Magok gopchang restaurant for a family dinner for 5: Hwang Gop

These days the evenings have gotten pretty cool, and honestly that always makes me crave gopchang (grilled beef intestine) with a shot of soju haha. That day my family was debating what to eat and I got a craving for savory gopchang, so we headed to Hwang Gop Magoknaru Branch. It's fairly close to Magoknaru Station and has group seating, so it seemed like a solid pick not just for family dinners but for meeting friends or work gatherings too. Best of all, the intestines were so meaty that we ended up finishing everything down to the last bite of fried rice haha.

Where is Hwang Gop Magoknaru Branch, and is there parking?

Hwang Gop Magoknaru Branch is close to Exit 2 of Magoknaru Station. We drove, and it was convenient since parking is free for 2 hours.

The restaurant had a clean, cozy feel, and the tables weren't cramped together. There's group seating too, so it seemed like a good spot for a bigger crowd of gopchang lovers.

Side dishes at Hwang Gop that go with grilled beef intestine

Once we sat down at Hwang Gop Magoknaru Branch, the basic side dishes came out — green onion kimchi, wild garlic leaves, soy-pickled onion, and more. The green onion kimchi and wild garlic leaves were especially delicious haha. Since gopchang itself is savory and fatty, pairing it with these tangy, clean-tasting sides worked really well. There's also a self-serve bar, so we could easily grab more of whatever side dish was running low.

Two kinds of dipping sauce come with the intestines, and it was fun switching between them depending on the mood.

And that day we also got a complimentary plate of yukhoe (Korean beef tartare) — the color looked great and it was fresh, perfect for eating while we waited for the gopchang!

What a family of five ordered, and what it cost

• Grilled beef intestine 150g ₩24,000 × 5 orders
• Egg fried rice ₩4,000 × 2 orders

We started by ordering four portions of grilled beef intestine, then added one more!

Hwang Gop says they use 100% domestic Korean beef intestine, and looking at what came out, the intestines were plump and packed full.

Grilled Korean beef intestine packed with gop, plus grilled vegetables

Once the intestines hit the grill, that savory smell rose up right away and honestly made me even hungrier haha. Along with the intestines, oyster mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, chives, and potatoes came out too, so we could grill those alongside — a nice touch.

Taking a bite of the nicely browned intestine, it was packed full inside and had that real savory flavor. The texture was soft and chewy, so it tasted great dipped in sauce, and also paired well with wild garlic leaves or chives.

Gopchang can get a bit greasy after a while, but with so many vegetables and side dishes to pair it with, we were able to eat it cleanly right to the end.

Egg fried rice at 4,000 won to finish the meal

It just feels wrong to stop after finishing the gopchang haha, so we ordered two portions of egg fried rice too. The rice was fried until fluffy and separated, perfect as a finishing dish after the intestines.

After eating the savory intestines and then the fried rice, we were nicely full haha. Personally, I'd recommend ordering the fried rice along with the gopchang rather than stopping at just the intestines.

Want several cuts? The Hwang Gop Assorted Platter for 2

If you're torn between just having beef intestine or trying multiple cuts, there's also the Hwang Gop Assorted Platter for 2. It includes five items — intestine, makchang, daechang, heart, and pork belly/brisket — so it's great to order when you want to try several cuts at once.

Hwang Gop Magoknaru Branch hours and holiday opening

During the Chuseok holiday from September 24–27, they'll be open 12:00–22:00, with last order at 21:30.

Is Hwang Gop Magoknaru Branch worth it for a family dinner?

With the cooler weather setting in, we went out for gopchang with the family, and the beef intestines were packed full, paired well with the side dishes and grilled extras, and we happily finished it all off with fried rice at the end. The intestines being so packed full was especially satisfying, and if you want to try a variety of cuts, ordering the assorted platter is a good idea too. If you're looking for a gopchang restaurant near Magoknaru Station for a dinner with friends, a work gathering, or a family meal, Hwang Gop Magoknaru seems like a great choice! I think I'll be back whenever I'm craving gopchang haha.