Sea urchin pasta at an Ilsan Bamridan-gil restaurant: Upstairs Kitchen

If you're looking for a relaxed, good-vibe Western restaurant on Ilsan's Bamridan-gil, pay attention! I went back to Upstairs Kitchen Bamridan-gil Branch. This is a genuine favorite I've already visited twice — it's just as good for a date as it is for a special occasion with someone you love. Here's my honest review of this well-known Bamridan-gil spot!

Upstairs Kitchen Bamridan-gil Branch: location, hours and parking

Upstairs Kitchen Bamridan-gil Branch is on Daesan-ro 11beon-gil in Ilsandong-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi. It's open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 to 21:20, with a break time from 15:00 to 17:00 and last order at 20:30. It's closed on Wednesdays.

• 📍 Name: Upstairs Kitchen Bamridan-gil Branch
• 📍 Location: Daesan-ro 11beon-gil, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi
• ⏰ Hours: Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun 11:30–21:20
• Break time 15:00–17:00 / Last order 20:30
• Closed on Wednesdays
• 🚗 Parking: none (space for about 3 cars in front)

What is the atmosphere inside Upstairs Kitchen like?

Upstairs Kitchen Bamridan-gil Branch's dining room isn't overdone — the vibe feels natural, and the tables have enough space between them that it never feels cramped. This kind of atmosphere really suits the weather these days… ~❤︎ The moment I walked in, the neatly arranged space and the tasteful little interior details caught my eye 🌴 Overall it felt comfortable, and it seemed like a good place for a group to just focus on the meal.

During the day it feels bright and relaxed, and in the evening the lighting makes it feel a bit more atmospheric.

The menu at Upstairs Kitchen and what we ordered

Upstairs Kitchen Bamridan-gil Branch's menu covers steaks, pastas, risottos, and salads, so there's plenty to choose from depending on your taste. That day we ordered the premium wagyu sirloin steak and the sea urchin pasta.

Bruschetta: the starter that opens the meal

This bruschetta 🥯 came as part of a review event I joined. It's crisply toasted baguette topped with mascarpone, eggplant, and tomato sauce, finished with basil.

This one, this one… it's genuinely charming 🌱 The crunchy texture and the savory, soft flavor spread through my mouth, and with the subtle basil aroma on top, it was clean yet had quite a rich flavor — the perfect appetizer before the main dishes…

Premium wagyu sirloin steak, 54,000 won, cooked medium

🥩 Premium wagyu sirloin steak 🥩 ₩54,000. You can choose your doneness when ordering, and since I'm not great with really rare meat, I went with medium. The result was extremely satisfying… even my picky mom took one bite and started fussing at me to hurry up and try it, haha!

The whole grain mustard sauce served with it was also impressive — apparently made from scratch starting with the mustard seeds. Rather than overpowering the steak with a strong sauce flavor, it lets the meat's own taste shine, making each bite feel a little more refreshing … 💛

Pairing the sauce with the steak, the pop of the mustard seeds and their gentle tanginess cut through the richness of the meat and made the clean flavor of the steak feel even fuller. When a chef truly cares about the food … it really doesn't miss.

It also went great with the broccoli dressed in anchovy vinaigrette, and a bit of gochu-wasabi on top boosted the umami even more … honestly, how is this meat not tough at all, so tender it just melts — I loved that feeling …❤︎

Potatoes roasted in duck fat

The potatoes on the side were apparently roasted in duck fat 🥔 The outside was golden and crisp, and the inside was fluffy and soft. There was a subtle, savory duck fat aroma running through it, so it was tasty even on its own, and it paired nicely with the clean flavor of the steak. Dipped in the tomato sauce on top, it was fantastic …

Sea urchin pasta, 23,000 won: a sure thing for uni lovers

🍝 Sea urchin pasta 🍝 ₩23,000. I absolutely love uni … so hearing 'sea urchin pasta' got me really excited. They explained I should mix in the sea urchin cream sauce on top before eating, and after twirling it all together and taking a bite, it was even richer and more savory than I'd expected. The special sea urchin sauce coated the noodles smoothly, and the distinctive rich flavor of sea urchin came through quite strongly.

That said, it wasn't just sea urchin flavor overpowering everything — a subtle hint of gamtae (dried seaweed flakes) added its distinct salty, fragrant sea flavor. Shiitake mushrooms were mixed in too, chewy with that deep mushroom aroma, so the flavor never felt one-note. As you slowly chew and savor it, a spiciness kicks in at the end — and that spice was the real hook of this pasta … ☘️

Overall it was a pasta where savoriness, umami, and a subtle ocean aroma came together beautifully. The sauce itself had such great flavor that even after finishing the noodles, it felt wasteful to leave any sauce on the plate… If you love sea urchin, this is a can't-miss dish.

Final verdict: why Upstairs Kitchen suits dates and anniversaries

Overall, I was satisfied with Upstairs Kitchen Bamridan-gil Branch — not just the food, but the atmosphere too, easy and comfortable to enjoy. Rather than ordering one dish and calling it a meal, this feels like a place to order several things and share them leisurely, which makes it well suited to a date or an anniversary when you want a bit of atmosphere. The table behind us was having wine with their meal. So romantic … 🤍

Most of all, I loved that they even make their own sauces from scratch — it really shows the care put into every dish. If you're looking for a good-atmosphere Western restaurant on Ilsan's Bamridan-gil, this is one I'd recommend.