Hongdae Korean BBQ without a reservation: ₩52,000 set at Gogi Salon

I was out in Hongdae and suddenly craved meat, so I ended up at Gogi Salon !! Maybe because it was raining, I was really in the mood for pork belly.

Where Gogi Salon is and when it opens

Gogi Salon is a Korean BBQ restaurant near Hongik University Station at 서울 마포구 월드컵북로6길 60 1층 좌측. It's open Mon–Sat 11:30–23:00, with a break time from 15:00–17:00, last order at 22:00, and closed every Sunday.

It's already a well-known spot near Hongik University Station for pork belly and galbi (marinated ribs). It seemed like a lot of people come here for gatherings and work dinners too!

Can you get a table at 7pm on a weekend without a reservation?

It's near Exit 2 of Hongik University Station so it was easy to find! We showed up around 7pm on a weekend without a reservation, and luckily there was a table for us haha

What comes with the ₩52,000 salon set

Even though it's a BBQ place, the interior was clean and modern. The menu had meat sets, à la carte items, and various sides (see the menu photos below), and we ordered the salon set. Two servings of flower pork neck + one rack of marinated pork rib + choice of janchi guksu or bibim guksu, for ₩52,000 (plus doenjang jjigae and extra rice).

Banchan: three wrap greens and spicy marinated crab

The side dishes overall came out neat and tidy, and I loved that there were so many salads and vegetables. There were three types of wraps alone! A refreshing yuzu dressing, dressed lettuce, and fresh wrap greens. And a BBQ place that gives you yangnyeom gejang (marinated raw crab) too?!! It was spicy-sweet and perfect with rice. They also had wasabi, salt, and whole grain mustard on the table — as someone obsessed with the pork-and-wasabi combo, this was next-level service..❤️❤️❤️

Kkot moksal (flower pork neck), served whole and sliced

The flower pork neck came out first, both as a whole piece and sliced, so it felt like eating two different cuts of meat!! And those round little potatoes — aren't they just so cute!!??!? They were a nice surprise haha

Staff grill the pork for you at the table

The best part of Gogi Salon's service was that the staff grill the meat for you!!!!!! An expert grilled it to a nice golden brown, so it tasted even better and was full of juices 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Bibim guksu and the ₩2,000 doenjang jjigae

The bibim guksu (spicy mixed noodles) and doenjang jjigae we ordered came out, and the portions were huge. Wrapping the noodles with the meat made it even better, and the doenjang jjigae was packed with tofu x1000, basically half broth, half tofu haha. It's ₩2,000, and honestly the value was insane ... 🩷

Handon marinated pork neck rib, served last with its own sauce

Oh right! The rib was included too !! The staff brought it out at just the right time and grilled it for us too haha. Since the rib uses a different grill plate, it seems to come out after the pork neck and pork belly. They also gave us a special dipping sauce that paired really well with the rib!!

After grilling, they always arrange the meat neatly for us, so it was easy to eat comfortably. The rib was so good it just made me eat more rice haha.

Why Gogi Salon works well for two people

I'd recommend the salon set for getting two people really full at an affordable price !! With two kinds of meat, you don't get tired of it and can eat as much as you want. The staff were also super kind and the interior was clean, which I loved. I couldn't get a photo, but the bathroom was spotless, with mouthwash, hand cream, and even a meat-smell deodorizer ready to use.

Since it's affordable, it's easy to enjoy on a date or as a student without worrying about the bill !! Having the staff grill the meat for you makes it so much more comfortable and tasty, so Gogi Salon Hongdae branch is also a solid choice if you're bringing your parents haha.

They also apparently run a lunch special set menu, so it might be worth visiting around lunchtime too !! I noticed a lot of people ordering beef as well — if I come again, I'd love to try the ggotsal (flower cut) too. Anyway, another satisfying meal today ~~!!!~!!