# Hyocheon hot pot restaurant in Gwangju, short ribs added at lunch - By Dajeong (https://superchart.com/en/@jeolla-rice-bowl/) - Written Sep 13, 2026 - Local places › Restaurants › Nam-gu, Gwangju - Sponsored: This post was written following a sponsored store visit. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@jeolla-rice-bowl/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@jeolla-rice-bowl/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch/index.md) ## In short Dugeori Usintang Gwangju Imam Branch is a usintang and usin hot pot (beef hot pot) specialist in the Hyocheon and Imam-dong area of Nam-gu, Gwangju. Arriving at the noon lunch peak, we ordered the usin hot pot for two and added mushrooms and vegetables, 140g of shabu beef and 6 pieces of galbi (beef short ribs); despite the "spicy" character in the name, the heat sat at about Jin Ramen mild level, so it was easy going even for anyone who avoids spicy food. The short ribs were tender enough to wobble off the bone, which is what prompted the extra order mid-meal. ## Good to know - **Hours**: 10:30–22:00 - **Parking**: Small lot behind the restaurant; the dedicated lot behind Daeyang food supply mart can also be used - **What we ordered**: Usin hot pot for two + extra mushrooms and vegetables + shabu beef (140g) + galbi (6 pieces) - **Ordering restriction**: Special hot pot (teukjeongol) and usin jjim can only be ordered after 1pm - **Takeout**: Every menu item is available for takeout; frozen packing is possible for long trips if ordered 2 days ahead - **Broth refills**: Broth comes with any add-on order; for the special hot pot, broth can be refilled repeatedly even without extra noodles or rice cake - **Included**: Pot rice comes as standard; side dishes are refillable at the self-serve bar *as written by the visitor on Sep 13, 2026* ![Exterior of Dugeori Usintang Imam Branch in Imam-dong, Gwangju](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch-01-19ohz-1200.webp) Dugeori Usintang Imam Branch > Address: 849 Imam-dong, Nam-gu, Gwangju, 1st floor > Hours: 10:30–22:00 > Parking: Lot behind the restaurant; also the dedicated lot behind Daeyang food materials mart I never even tried Dugeori Usintang back when I lived in Jeonju... lol. It's been ages since I left Jeonju and I'm only just now eating it!!! lol ## Where do you park at Dugeori Usintang Imam Branch? Dugeori Usintang Imam Branch has a lot behind the store, but it's on the small side, so you can park at the Daeyang food materials mart lot right behind it! Street parking nearby is possible too, but I'd recommend just parking at the Daeyang mart lot for peace of mind! ![View around the entrance of Dugeori Usintang Imam Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch-02-ozoz4-900.webp) ## Noon lunch peak: the wait and the dining room We arrived right around the noon lunch peak! The dining room was already packed with people eating, and I was even surprised to see people sitting in the waiting area. ![Dining room of Dugeori Usintang packed with lunch customers](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch-03-129uy-900.webp) The dining room is split into two sections, and during lunch peak both are in use — once the peak passes, they only use the main hall! ![Interior view of the two-section dining room at Dugeori Usintang](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch-04-1a8pe-900.webp) All menu items are available for takeout, and for long-distance trips, if you order 2 days ahead they can pack it frozen! ![Store sign with takeout and frozen packing information](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch-05-10795-842.webp) I thought Dugeori Usintang started in Jeonju since the flagship store is there, but it actually started in Ansan!!! That 'spicy' character in the name has me excited…❤️ ![Dugeori Usintang menu board](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch-06-gj51m-900.webp) ![Sign describing the usin hot pot menu item](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch-07-1ddnk-900.webp) ![Menu introduction posted on the restaurant wall](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch-08-vjep3-900.webp) ![Information on add-on menu items at Dugeori Usintang](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch-09-10id1-848.webp) ## Special hot pot and usin jjim: order only after 1pm Just a heads up — Dugeori Usintang's special hot pot (teukjeongol) and usin jjim can only be ordered starting at 1pm!!! ![Sign noting special hot pot and usin jjim only available after 1pm](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch-10-1d0wl-900.webp) I wanted to order the special hot pot but didn't know it was only available from 1pm, so that was a bummer!! ㅠㅠ ![Table set with the usin hot pot after ordering](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch-11-dhgkb-900.webp) ![Pot of usin hot pot before boiling](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch-12-gyzhm-893.webp) ## What we added to the usin hot pot for two - Usin hot pot for two - Mushroom & vegetable add-on - Shabu beef (140g) add-on - Galbi (6 pieces) add-on I thought I'd need to order rice separately and was about to add it, but apparently pot rice comes included as standard! The shabu beef and mushrooms/vegetables we added! The mushroom and vegetable portion was pretty generous, which made me — a vegetable lover — very happy with the amount! ![Plate of added shabu beef with mushrooms and vegetables](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch-13-118cw-900.webp) The basic side dishes were diced radish kimchi, white kimchi, seasoned salted squid, and pickled perilla leaves. If you run out of any side dish, you can grab more from the self-serve bar!! While waiting for the hot pot to boil, I looked around the restaurant and saw the word 'spicy' everywhere, so I was really hyped!! lol ![Makgeolli served in an ice pitcher](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch-14-1biqs-900.webp) *Gwangju restaurant daytime drinking* Wow….. that makgeolli in the ice pitcher looks so refreshingly cold and delicious!!!!!! My partner went one step further and said if you added cider to that, you'd have the perfect ice-cold makgeolli-cider combo… made my mouth water… lol We were told to just leave it once it starts boiling since the owner comes to mix in the seasoning, so we waited patiently for the owner to arrive lol ![Usin hot pot boiling after the seasoning is mixed in](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch-15-qxehc-900.webp) *#DugeoriUsintang* ## Shabu beef wrapped in pickled perilla leaves At Dugeori Usintang, they told us the shabu beef tastes best wrapped in perilla leaves once cooked! So of course, straight into the perilla leaf it went 👍🏻 Wrapping the perilla leaves — pickled in a sweet soy-based seasoning like chamsauce — together with the beef and bracken mushrooms made for a really clean, refreshing bite! They also neatly transfer the pot rice into a bowl for you! And pour in hot water to make nurungji (scorched rice) for dessert 🤭 ![Pot rice transferred to a bowl and nurungji with water poured in](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch-16-10a0g-899.webp) ## Broth refill rules and adding beef short ribs If you order just the usin hot pot with no add-ons, broth isn't refilled extra, but if you order add-ons, they bring extra broth along with them! (For teukjeongol, broth refills keep coming even without extra noodles/rice cake) At first we only added shabu beef and vegetables/mushrooms… but the galbi that comes in the usin hot pot itself was seriously so tender and soft!!!?? Beef short ribs wobbling that gently means it's super tender!!! So we immediately went for the galbi add-on, go go go ![Usin hot pot topped with added beef short ribs](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch-17-ns1jf-900.webp) ## How spicy is the usin hot pot at Dugeori Usintang? With the extra broth poured in, plus the vegetables and galbi added… oh…. it was back up to the original serving amount lol With the 'spicy' character right there in the name, I expected something really fiery!!! But it was more like Jin Ramen mild flavor spice level? So it's totally approachable even for people who can't handle spicy food! Since it's got beef and vegetables, it also seems like a good dish to share with older family members, and even though the side dishes weren't many, they were tasty to pair with the meal. Pretty put-together, right? lol ![A bowl of usin hot pot filled with meat and vegetables](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch-18-1692p-900.webp) ![Basic side dish spread at Dugeori Usintang](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch-19-1357m-900.webp) The seasoned salted squid had radish strips, cheongyang chili, and garlic mixed in, giving it great texture too — not too salty, with a sweet edge, it was a total rice thief! ![Seasoned salted squid with radish strips and cheongyang chili](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch-20-jr5ns-900.webp) That salted squid alone could finish off a whole bowl of rice!! Honestly I'm not usually a fan of white kimchi, but this one wasn't over-fermented, so even I found it clean-tasting and delicious! If it weren't for watching my blood sugar, I probably would've eaten all of it… lol At the end, gathering up the leftover meat to eat neatly with the nurungji 🤭 ![Leftover meat placed on top of nurungji](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch-21-1lloh-900.webp) ![A bowl of nurungji eaten for dessert](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch-22-1kdta-900.webp) ![The hot pot near the end of the meal](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch-23-1yb5j-900.webp) ## Staff who walk you through how to eat it The kind owner even explained how to eat everything, which felt nice, and it was delicious, so that made me happy too, and being able to keep adding noodles/rice cake throughout the meal made it even better 👍🏻👍🏻 When we paid, the owner proudly said we ate really thoroughly, and hearing that made me proud all over again❤️ lol ![Notice about Chuseok holiday business hours](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch-24-o4kqx-900.webp) For Chuseok 2026, they'll be operating normally on September 24 and 26 except for Chuseok day itself, so please check before visiting!! ## Where it is - Dugeori Usintang Gwangju Imam Branch (두거리우신탕 광주 임암점) - 119 Hyocheon 3-ro, Nam-gu, Gwangju, South Korea, 1st floor - 전남광주통합특별시 남구 효천3로 119 1층 - 35.1046629, 126.8757214 - Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EB%91%90%EA%B1%B0%EB%A6%AC%EC%9A%B0%EC%8B%A0%ED%83%95%20%EA%B4%91%EC%A3%BC%20%EC%9E%84%EC%95%94%EC%A0%90/@35.1046629,126.8757214,17z --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@jeolla-rice-bowl/gwangju-imam-dong-usin-jeongol-lunch/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt