Yeoksam Korean BBQ after work: somaek and acorn jelly soup, Raviok

Raviok Yeoksam Main Branch is a Korean BBQ restaurant near Yeoksam Station that describes itself as the only LA galbi (LA-style cross-cut short rib) specialist in Korea. Corkage is allowed, you can book through Catch Table and Naver, and staff grill the meat for you.

I finally got together with my work colleagues after work in Gangnam and had a lovely dinner 🏢 We found a cozy spot with great food quality! The name Raviok comes from La (LA), bi (galbi, ribs) and ok (hanok, traditional Korean house).

Where is Raviok Yeoksam Main Branch?

Raviok Yeoksam Main Branch is on the 2nd floor of 42 Teheran-ro 25-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, about a 320 m walk from Exit 6 of Yeoksam Station. It sits midway between Yeoksam Station and Eonju Station, so it's very convenient by public transport 🗺️ Follow the map and you'll find it easily 🚶‍♂️

Raviok opening hours and break time

Raviok Yeoksam Main Branch is open daily 11:30–22:00 ⏰ On weekdays (Monday to Friday) there's a break time from 14:30 to 17:00, so please avoid those hours. On Saturday and Sunday there's no break time, and last order is 21:30. It's open all 365 days of the year, so you can drop by anytime 📅

A hanok-style interior that's great for team dinners

The interior is cozy and warm, built on a hanok base 🤎 It goes beyond the retro trend into a polished "newtro" feel. The space is large and you can enjoy wine too, so it's a very popular Yeoksam spot for company dinners 🍷

After we sat down and ordered, a neat and tidy banchan (side dish) set arrived 🍽️ Fresh salad and vegetables to go with the meat, plus a variety of sauces, all served in pretty bowls. I felt treated before I'd even taken a bite 🥰

You can't have great food without a drink 🍻 To shake off the after-work fatigue, we started with a cool, crisp somaek. The soft foam and the fizzy kick went down smoothly and really got our appetites going 🧊 The mood at tonight's dinner is great!

Snow-flake jingalbi roast for two: how was the grilling service?

We ordered the snow-flake jingalbi roast (눈꽃진갈비로스구이), soju and beer, and the icy muk-sabal (cold acorn jelly noodle soup). The main was the snow-flake jingalbi roast for two 🥩 The marbling bloomed like white snowflakes, and it felt like the ultimate in Yeoksam-dong beef quality ✨ You could tell the freshness just by looking, and my expectations kept climbing.

At Raviok Yeoksam Main Branch, staff grill the meat for you 👨‍🍳 They cook it expertly without burning, at its best, so I could focus entirely on the meal, which was the most relaxing among Yeoksam Station BBQ places for me. Chatting with my colleagues was great too 💬

They say Raviok trims only the flower-rib (kkotgalbi) section from rib cuts 6, 7 and 8. Maybe that's why the tenderness of the snow-flake jingalbi was beyond what I imagined 🤤 It melts like cotton candy the moment it hits your mouth, so it goes down after only a few chews. Everyone at the dinner could enjoy it comfortably and marvel 👍

The fire show and the pepper finish

Midway through grilling, the staff put on a flashy fire show right in front of us, and I was so surprised 🔥 It's a Yeoksam-dong BBQ place that delivers a spectacle too. The strong flames add a fire aroma, and the subtle smokiness soaked into the meat made it even more delicious 😍

After the fire show ends, they sprinkle pepper evenly over the meat as the final touch 🧂 The pleasant sharpness of the pepper cuts the richness and lifts the flavor even more.

It's an LA galbi specialist

The reason I recommend Raviok Yeoksam Main Branch especially is the huge plus of being the only LA galbi specialist in Korea 💯 They say the marinade was perfected after dozens, even hundreds of attempts to recreate the taste of their mother's cooking. The sweet-salty balance isn't overdone, and wins over all ages at this Yeoksam Station BBQ place 💖

Icy muk-sabal: should you order it after the meat?

After eating a fair amount of meat, we ordered Raviok's icy muk-sabal (cold acorn jelly noodle soup) as a palate cleanser 🥣 The ice floating on top cools you down just by looking at it and made us forget the heat. It was topped with plenty of toasted seaweed flakes and sesame seeds, so it smelled wonderful 🌿

The size of the bowl and the generous amount of acorn jelly (dotori-muk) looked almost outrageous 😲 For the price, the portion is very generous, more than enough to share with colleagues. Lots of fresh vegetables made the crunchy texture great too 🥒

Why it's a must-order: the sweet-and-sour broth cleanly washes away the greasiness after rich beef 😋 Scoop up the bouncy acorn jelly with the cold broth, and it's a magical combo that makes you able to eat meat all over again ✨

Why I recommend Raviok for a Yeoksam Station team dinner

Today's dinner was perfect, a treat for both eyes and mouth! If you're looking for Korean BBQ near Yeoksam Station, I strongly recommend Raviok Yeoksam Main Branch for its atmosphere, flavor and service 🌟 It's popular, so book ahead through Naver, Catch Table or by phone, and you can get a good seat without waiting 📞