Solo marinated pork galbi at Jungdong Station, Haeundae: Seokok Galbi

Why you should do an opening run at Seokok Galbi if you're eating alone

Seokok Galbi (석옥갈비) in Haeundae takes reservations by phone and Catch Table, and the evening slots are almost all booked, so if you show up late there's no seat for a solo diner. That's why I ran straight over for the weekday 4 PM opening.

I kept seeing this Haeundae restaurant all over Instagram, and it happens to be near the hospital where I get treated, so I stopped by. It's busy even on weekday evenings, so if you're going, book by phone, or use Catch Table for same-day.

Seokok Galbi hours, location and parking

Seokok Galbi is open weekdays 16:00–23:00 and weekends 11:30–23:00. On weekends there's a break time from 14:30 to 16:00, and last order is at 22:00.

It's a 2-minute walk from Exit 7 of Jungdong Station, and about the same from the nearest bus stop. For parking, there's an E-mart nearby. It opens in the afternoon on weekdays and in the morning on weekends, and since it's known as a Haeundae favorite, weekends get even fuller.

Seokok Galbi exterior and atmosphere

Seokok Galbi has a pretty unusual look, right? After seeing it on Instagram I thought, oh, there's a place like this nearby, so I finally visited. It opens at 4 on weekdays, so I went for a combined late lunch and dinner. It takes Catch Table and phone reservations, so if you're going in a group, I'd recommend booking.

How many seats per table does Seokok Galbi have?

Seokok Galbi has a mix of tables for 4, 6, 8 and more, so it's a good setup for going with a bunch of people. (An opening run, and there are already customers...?) Tables run from both walls to the middle, and can you believe it all fills up in the evening? I ate there, so I believe it.

High chairs, self-serve bar and restroom

Seokok Galbi has high chairs for families, and you take spoons, chopsticks and tissues yourself from beside the table. It serves 8 side dishes by default, and if you run short you can refill at the self-serve bar. But the default spread was so generous that I didn't need any refills.

The restroom is at the back of the restaurant. It's separated by gender and kept clean, and there's mouthwash, so no worries about smelling like meat.

Seokok Galbi menu: just two kinds of pork galbi

The meat menu at Seokok Galbi has only two items: pork galbi and marinated pork galbi. They say simple is best, right? Further down there are pot rice, steamed rice and noodles to go with it, but this is a place that sells only pork galbi. I ate the marinated pork galbi and the seasonal pot rice.

Scored marinated pork galbi and the 8 side dishes

The marinated pork galbi at Seokok Galbi is scored with tons of knife cuts. The first advantage is that it cooks quickly, and the second is that it's super easy to cut.

The 8 side dishes that come with it are below, and they go really well with the meat.

• Seed jeotgal (salted fermented seafood with seeds)
• Pickled mustard leaves
• Wasabi
• Seaweed wrap (dasima ssam, kelp wrap)
• Green onion kimchi
• Barley ssamjang (barley dipping paste)
• Pickled bangah (Korean mint)
• Mala sauce

Best ways to eat the marinated galbi at Seokok Galbi

My favorite combo with the meat at Seokok Galbi was seaweed wrap + seed jeotgal + marinated galbi. Dipping it in the mala sauce is tasty too. It isn't spicy, just a hint of the aroma soaking in, which I liked.

Be sure to grill the green onion kimchi and eat it together, and I'd recommend ordering either rice or noodles to eat with the meat.

Seokok Galbi seasonal pot rice: a better match for the meat than noodles?

The seasonal pot rice at Seokok Galbi goes better with the meat than the noodles do. This is how the pot rice comes out, and though it's not in the photos, they also give you a kettle with nurungji tea (scorched rice tea) inside, great for cleansing your palate. It stays warm until you finish. The wild greens change with the seasons, so it'd be nice to visit regularly.

There's a guide on how to eat it best, and eating it that way was really good. There's a reason this is a Haeundae favorite. The accompanying sauce is a little soy-sauce-like and pairs great with the greens pot rice, and the seaweed and braised radish were quite good too. Put meat on top and, well, that's it, game over. The galbi is the kind where even a light touch to the rice leaves its marinade aroma, which I think made it even better.

Nurungji tea to finish, and the extras on your way out

At Seokok Galbi, the nurungji tea wipes your palate clean, and on the way out they hand you candy and dental floss, oh, and a yogurt drink each too. It really seems like a place that looks after you.

I had a combined late lunch and dinner at Seokok Galbi in Haeundae, and I want to go back for the plain galbi too. I'll definitely stop by again when I'm nearby.