Gwacheon Korean restaurant lunch with bibimbap sets: Bibisam

I went to Bibisam Gwacheon Main Branch (비비삼 과천본점) with my parents for a mild Korean meal over the weekend. It specializes in torim bibimbap, with rice warmed in broth, and uses Korean beef, Korean pork, and domestically grown rice. When we visited at 2 p.m. on Saturday, we got in without waiting, though customers continued to arrive while we ate.

Where can I park if I drive?

The restaurant has no dedicated parking, so I used the public parking lot behind it. The location attached to the original post is the public street parking lot behind the fire station at 129 Jungang-ro, Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do. At the time of my visit, it cost ₩900 for the first 30 minutes and ₩400 for every additional 10 minutes. After lunch and picking up a drink at a nearby café, I paid ₩2,500 for parking.

How were the seating and atmosphere for a meal with parents?

The interior was neat when I visited, with a comfortable atmosphere for eating rather than an elaborate one.

With mostly four-person tables, it looked comfortable for two or four people dining together. One side has full-height windows, so it did not feel cramped, and I thought it would feel easy enough to come alone for a meal.

The self-service bar had aprons, small plates, sesame oil, water, and broth. I could take what I needed, and I liked the broth enough to get two more servings.

What did we order and how much did it cost?

We ordered through the kiosk at the table. The menu included Hwangdeung-style torim Korean beef yukhoe, bulgogi, and octopus bibimbap, as well as dolsot albap (hot-stone-pot fish roe rice). There were also Korean beef and Korean pork tteokgalbi (grilled minced-meat patties) on an iron plate, Namdo cockle salad, and Korean beef yukhoe. I found the set meals with tteokgalbi filling and reasonably priced.

• Dolsot albap set ₩13,500 + Korean beef tteokgalbi upgrade ₩1,000 = ₩14,500
• Korean beef yukhoe bibimbap set ₩14,500 + Korean beef tteokgalbi upgrade ₩1,000 = ₩15,500
• Drink ₩2,000
• Two-person total stated in the original post: ₩32,000

At the time of my visit, there was also an event where you could order Namdo cockle salad for ₩500 by leaving a Naver review with photos. The regular price for the cockle salad stated in the original post was ₩6,000.

How were the portion sizes and flavors of the sets?

The drinks took a little time to arrive. While waiting, I had baek kimchi (white kimchi) and broth, and I especially liked the broth enough to get several servings.

How did I eat the Korean beef yukhoe bibimbap?

Since it was a set with Korean beef tteokgalbi, the portion was generous. The bibimbap came with toppings over rice that had been warmed in broth. The yukhoe was served in a separate bowl, and I was told to add it to the rice a little at a time.

I mixed the rice with chopsticks rather than a spoon. The yukhoe itself was seasoned, while the bibimbap was lightly seasoned and tasted mild. It also had a sweet-and-tangy note, making it easy to eat.

How were the dolsot albap and Korean beef tteokgalbi?

The dolsot albap came in a sizzling stone pot with generous toppings. The roe popped with each bite. After eating about half, I added sesame oil from the self-service bar, which I preferred for the extra nutty flavor.

Ordering tteokgalbi alongside it made the meal more filling. The fried egg that came with it caught my eye because its yolk held a distinct shape.

Would I return with my parents?

My parents were pleased with the food and the kind service. I also had a satisfying meal of mild bibimbap with tteokgalbi. There was no dedicated parking and we waited a little for drinks, but I would like to return when I want a mild Korean family lunch.