Seocho Station lamb skewers: loin vs rib, Hanseong Yang Kkochi

Hanseong Yang Kkochi Gyodae Branch 2 — a Seocho/Gyodae lamb skewer and mala xiangguo recommendation.

When you go for lamb skewers but can also order Chinese dishes like mala xiangguo, menu-picking gets so much easier haha. This time I went to Gyodae Station spot Hanseong Yang Kkochi Gyodae Branch 2 and had a filling meal of lamb loin skewers, lamb skewers, and mala xiangguo too. The skewer portions were more generous than I expected, and the mala xiangguo came in such a huge bowl that I was a little startled when I first saw it lol. I was worried the mala xiangguo might be too spicy, but it was about as spicy as Shin Ramyun, so even a spice wimp like me could enjoy it. Here's the full review of my stuffed-full meal from lamb skewers to mala xiangguo at this Gyodae spot :)

Where is Hanseong Yang Kkochi Gyodae Branch 2, and is there parking?

📍 Hanseong Yang Kkochi Gyodae Branch 2 location Address: 1576-26 Seocho-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea Hours: 12:00 - 24:00 Parking: Available

Hanseong Yang Kkochi Gyodae Branch 2 sits near Gyodae Station exit 14, making it convenient if you're coming from that side. It's also close to Seocho Station, so it's a good one to keep in mind when looking for a group dinner spot in Seocho-dong. If you're driving, parking is available, so keep that in mind!

What are the interior and seating like?

Inside, the restaurant is centered around sofa-style seating, giving it a comfortable dining atmosphere. Every table has its own grill and hood so you can cook the lamb skewers right there, and the menu has quite a range of options from lamb skewers to lamb ribs to Chinese dishes — it seemed like a solid choice not just for a regular dinner but also for a Gyodae Station group dinner or gathering where everyone orders several different things.

Menu lineup and the free side dishes

Here's the menu at Hanseong Yang Kkochi Gyodae Branch 2 for reference! Along with several types of lamb skewers and lamb ribs, they also had a variety of Chinese dishes including mala xiangguo. Here's what we ordered :)

We ordered two kinds of lamb skewers plus mala xiangguo so we could alternate between meat and a cooked dish. The basic sauces were soy sauce and cumin salt, and they also gave us peanuts, pickled mustard greens (jisha), and pickled onion. Good for picking at in between skewers.

How do the lamb loin skewers taste?

Lamb loin skewers and lamb rib skewers! They came piled high on the plate, and the actual portion was quite generous, more than I expected.

We decided to start with the lamb loin skewers. Once you put the skewers on the grill, a machine automatically rotates them, so you don't have to keep flipping them yourself — you just wait, which is great haha.

After watching them turn golden brown, the first bite of a well-cooked lamb loin skewer! Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside — so good. The meat was thick and chewy, giving it a really nice texture.

It went well with the cumin salt, and dipping it in the soy sauce with cheongyang chili was also great. I alternated between the two lol.

How spicy is the mala xiangguo, and how big is the portion?

In the meantime, the mala xiangguo arrived too. The moment it came out, I was surprised at how huge the bowl was. With two skewer orders plus one dish like this, it seemed like even three adults could eat quite a filling meal!

I was a bit worried the mala xiangguo would be too spicy before trying it. But once I actually ate it, it was about as spicy as Shin Ramyun, so even a spice wimp could enjoy it. It wasn't the kind of intense spiciness that hits your tongue hard and hurts, so I kept reaching for more.

Inside there was beef of course, plus shrimp, bean sprouts, bok choy, wood ear mushrooms, meatballs, and glass noodles — quite a variety. The ingredients weren't concentrated on just one or two things but spread out evenly, so it was fun picking through different bites, and it paired perfectly with the skewers in between.

Lamb loin vs lamb rib skewers: what's the difference?

Once we finished the lamb loin skewers, it was time for the lamb rib skewers!

I figured they'd taste similar since it's the same lamb, but eating the two types back to back, each had a distinct character that was clearer than I expected. The lamb ribs were noticeably fattier than the loin and had a more tender texture. The loin, on the other hand, was thicker and chewier with a cleaner taste! Their charms were so different that it was hard to say which one was better lol.

The lamb ribs also went really well with the cumin salt, so I dipped them generously and dug in. Alternating between a bite of mala xiangguo and back to the skewers, we never got tired of it all the way to the end and it was so good.

Final verdict on Hanseong Yang Kkochi Gyodae Branch 2

If you want to eat lamb skewers along with Chinese dishes near Gyodae Station, this place had a solid menu lineup for that. Trying the lamb loin and lamb rib skewers together especially showed a clear difference — the loin clean, thick and chewy, the ribs fattier and more tender — which made it fun to pick between them. The mala xiangguo also had a generous portion and was only about as spicy as Shin Ramyun, so it was easy to eat without worry. Rather than eating skewers non-stop, having mala xiangguo in between kept things from getting repetitive, which I liked. If you're looking for lamb skewers near Seocho Station or Gyodae Station, or a Gyodae Station spot where a group can order a variety of dishes, this one's worth checking out :)