Saetgang Station Korean restaurant: mackerel set for two with jeyuk

Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Bansang Yeouido is a Korean fish-grill restaurant that recently opened near Saetgang Station. I went with a friend and we ordered the mackerel + jeyuk set — here's my honest review, drumroll please

Where is Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Bansang Yeouido, and how do you get there from Saetgang Station?

The restaurant is on the basement level of the Lotte Castle Ivy building. Take the escalator down from 1F, turn around and walk straight, and you'll see Gayang Kalguksu — Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Bansang is right there to its right, easy to spot!

Inside the restaurant: wide tables and kiosk ordering

There were quite a few customers when I visited so I couldn't take photos right away — these are from after we finished eating. Overall it's clean, and the tables are nice and wide, so it seems well suited for family meals or group dining too.

You order through the table kiosk, and the range is really nice — grilled mackerel, Alaska pollock, mackerel, hairtail, plus fish roe stew, tteokgalbi (Korean meat patty), pork jowl, even a kids' set. After some deliberation we went with the 🐟 mackerel set for two + jeyuk (spicy stir-fried pork) side set, perfect for sharing.

At this Yeouido Korean restaurant, every table comes with paper cups, wet wipes, and a little wasabi. Later on, mix a bit of that wasabi into the soy sauce and dip your mackerel in it — genuinely GOAT-level flavor.

The soupy tteokbokki you have to try at the self bar

This was the corner I was most curious about before visiting. Besides the free refills on the basic side dishes, ⭐️you absolutely have to try the tteokbokki soup at the self bar⭐️

Didn't expect much since it's a fish-grill place, but the rice cakes were surprisingly chewy — 10000% satisfied.

What comes with the mackerel set for two plus jeyuk side set

Ta-da, our order arrived〰️ Each of us got a neat grilled mackerel spread, plus jeyuk full of smoky flavor served alongside — the smell of that jeyuk was seriously heavenly.

The side dishes — japchae (glass noodle stir-fry), garlic scape muchim, and chonggak kimchi — made a great combo. Japchae especially, which I only usually eat on holidays, was so good after a while!

Once the hungry ones (us, heads down eating) finish the side dishes, you quietly get up and go refill at the self bar like pros.

The important part: don't stop at the side dishes — spoon out the soy sauce and gang-doenjang on the table too, dip the mackerel, wrap up ssam with the gang-doenjang, and eat it properly.

Every side dish was clean and delicious, and the accompanying doenjang soup was mildly seasoned, just right — the balance of the whole mackerel spread was so good. The kind of seasoning that makes you order another bowl of rice •••!!

How the kiln-grilled mackerel tasted

Today's highlight! Grilled mackerel🐟 Nicely browned over the wood-fired grill, crispy on the outside and tender inside — put it on white rice and it just melts away...~

It's perfectly seasoned and savory on its own, but dipping it in the soy sauce is a real treat too — highly recommend trying that combo as well :D

Was the jeyuk (spicy stir-fried pork) side set worth adding?

The jeyuk stir-fry, coated in sweet-spicy sauce with a good smoky char, was also seriously good.

The seasoning wasn't overly intense, so it worked great with rice and was equally perfect wrapped in ssam!

A sungnyung finish, and why this Yeouido grilled-fish restaurant is worth a visit

The meal at this Yeouido restaurant must end with sungnyung (scorched rice tea). Sip that warm sungnyung and your stomach feels properly full and satisfied — don't forget to grab it.

I loved how clean and spacious it was, but what mattered most — the food — delivered too. Crispy-outside, tender-inside mackerel off the wood fire, sweet-spicy jeyuk, and sungnyung to finish left me full and happy. Highly recommend Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Bansang Yeouido for family meals, office lunches, or group dining!