Seongsu Korean BBQ restaurant C course: Usiya Seongsu Branch

A small counter-style Korean beef omakase in a Seongsu alley

I visited Usiya Seongsu Branch, a small Korean beef omakase spot tucked between the trendy alleys of Seongsu. There are lots of atmospheric places when you look for good food in Seongsu, but it is not common to get a course where each Korean beef cut is explained and grilled for you in the 50,000-won range per person. Seongsu prices make my eyes water ㅠㅠ

The two of us ordered two Usiya C courses, two draft beers, and an extra order of short rib. To give you the conclusion first: this is the great-value Korean beef omakase place I would recommend in Seongsu for an anniversary, date, or meal with your parents!!

Rather than one of the bustling restaurants on Seongsu’s main street, it is a compact counter-style space set farther into an alley. There are not many seats, so I recommend booking ahead if you have a preferred time.

The C course I chose includes beef tongue, three Korean beef grilled cuts, grilled ox tail, a specialty cut, pot rice, and aged-kimchi braise.

The building is a converted house, with an unusually calm and very upscale atmosphere for Seongsu :)

The menu and C course table setting

Menu

The Usiya C course begins

When you first sit down, the basic accompaniments for the meat—scallion salad, house sauce, salt, pickled onions, and more—are neatly set out.

Next, they show you the platter of meat for the day. Starting with the beef tongue at the upper left in the photo, they grilled everything in order, moving from leaner to richer cuts, so even after trying several cuts it never became too much.

• Beef tongue
• Striploin
• Skirt steak
• Upjin-sal (brisket point)
• Ox tail
• Special tripe

Korean beef grilled cut by cut, from tongue to brisket point

Signature beef tongue

First up was beef tongue. The thin slices were briefly grilled over charcoal, giving the outside a smoky aroma while keeping the inside tender. I was a little nervous at first because it was an unfamiliar cut, but it was not tough at all—springy to bite into, with a nutty flavor coming through. It was the perfect opener before the richer cuts, and I could see why so many Usiya reviews mention the tongue.

Striploin and eggplant

The first Korean beef cut was striploin. They grilled two thick pieces first, leaving the outside nicely firm and the inside moist and rosy. The eggplant grilled alongside was dipped once in teriyaki sauce before going back on the grill, and its soft texture and sweet-savory sauce went so, so well with the lean meat!!

Skirt steak and brisket point

The second Korean beef cut, skirt steak, had a more distinct grain and a deeper beefy aroma than the first lean cut. It was seared well over charcoal while left medium-rare inside, so it was full of juices; the grilled zucchini also made it easy to reset between bites.

The third Korean beef cut, upjin-sal (brisket point), had more fat than the earlier lean cuts, so the nuttiness really came through. They dipped it in Usiya’s house sauce and grilled it again over charcoal, and the sweet-savory seasoning with the deep char aroma was such a good combination. The mushroom grilled alongside had a chewy, moist texture like cheese ㅠㅠ I faint. The pepper was nicely spicy and cut through the richness toward the end. I also loved that they did not just serve meat, but paired each cut with different vegetables and sauces.

Draft beer in front of the charcoal grill

And midway through, you cannot skip an icy draft beer.. Eating each cut slowly in front of the charcoal grill, there was no way I could not have one haha. The two of us had two draft beers that day, and they cleansed the palate between the nutty Korean beef, making the meal even more satisfying.

Grilled ox tail, special tripe, and the finishing meal

My first grilled ox tail

After the three Korean beef cuts came ox tail grilled on the bone. The outside was crisped up, with a deep nutty aroma, and the meat around the bone was so chewy!! It was my first time trying it, but it was seriously delicious ㅜㅜ They even provided plastic gloves so it was easy to pull apart and eat with your hands without any fuss.

Special tripe, the final grill item

The final grilled item in the C course that day ㅠㅠ So delicious. Since the course moves toward richer cuts, it suited the later part of the meal perfectly. It was browned on the outside, pleasantly chewy but not tough within. Eating it with onion made its nuttiness and texture stand out even more. So chewy and so good.

Pot rice and Korean beef aged-kimchi braise

Once the meat course ends, rice and aged-kimchi braise arrive. It had thoroughly fermented aged kimchi and generous chunks of meat, and its spicy, deep broth neatly cleared away the richness of the beef we had eaten before. With the pot rice, it was honestly so delicious ㅜㅜ,,

Extra short rib

The C course alone was not lacking in quantity, but the meat quality was good and the à la carte prices were relatively reasonable, so we added short rib. It was ₩32,000 for 100 g. They first showed us the raw meat, wide and clearly marbled, then grilled it slowly over the brazier.

After it was cooked, they covered it like this to let it take on more aroma. Honestly, even better.

Doesn’t it look amazing.. By the very end we were stuffed and forcing ourselves to finish it!! That is how substantial and truly delicious the course was ~~!!

Overall thoughts on Usiya Seongsu’s C course

If you are looking for an anniversary restaurant or a great-value Korean beef omakase in Seongsu, Usiya Seongsu Branch is somewhere I want to revisit!! The ₩59,000 C course per person alone had a full progression of beef tongue, three Korean beef cuts, grilled ox tail, special tripe, pot rice, and aged-kimchi braise, and because a dedicated staff member grilled it all, we could comfortably enjoy every cut at its best doneness!!

• People looking for a good Seongsu date restaurant
• People looking for Korean beef omakase under ₩100,000
• People who want to try a little of several beef cuts
• People who want an easy meal with explanations, without grilling themselves
• People looking for a quiet Seongsu restaurant for an anniversary or to bring their parents

As a small counter-style space, it had a slightly different feel from the usual crowds at Seongsu hot spots—more refined, if anything. It is a little walk into the alleys from Seongsu Station, and there are not many seats, so it is best to visit with a reservation. Prices, course composition, and cuts served may change depending on when you visit, so please check again when booking. I am absolutely willing to go back!