Family-friendly gopchang restaurant in Anyang: Ilmigop

If you are looking for a great gopchang place in Anyang to visit with a child, I would recommend Ilmigop (일미곱) in Bisan-dong. Gopchang restaurants somehow seem like places for adults only, but this was comfortable enough for a family meal that we have visited twice with our child.

Returning to a Bisan-dong gopchang restaurant with our child

We went for dinner as soon as our child's soccer class ended that day. Our child was hungry after running around the field, and Mom and Dad, who had been watching and waiting, were hungry too. All three of us were saying, “We want to eat now!” as we rushed off for dinner. We had been craving gopchang for the first time in ages, so we had booked ahead at Ilmigop.

This was our second visit. The food had been delicious the first time, of course, but I especially remembered how natural and comfortable it felt to bring our child. When you think of a gopchang restaurant, you usually picture a loud, drinking-focused atmosphere first. At Ilmigop, though, families dining with children blended right in. That is why I wanted to share this Bisan-dong favorite with anyone who has thought gopchang would be difficult as a family dinner option.

A family meal with assorted gopchang and woosamgyeop

We ordered two servings of assorted gopchang and added woosamgyeop (thin-sliced beef belly) for our child. Ordering the assortment feels much more abundant because you can try a good variety of cuts instead of just one. The rich, nutty gopchang grew more flavorful as we chewed, and alternating it with the other cuts meant we never tired of it.

Maybe because we had come straight from soccer class on empty stomachs, even the few short minutes waiting in front of the grill felt long haha. Once that delicious smell started wafting over, all three of us had our chopsticks ready!

What I especially appreciated was that, when they saw we were with a child, they grilled and prepared the woosamgyeop separately. As a parent, it was so convenient not to have to carefully cook our child's portion at one side of the same grill. Thanks to the separately prepared woosamgyeop, our child could tuck in right away, while my husband and I could focus on the assorted gopchang.

It may seem like a small consideration, but it was exactly the kind of thing that made me think, “We have to come back again.”

The complimentary sundubu-jjigae is a must-have alongside it!

The complimentary sundubu-jjigae (soft tofu stew) at Ilmigop is reaaally good too. After enjoying the rich, nutty flavors of gopchang, a spoonful of its hot, spicy broth feels like it refreshes your palate.

The soft texture of the tofu went so well with the spicy broth, so I was happy it came as part of the meal. I kept reaching for that sundubu in between bites of gopchang haha.

Mango sherbet chosen by our child

After our child had polished off the woosamgyeop and was full, we ordered mango sherbet for dessert. A satisfying dinner after exercise, followed by a cool, sweet dessert—our child's face brightened right up :) The sweetness of mango with a refreshing finish made it perfect after the meal. It also cleared away that slightly heavy feeling left after eating meat.

Finishing with fried rice

While our child was having dessert, the adults' finale was only beginning. You cannot leave out fried rice after gopchang, right? We ordered it without hesitation. We got one order of fried rice, but it was enough for 1.5 servings. Sooo much! Even while saying we were stuffed, we could not put our spoons down haha. We scraped the plate clean.

Why we came back for a family meal

When you eat out with a child, great food alone does not always lead to a return visit. You naturally consider whether there is something your child can eat, whether the parents can dine comfortably too, and whether the atmosphere works for families. In that respect, Ilmigop was a gopchang restaurant in Anyang that satisfied all three of us!

If you are looking for somewhere to have dinner with your child in Bisan-dong, or for a gopchang restaurant you can visit comfortably as a family, stop by Ilmigop.