Konkuk Univ. rice bowl spot at opening: daechang & spicy buta, Hekbap

A Konkuk University-area favorite with a huge menu and great value: Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch. With dishes everyone from kids to grandparents will like, and reasonable prices, it's hugely popular.

Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch: hours and location

Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch is open daily 11:00–21:00, with a break time from 15:00 to 16:30. It's open every day of the year, and it's a 3-minute walk from Exit 3 of Konkuk Univ. Station, but there's no parking.

• ⏰ Daily 11:00–21:00 (break time 15:00–16:30)
• ⛔️ Open every day of the year
• 📍 3-minute walk from Exit 3 of Konkuk Univ. Station
• 🚘 No parking

It's a 3-minute walk from Konkuk Univ. Station, on the second floor along the road, so it's easy to find even in the Konkuk food alley packed with restaurants. Appetizing menu displays and all kinds of dishes at the entrance pull you right in.

Inside Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch: atmosphere and seating

The inside was spotless. It's a Japanese food specialist serving rice bowls (donburi), ramen, soba, udon, curry, katsu and more, aiming for authentic Japanese flavor at its tastiest.

"Hekbap" means "core meal" (핵 = core, 밥 = meal), and their core value is to drop the fancy tricks and keep to the essentials.

There's a restroom inside too, kept neat. The core-value messages written here and there made the place feel full of care.

We came right at opening time and there were already quite a few customers. It's perfect for eating solo, with a friend, or with family where everyone picks what they like.

Especially, the trees of Konkuk University Hospital seen through the big window looked so fresh and green. I loved it!

True to its fame as a solo-dining spot, there are seats for solo diners too. Nice! There's also a self-serve corner with pickled radish, kkakdugi (radish kimchi) and wasabi, so you can take as much as you like. I loved that.

Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch: menu and prices

Ordering is by kiosk, so you can take your time choosing. Rice bowls, ramen, soba, udon, curry, katsu... the menu is so varied that tapping is hard work! You can also check Hekbap's signature dishes on the menu board in front of the shop.

• Cube steak rice bowl ₩12,900
• Meat-heaped rice bowl ₩10,900
• Pork jowl rice bowl ₩11,900
• Chicken mayo rice bowl ₩9,900
• Fukuoka udon ₩9,500
• Shio ramen ₩11,000
• Mazesoba ₩10,900
• Western-style giant pork cutlet ₩10,900

Truly, there's nothing they don't have at Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch.

Table helpers for your worries, and how-to-eat guides

In front of the kiosk there's pepper, salt, and even hair ties. Oddly, each table also has a "magic solution" for your worries. Playing with it while waiting for our order made the time fly.

On one side of the table there's also a guide on how to enjoy Hekbap's dishes at their tastiest.

Our picks as a couple: Hanwoo daechang rice bowl and spicy buta rice bowl set

My husband's pick was the spicy buta rice bowl set (₩14,900). The spicy buta rice bowl (buta = pork) is Hekbap's new menu item, and the set adds mini udon and karaage (Japanese fried chicken).

My pick was the Hanwoo daechang rice bowl (₩13,900), the best-selling item at Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch. (Daechang is beef large intestine.)

A neat, tidy tray, just like Japan. The generous lineup raised my expectations before we even ate, and it looked filling at first glance.

How was the Hanwoo daechang rice bowl?

The Hanwoo daechang rice bowl at Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch let us really taste the rich flavor of daechang. It's said to be one of Hekbap's signature dishes.

The bowl is generously topped with daechang with a subtle smoky grilled aroma. The more you chew, the more the rich daechang fat spreads, and it goes perfectly with the special sauce. I usually like gopchang and daechang anyway, and Hekbap's daechang was seriously delicious 🤍

The signature chewy texture of daechang is alive, so if you love daechang, I'd absolutely recommend it. The sauce isn't overpowering, just sweet and a little spicy, so I enjoyed it to the end without it feeling greasy.

How was the spicy buta rice bowl set?

My husband's spicy buta rice bowl set balanced spicy pork and crunchy vegetables. It was hotter and zestier than I expected, the kind of taste that really melts away stress. The spiciness has real depth, so a piece of meat on white rice is just heavenly. Add a little wasabi on top and it's Japanese vibes all the way.

The spicy buta set comes with mini udon and karaage, making the meal even more generous. The noodles were springy with a deep broth, and the quality was far better than you'd expect from a set side. The broth was warm and clean, perfect for sipping between bites of the rice bowl.

The karaage served with it was a treat too. Not greasy, lightly fried, crispy outside and juicy inside.

Dessert cheese rice cake and overall verdict

The grilled rice cake, crispy outside and chewy inside, felt like a proper dessert. Sweet jocheong (Korean grain syrup) is spread on the plate with cheese rice cake, and the cheese flavor with the rice cake's texture was a perfect finish.

Overall, Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch is a Konkuk-area spot with good portions and a good lineup for the price. The food is clean and neat, and it suits both solo meals and groups. If you're looking for good-value Japanese rice bowls and ramen in Konkuk, I recommend Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch 🙌