Korean restaurant in Gangnam for yam samgyetang: Masamgyetang

Wanting a hot, filling lunch near my office, I visited Masamgyetang Bangbaeng Sageori Branch (마삼계탕 뱅뱅사거리점). It is a place where you can have samgyetang (whole young chicken soup) with freshly ground yam. I ordered the Masamgyetang that day, and the thick broth and tender chicken stayed with me.

Where is it, and is parking available?

The restaurant is on the first floor at 19 Dogok-ro 3-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. At the time of the original post, it was open Monday through Friday from 11:00 to 21:00 and Sunday from 11:00 to 20:00, and closed on Saturdays.

The restaurant looked spacious even from outside, and its exterior was neatly kept.

I could use the building's underground parking, which made it convenient to visit by car. Parking was free for up to 1 hour 30 minutes with a meal, which was enough time for lunch. Parking registration is required, so after eating, tell the restaurant your vehicle number.

What is the atmosphere like for lunch?

The interior was clean and more spacious than I expected. The tables were set with plenty of room, so it seemed suitable for eating with several people. Since the dishes are served individually, I thought it would also feel easy to come alone for lunch.

How much are the samgyetang and lunch dishes?

The signature Masamgyetang was ₩18,000. If a whole chicken feels like too much, you can choose the yam half samgyetang instead. It costs ₩11,000 and can be ordered until 15:00.

• Masamgyetang: ₩18,000
• Yam half samgyetang: ₩11,000, available to order until 15:00
• Samgye dakjuk (chicken rice porridge): ₩12,000
• Spicy dakdoritang (braised chicken) for 2–3 people: ₩42,000
• Boneless chicken: ₩17,000

How do the basic side dishes and self-service bar work?

There were spoon rests and pepper on the table. I could add pepper to suit my taste.

The basic side dishes came out first, and I could get more from the self-service bar if I needed them.

The kimchi, garlic, and pickled onions went well with the samgyetang. I liked the side dishes, so I brought back more from the self-service bar.

Salt and hair ties were also provided, making them convenient to use while eating.

What did the fresh-yam samgyetang taste like?

What sets the Masamgyetang apart is that freshly ground yam is added to the broth. Compared with the usual samgyetang I have tried, the broth was a little thicker and went down smoothly.

There were five basic side dishes served with it. I liked them all, and alternating them with the mild samgyetang meant I did not tire of the meal.

The Masamgyetang arrived hot in a ttukbaegi (earthenware pot), so it was easy to enjoy warm until I finished.

The ttukbaegi held a whole young chicken. The chicken was a good size for what I expected, with a fair amount of meat on it.

The chicken was so tender that the meat came off easily with chopsticks. Even the breast meat was not dry when eaten with the broth, but moist.

I dipped the pulled chicken meat in a little salt as I ate it.

There was also a generous amount of glutinous rice inside the chicken. After eating some of the chicken, I mixed the rice into the broth, and it became thick like porridge. The fresh-yam broth and glutinous rice went well together, making for a filling lunch in one bowl.