Gangneung pork galbi restaurant with a self-serve side bar: Chodang

After looking out at the sea at Gangmun Beach, my husband and I were trying to figure out where to go for dinner and ended up stopping by Chodang Uga.

It's right in front of St. John's Hotel, so it was easy to get to after being by the water, and it's a Gangneung restaurant where you can get everything from pork galbi to Korean beef (hanwoo).

With plenty of parking and a dog-friendly setup, it's a good place to keep in mind when you're looking for somewhere to eat during a Gangneung trip.

How to find Chodang Uga in Gangneung, and where to park

Chodang Uga is located at 298-4 Haean-ro, Gangneung, Gangwon. It's about a 1-minute walk from St. John's Hotel and also close to Gangmun Beach. That makes it a convenient restaurant near St. John's Hotel for going straight to dinner after looking around the beach, just like we did.

There's parking for about 30 cars set up in front of the building.

We drove there too, and when we told them our license plate number at checkout after the meal, the parking fee was waived, so we parked for free.

Inside Chodang Uga: the dining room

Once we went inside, the hall was bigger than I expected. There were a lot of tables, and they weren't crammed together, so it felt spacious enough for a group meal too.

Baby chairs were available, and there was a tablet at every table so you could look at the menu and order right from your seat.

Even though it was right after break time, there were already customers eating, and more kept coming in while we ate, so it seems like it gets busier in the evening.

How does dining with a dog work at Chodang Uga?

You can dine with your dog at Chodang Uga, and there was a separate sign at the entrance explaining the dog-friendly rules. Based on what the photo shows, small to medium dogs under 10kg are allowed in, and leashes are required outside the designated pet area.

There was also a separate corner in the store with dog treats, toys, and other pet supplies.

If you're traveling around Gangneung with your dog, finding a place to eat can be stressful, so it stood out that they had this kind of space and clear rules already set up.

What's on the menu at Chodang Uga

Chodang Uga has a wide variety of options prepared, from Korean beef (hanwoo) to pork galbi and full meal dishes.

That day we were more in the mood for sweet seasoned galbi than hanwoo, so we ordered the pork galbi.

The side dishes and the self-serve bar

After ordering the pork galbi, the basic side dishes were set out first. A whole table's worth of dishes to go with the meat came out, and there was quite a variety.

Japchae (stir-fried glass noodles), which takes a lot of effort to make,

and a refreshing salad too.

The vegetables were really fresh too.

For anything you're short on, like lettuce, perilla leaves, or ssamjang (wrap dipping sauce), you can just grab more from the self-serve bar.

What the charcoal-grilled pork galbi tastes like

The pork galbi had a sweet, salty seasoning soaked right into the meat, and being grilled over charcoal made it even better,

and of course meat has to come with soju — putting a piece of meat on a lettuce wrap, that's the kind of happiness haha.

The basic side dishes were neat and clean, and the staff were kind, which I really liked^^

Who Chodang Uga suits best

• Anyone looking for somewhere to eat after visiting Gangmun Beach
• Anyone who wants Korean BBQ near St. John's Hotel
• Anyone looking for an indoor place to eat with their dog
• Anyone visiting with kids or looking for a family dinner spot
• Anyone looking for a Gangneung restaurant with parking

Final verdict on Chodang Uga

This was a place my husband and I stopped by for dinner after looking at the sea. We could grill the pork galbi ourselves over charcoal and eat it with wrap vegetables, and grabbing extra vegetables or sides from the self-serve bar was easy. With a spacious interior, plenty of parking, and even a dog-friendly area, it was a place that was easy to visit with a group while traveling.

Things to do near Chodang Uga and Gangmun Beach

Chodang Uga is close to Gangmun Beach, so it's a good spot to link into a route of seeing the sea and then having a meal, just like we did. St. John's Hotel is right nearby too, so it's convenient for planning both lodging and meals together during a Gangneung trip.

Chodang Uga hours, address and parking

• Address: 298-4 Haean-ro, Gangneung, Gangwon, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 11:00–15:00 / 17:00–21:30
• Break time: 15:00–17:00
• Parking: About 30 spots in front of the building; parking fee waived when you register your license plate after dining
• Dog-friendly