Gyodae Station gimbap shop: perilla-scented ₩7,500 half rolls, Halls

A dream team of packed gimbap and crispy dakgangjeong: Gyodae gimbap favorite "Halls Gimbap Main Branch (홀스김밥본점)"

I've been obsessed with gimbap (seaweed rice rolls) lately and have been eating nothing but gimbap (?). While hunting for good spots, I found this gem of a gimbap place in Gyodae! The gimbap is great, but the dakgangjeong was seriously sooooo good. Here's my takeout review of Halls Gimbap Main Branch at Gyodae Station.

Location and hours of Halls Gimbap Main Branch

Halls Gimbap Main Branch is on Seochojungang-ro 22-gil, close to Exit 1 of Gyodae Station. It's open Mon–Fri 08:00–20:00 (break time 15:00–16:00) and Saturday 08:00–15:00, and closed every Sunday.

• Closed every Sunday
• [Monday–Friday] 08:00 - 20:00
• [Break time] 15:00 - 16:00
• [Saturday] 08:00 - 15:00

It's so close to Exit 1 of Gyodae Station that it's easy to drop by anytime. True to the name Halls, there's a huge horse character on the front, so I spotted it right away haha.

There are outdoor seats too, so on a nice day eating gimbap here like a picnic would be lovely!

What's the inside of Halls Gimbap Main Branch like?

They say they cook only with olive oil and use only unrefined cane sugar (wondang). Sticking to healthy ingredients made me trust the place a bit more.

It was just before the crowds arrived, so I quickly filmed the dining area. There's a bar table that's easy for eating alone, plus regular tables for eating with a group.

On one side you can help yourself to broth and water (note that the broth can't be packed separately for takeout!). They sell cup noodles too, so there's a hot water dispenser for that. If you dine in, you just leave your tray at the return station when you're done. The drink selection was also super wide.

And while looking around I learned that Otto Gimbap Seocho (O토김밥 서초) has made a fresh start as Halls Gimbap Main Branch..! So that's the backstory T.T The owner, the gimbap aunties and the staff are all the same, and they say the cooking and taste of the gimbap and dakgangjeong are the same as before too.

They do good deeds diligently too, so I found myself cheering on their new start with all my heart!!!

Halls Gimbap Main Branch menu and what I ordered

Gimbap and dakgangjeong are the main items, and they sell tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) and cup noodles too. I liked that there are half-and-half gimbap options and gimbap + dakgangjeong set menus!

• Halls dakgangjeong (small) ₩10,000
• Half-and-half of double cheese egg gimbap + Jindo scallion tuna gimbap ₩7,500

You order yourself at a kiosk, and since I chose takeout, my number was called quickly and I picked it up right away. Carrying my neatly packed gimbap and dakgangjeong, off I zoomed home.

Small Halls dakgangjeong takeout: portion and Cheongyang chili topping

I ordered the small Halls dakgangjeong with the half-and-half gimbap, and it came packed up so neatly! I hadn't asked, but they even put in two pairs of chopsticks, thank you haha.

I opened it right away. It looks insane. Even though it's the small size, the portion was great for ₩10,000. By the way, they sprinkle Cheongyang chili pepper (spicy green chili) on top, and you can ask to skip it on the kiosk.

Jindo scallion tuna gimbap on the left, double cheese egg gimbap on the right! I couldn't decide and wanted both, so I got the half-and-half, and I'm totally satisfied.

How do the double cheese egg gimbap and dakgangjeong taste?

Let's dig in. The double cheese egg gimbap has way more egg than rice, so it's almost like keto gimbap, which I loved haha. It's packed with cheese too, so it's soft and nutty and just has everything.

Oh, and the crazy (p) dakgangjeong... The coating is really thin but stays crispy forever. The sauce is tasty too, and no matter how much I ate it never felt greasy or got old!!! It went perfectly with the gimbap 💯

And the Cheongyang chili they put in is a kick too. After eating the dakgangjeong and gimbap, one piece of that chili instantly refreshes your mouth lol. If it gets too spicy? Another bite of dakgangjeong, nom.

Why is the gimbap and dakgangjeong combo so good... Even though this was my Nth gimbap lately, I really enjoyed it so much lol.

What does the Jindo scallion tuna gimbap taste like?

The Jindo scallion tuna gimbap at Halls Gimbap Main Branch was a flavorful tuna roll where the perilla leaf aroma really comes alive. It was honestly shockingly flavorful... I popped a piece in my mouth in one bite and the perilla scent spread so pleasantly;; so delicious. I'd call it the best gimbap I've had recently,,

I get now why regulars kept coming back since the Otto Gimbap days... (if it were right near my home I'd go every day too). The taste totally made sense T.T

Crispy, sweet, with a spicy kick from the Cheongyang chili added on top, the balance of flavors is per-fect.

Are half-and-half gimbap and small dakgangjeong enough for two people?

The half-and-half gimbap plus small Halls dakgangjeong was just the right amount for two people. The gimbap is stuffed fuuuull. In the half-and-half, the two middle rolls have 3 pieces each, and the two end rolls have 2 pieces! Eaten with the dakgangjeong, the amount was just right.

If you're looking for a Gyodae Station office-worker favorite or a good Gyodae gimbap place, I recommend Halls Gimbap Main Branch!