, it also looked convenient for group dinners around Balsan or Magok, not just family outings.
The pine tree at the entrance of Ihwajeong Galbi Myeongga
The very first thing that caught my eye walking into Ihwajeong Galbi Myeongga was a huge pine tree sitting behind glass right at the entrance.
There was even pottery decor around it, so it felt more like walking into a nicely decorated Korean restaurant than a BBQ place.
Three separate halls and private room seating at Ihwajeong
Once inside, the place was much bigger than I expected. Even the hall I sat in was spacious on its own — and it turns out there are three of these halls total.
At first I thought it was just a huge single restaurant, but if it had all been one wide-open space, the noise would have echoed a lot given how BBQ places usually are. Because the space is divided, it felt calmer despite the large scale, and the tables are super roomy.
There's also a private room on one side, and the table spacing and size were generous throughout. I think this would be especially good if you're looking for a place to bring your parents or host a group meal.
Beef king galbi, 2 servings for 45,000 won, basted with pear juice
What we ordered was the soy-marinated beef king galbi, 2 servings for 45,000 won. It's 310g of beef galbi that's been cross-aged for 144 hours, apparently.
A staff member poured pear juice right onto it at the table. I'd already seen at the entrance that they marinate with organic pear, so my expectations shot up at this point. 😋
What I liked most about the galbi grilled over charcoal was that the marinade wasn't overly sweet. Instead of the sharp, sugary sweetness you often get with marinated galbi, this had a subtle, refined sweetness, and the meat itself was tender.
Side dishes and how the galbi is grilled over charcoal
The basic side dishes were solid too. Shredded green onion, salad, geotjeori (fresh kimchi), and potato salad — all good pairings for the meat — none of them tasted overly artificial, and they were clean enough that I kept reaching for more.
While we were still finishing the first batch, they left the next galbi uncut on the plate so the juices wouldn't escape. They explained you just grill it a bit more and cut it up when you're ready to eat.
Doenjang stew (soybean paste stew) and pear sherbet to finish
After finishing the meat, we wrapped up with doenjang stew (soybean paste stew) and rice. Hot doenjang stew with tofu and zucchini — you really can't skip this combo after galbi, haha. And then, the pear sherbet that came out for dessert!
Apparently it's made with the same organic pear juice they use for marinating the galbi. It was great for refreshing your palate after all that meat, and honestly better than I expected. A dessert that carried the restaurant's signature through to the very end, which made it even more memorable. 🍐
Is Ihwajeong a good spot for a family gathering?
With private rooms and plenty of space overall, I'd recommend this if you're looking for a galbi place near Balsan Station to eat with your parents or host a family or group gathering. I'm planning to come back for our next family get-together! 😊
Where it is
42 Gangseo-ro 54-gil, 1st floor, unit 1, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, South Korea서울특별시 강서구 강서로54길 42 1층 1호
