Galbitang and 17-grain misugaru in Gwangjin: Achasan Tong Galbitang

Where is Achasan Tong Galbitang?

Achasan Tong Galbitang (아차산통갈비탕) is a galbitang restaurant on the road up Achasan, a straight walk in from Achasan Station. It was dinnertime during a weekend walk at Children's Grand Park, so we stopped by 👀 On weekends you have to take care of your body to survive the coming week 😙 and galbitang is the perfect menu for that‼️

It also seemed perfect for after a hike up Achasan. And lots of people there really did seem to be coming down from a hike 😋

There are big signs on the front and the side of the shop, so it should be easy to find, hehe. It's on the right side of the road heading up Achasan!

Where to park for Achasan Tong Galbitang

There's no private parking lot; the sign tells you to use the paid lot in front. It's ₩900 per 30 minutes! If you drive and finish your meal in about 1 to 1.5 hours.. that would come to ₩2,700 in total 👍

Inside Achasan Tong Galbitang, and takeout

Here's the inside! It isn't super huge, but it has everything it needs, hehe. The moment I walked in it felt clean and cool. If you're worn out from the heat, stepping in here would make you happy, hehe 🪭

Every menu item is available for takeout 👀 Next time I want to take some home and try it there!

House-made kkakdugi at the self-serve bar

The self-serve bar has kimchi, chili peppers, deodeok (bellflower root) and more, and the kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) was seriously insanely good!!!! You know a place that sells soup (?) absolutely has to have good kimchi. Truly the best, best, best 🥰🥰 The kimchi is made with domestic ingredients, and they said they make the amazing kkakdugi themselves 🫜

What we ordered: shank galbitang and king galbitang

You sit at the table, order on a kiosk and pay in advance! I used to find kiosk ordering annoying, but at some point I started thinking it's really, truly convenient. We browsed the menu~! 🏃🏻‍♀️ We ordered the signature items: the meaty shank galbitang (₩19,000) and the stamina king galbitang (₩16,000). Totally excited ✨

How does the meaty shank galbitang (19,000 won) taste?

This is the meaty shank galbitang, literally piled with meat 👍 The broth is refreshing and there's really a lot of meat. It tasted like finishing a bowl on a no-energy day would pump you full of energy. The broth is so clean and light, and even without adding any seasoning it was really, really, really good 🩶 My friend said it's so clean and tasty because the broth isn't sweet?! 😳

How does the stamina king galbitang (16,000 won) taste?

This is the stamina king galbitang 💪🏻 It had 2 to 3 big chunks of meat. While it was piping hot I cut the meat up with scissors and ate it all with the broth, hehe. Haha, I normally don't finish the broth, but I mixed rice in and it was so good that I finished everything 🥺

The person at the next table (I wasn't trying to listen, I just couldn't help hearing,,) said they don't usually like broth but it's so good they end up finishing it.. 👍👍

I don't usually eat much kimchi when eating out, but the kimchi here was so good that I ate it with the broth like crazy, hehe. And there was deodeok salad?! I crunched through the healthy deodeok happily too 🤤

Dessert: 17-grain misugaru and barley gangjeong

The desserts here are really generous too. First up, the amazing misugaru (roasted grain drink)!! 🍶 A machine keeps stirring the misugaru. Made with 17 grains,, I normally don't really drink misugaru, but I downed it in one go because it was so, so good, hehe

The second dessert was barley gangjeong (a crunchy puffed-grain snack), and they sell it too, ₩3,000 for 1 / ₩5,000 for 2. I didn't get greedy and had just one each, but it was so good I could easily eat 20 in one sitting,, 👍

Is Achasan Tong Galbitang worth a return visit?

Achasan Tong Galbitang was perfect, right through to the dessert ✨ From now on, when I think galbitang, I'll think of Achasan Tong Galbitang. I'll be back again and again and again. If you need an energy boost near Achasan Station in Gwangjin, run to Achasan Tong Galbitang 🏃🏻‍♀️ Highly, highly, highly recommended 🩶