Halal fast food near Hongdae Station: Secret Fries at Halal Steaks

Back in college I used to go to Hongdae like it was daily bread. Whenever I made plans with friends, we'd naturally end up there — but these days I only come when I've got a specific appointment or errand. Still, visiting again after a while, I felt a strange warmth seeing bits of the old Hongdae still lingering here and there. 😊

The streets are still packed with young university students, and I saw a ton of foreigners too. It struck me all over again how, in a place where so many different people gather, you can now easily taste food from all over the world that used to be hard to come by here. Today I headed to 🥙 Halal Steaks, located near Hongdae's main street.

Halal Steaks hours and parking near Hongdae Station

Halal Steaks is open daily from 11:00 to 22:00, and pets are welcome. Parking is paid, at ₩6,000 for the first 60 minutes.

Halal Steaks🌯 is a trendy halal fast food brand that reinterprets halal street food for Korean tastes and sensibilities.

The yellow sign you can spot from afar: a second-floor shop

The yellow 💛 sign at Halal Steaks caught my eye from a distance. The exterior was pretty clean-looking too.

Halal Steaks is on the 2nd floor, and menu posters were already stuck up along the staircase leading up, so

I found myself mulling over "what should I eat?" even while still climbing the stairs. Haha.

Walking inside, I was a bit surprised at how spacious it was — more than I expected.

I heard a lot of students come by in the evening, and sure enough, delivery orders kept coming in the whole time I was there.

Every time an order came in, the owner moved quickly to keep up. I guess in Hongdae, a place packed with students is basically a guaranteed good restaurant, right? 😆

What we ordered: Combo Platter Regular and Secret Fries

Today at Halal Steaks I ordered one Combo Platter Regular 🥙 and one Secret Fries 🍟. While I was ordering, delivery orders kept pouring in, and I thought, "oh, this place must be pretty popular."

These days, you don't really have to travel abroad to try new food like you used to.

Just wandering around Hongdae, you can easily run into food from all kinds of countries, which makes it feel a little like traveling. I got a small thrill wondering what flavor I'd encounter today.

Taking the takeout to Han River Park

As soon as the food came out, I headed straight for the Han River! I decided not to eat at the restaurant today but at Han River Park instead. I'd been holding off on lunch, so I was starving by the time I got there. As soon as I opened up the packaging at the park...

Whoa... the smell was insane! The moment I opened it, this delicious aroma hit me and all my hunger caught up with me at once. Haha. The look of it was gorgeous too. Worth the wait. 😂

How do the Secret Fries taste?

The Secret Fries at Halal Steaks were salty in a way that kept my hand reaching back for more. They'd be perfect for picking at one by one while watching a movie.

First thing, I tried one of the Secret Fries. One bite in — whoa, what is this?

So good. Haha. Salty in a way that kept my hand reaching back — I could see myself eating these one by one during a movie.

I told myself I'd only eat a few before the platter, but I kept reaching for more. Maybe it's because of the name — "secret" — but it really was the kind of flavor you keep eating on the sly. Haha. 😆

What's in the Combo Platter Regular: chicken and gyro

The Halal Steaks Combo Platter comes with chicken and gyro, with the meat piled generously over 🍚 basmati rice. On the side come fresh vegetables and pita bread.

Finally, the main event — the Combo Platter! A gentle smoky char🔥 rises off the meat, and just the smell made my mouth water.

The meat nearly covered the entire bed of rice, so just looking at it felt satisfying.

It wasn't just the meat — you could pair it with the vegetables and pita bread, which made mixing and matching different bites fun.

White sauce and hot sauce together

And then drizzling on both the white sauce and hot sauce... this really is the kind of flavor you keep eating. The smoky char of the meat, the plainness of the basmati rice, the crunch of the fresh vegetables, plus the richness and spice of the sauces — the combination was on point. At first I thought, "what kind of flavor is this?" but the more I ate, the more my hand kept reaching back.

Halal food in Hongdae: is Halal Steaks good for solo dining?

There was a time when I thought I'd have to go abroad to try food like this. So it was really nice to be able to enjoy it comfortably right in Hongdae. Especially since Hongdae has so many young people and foreign tourists, the exotic food and vibe seemed to fit together well.

It also seemed like a solid option for a satisfying solo meal — one platter would do you well if you're looking for solo dining spots in Hongdae.

If you want a hearty lunch, this could be a good pick as a restaurant near Hongdae Station. It's also great for ordering a few different menu items to share with friends, or just enjoying one platter properly on your own.

🥙 I ate this at the Han River today, but next time it'd be nice to come with friends. It's a place worth remembering when you're craving something different in Hongdae, or a satisfying and delicious meal. Thanks for a great meal today. ❤️