Hongdae Korean BBQ at opening on a chilly day, 200g sirloin: Gogikkun

I recently went on a date in Hongdae and found a seriously good meat restaurant! It's Gogikkun Gim Chunbae Hongdae Main Branch (고기꾼 김춘배 홍대본점)! I knew it had several branches, but I didn't know the main branch was in Hongdae! The set includes both hanwoo (Korean beef) and handon (Korean pork), the portions were generous and the price reasonable, so it's a great date spot and a Hapjeong-area restaurant I really want to recommend!! 🐮🐷

Where is Gogikkun Gim Chunbae Hongdae, and how do you book?

Gogikkun Gim Chunbae Hongdae Main Branch is at 36 Hongik-ro 3-gil, 3rd floor, Mapo-gu, Seoul, 3 minutes on foot from Exit 9 of Hongik Univ. Station. The 3rd floor is open 12:00-23:00 and the 4th floor 12:30-22:30.

• Naver Reservation available (from 2 people up to groups of 100)
• CatchTable reservation available
• Naver coupon offered (choice of one: pork skin, steamed egg, or stew)

Gogikkun Gim Chunbae Hongdae Main Branch is a 3–4 minute walk from Exit 9 of Hongik Univ. Station 🥩 It takes up the 3rd and 4th floors of the building. I booked through Naver for opening time and sat on the 3rd floor! The 4th floor seemed to be used mostly for group bookings!

3rd-floor seating and side dishes at Gogikkun Hongdae

The 3rd floor has partitioned, private-feeling seats, plus a group area that fits about 20 people. Even at opening time on a weekday, a lot of seats were already reserved, so I'd definitely recommend booking if you plan to go!

Since I'd reserved, the whole table was already set when we arrived! It was packed with meljeot (salted fermented anchovy dip), ssam vegetables, scallion salad, myeongi namul (pickled wild garlic-like greens), scallion kimchi, roasted salt, pickled onions, aged white kimchi, ssamjang (seasoned dipping paste), and sesame-oil dip!

What we ordered at Gogikkun Gim Chunbae Hongdae

The menu at Gogikkun Hongdae Main Branch runs from sets to à la carte items 🥩 The sets let you enjoy hanwoo and handon together at a really good price, so I especially recommend them! I ordered Sundol Wangja, the hanwoo/handon set for two (11.8), mixed naengmyeon (cold noodles), and Gim Chunbae's signature kkakttukbap (diced-radish-kimchi fried rice)!

First they brought out glowing red charcoal, and since the weather had suddenly turned chilly that day, the warmth felt so nice, haha

What's in the hanwoo and handon set for two?

The set for two came out right away! It had hanwoo sirloin, hangjeongsal (pork jowl), and fresh galbi-sal (boneless rib meat). The hanwoo cut changes with "today's hanwoo," whichever cut is freshest and best that day!

Does Gogikkun Hongdae grill the meat for you?

Yes, the staff at Gogikkun Hongdae Main Branch grill the meat for you. I'd been planning to grill it nicely myself, and then a staff member came over and said they'd do it! 😮 I'd been a bit worried about ruining such good cuts, so having it grilled for us was a relief... All we had to do was eat comfortably and enjoy, which is why this Hongdae restaurant was so easy!

The mixed naengmyeon and kkakttukbap came out too, so we got to enjoy the meat and a proper meal together and had a really good time! 👍🏻

Today's hanwoo: 200g of hanwoo sirloin

The first thing they grilled was the hanwoo sirloin! Sirloin, today's hanwoo cut, is honestly my favorite cut of beef! Haha They placed the nicely grilled sirloin at the edge of the grill so it was easy to pick up!

First bite in salt, the next bite on top of the bibim naengmyeon (spicy mixed cold noodles), and it was pure heaven. Maybe because it's hanwoo sirloin, the fat just melted away, and the mix of juices and fat was so good! At 200g, it was plenty for two, with no feeling of wanting more 🥩

Fresh galbi-sal grilled with mushrooms

Next they grilled the fresh galbi-sal and mushrooms. I think rib cuts are especially hard to grill, but they cooked it evenly, and it looked amazing from the first glance!

Since they grill everything perfectly for you, I think it'd be easy to focus on your company even at a company dinner or a get-together, which I loved! So if you're looking for a place for a company dinner or gathering, or for a date or family meal, I really hope you'll visit this Hongdae restaurant, Gogikkun Gim Chunbae Hongdae Main Branch!

Mixed naengmyeon and kkakttukbap (kkakdugi fried rice)

The mixed naengmyeon and kkakttukbap at Gogikkun Hongdae Main Branch go so well with the meat, and you shouldn't miss them if you come! The fluffy rice grains coated in oil are lovely, and so are the thin, bouncy, chewy noodles!!

I highly recommend these sides too, which we enjoyed with the nicely grilled fresh galbi-sal!!! 👍🏻

Finishing with handon five-layer pork belly

Last was the handon pork belly, with its wonderfully chewy skin! They grilled the skin over strong heat until it was springy, then cooked the meat tender, which made it so delicious!

The skin is thick and chewy while the meat is clean and mild, so it tasted best dunked deep in the salty meljeot!

Is Gogikkun Gim Chunbae Hongdae worth a return visit?

So that was how I finished a really fun and happy meal at Gogikkun Gim Chunbae Hongdae Main Branch! Next time I'm in Hongdae, I want to come again! It was that comfortable and delicious. If you stop by Hongdae, go for sure! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻