Sangil-dong Korean BBQ dinner for two with grilled bracken: Geumdon

Geumdon Hwaro near Sangil-dong Station, a dinner out with my boyfriend after work

Geumdon Hwaro Sangil-dong Station Branch (금돈화로) is a Korean BBQ place near Sangil-dong Station that my boyfriend had wanted to try for a while. These days I'm so drained after work that cooking is a real chore, sob. And I could just grill meat at home, but there I was, hunting for a restaurant to go out to anyway. Then my boyfriend brought up Geumdon Hwaro, so we finally visited!

Geumdon Hwaro is already getting talked about around the neighborhood as a great Korean BBQ spot near Sangil-dong Station, so my expectations were high. There were always people lining up out front and I was curious, and we left very happy with our meal :)

Where is Geumdon Hwaro Sangil-dong Station Branch, and how long is the wait?

Geumdon Hwaro is on the 1st floor of the Megasquare building. When we arrived a little after 6 pm on a weekday it was already full, so we waited about 10 minutes. They'd even thought of a way to keep the wait from being boring.

The restaurant sits on the 1st floor of the Megasquare building. The smell of grilling meat fills the air near the building, so it's very easy to find, haha. The way to the restrooms was clearly signposted near the entrance too. Naver reservations are available, and Seoul Pay worked for payment.

Out front there were chairs that seemed to be for people waiting, and a standing sign in front of them caught my eye: depending on how long you wait, you get a free drink or meat. It felt like they care about waiting customers too. We arrived a bit after 6, it was already full, and I got in after about 10 minutes.

What comes in the Geumdon B Set for two?

The Geumdon B Set (for two) lets you taste aged pork belly, neck and jowl all in one go. It's an easy set menu to pick without agonizing, so we chose it right away.

As soon as we sat down I studied the menu. After debating what to eat, we ordered the Geumdon B Set (for two), which has aged pork belly, neck and jowl together. If you write a Naver receipt review you can get liquor or a discount, so it's worth keeping in mind if you're visiting, haha.

What are the table setup and side dishes like at Geumdon Hwaro?

The table is laid out before the meat arrives, with myeongi-namul (wild chive pickle), gat-jangajji (pickled mustard leaves) and a variety of sauces, generous enough to fill the table. The side dishes were plentiful.

The table setup came out before the meat. There was myeongi-namul, gat-jangajji and lots of sauces, so many side dishes the table was full. I especially loved that lettuce geotjeori (fresh-tossed salad)! The bracken gets grilled together with the meat, and grilled bracken was a treat too, haha.

There's a "one bite" combination chart, which was handy for figuring out how to eat each bite. And the kimchi at Geumdon Hwaro is 100% domestic, apparently? Maybe that's why my chopsticks kept going back to it, haha.

Does Geumdon Hwaro grill the meat for you?

At Geumdon Hwaro Sangil-dong Station Branch, the staff grill the meat over charcoal from start to finish. That convenience was this place's biggest strength.

Thick, premium aged hanjon (Korean pork) arrived, and just from the look of it I could tell this was a proper Korean BBQ spot near Sangil-dong Station. The best thing about Geumdon Hwaro is that the staff grill the meat for you from start to finish. Charcoal grills burn things easily, but with a pro grilling for us, all we had to do was eat.

How does the aged pork taste, and how did the meal end?

Dipping the golden-grilled aged pork lightly in salt made the juices burst, and to finish we also ordered bibim naengmyeon and doenjang jjigae. With juicy pork and a filling finish, it was a satisfying evening.

When I dipped the nicely browned meat lightly in salt, the juices just burst. If you're looking for a Korean BBQ near Sangil-dong Station where the staff grill for you, Geumdon Hwaro seems like a really good choice. The side dishes and sauces were varied, so I never got tired of it and enjoyed it to the end.

And the complimentary steamed egg was perfect~ haha!

I'd decided to really go all out that day, so we ordered bibim naengmyeon and doenjang jjigae to finish. The cold noodles and the spicy, kick-y broth of the stew wiped away all the richness of the meat.

Do you have to ask for ssam greens at Geumdon Hwaro?

At Geumdon Hwaro Sangil-dong Station Branch, ssam (leaf wrap) greens aren't part of the default setup, but if you ask, they'll bring them out for free right away! Wrapping a bite with meljeot (salted anchovy sauce) and kimchi is pure bliss, so definitely ask for the ssam.

Is it okay for families with kids or company dinners?

Geumdon Hwaro has baby chairs, children's tableware and a kids' drink service in one corner of the restaurant, so it seems great for families with children or a company dinner too. With the varied side dishes and extras, it was a Korean BBQ near Sangil-dong Station with nothing lacking, so if you're looking for a restaurant nearby, it's worth a stop!