Bomun Station Korean BBQ, 5 owner-picked combos: Gimgol Yeontanjip

I'm introducing Gimgol Yeontanjip Bomun Station Branch (감골연탄집 보문역점), a Bomun-dong BBQ spot that's great after work or on a weekend evening with someone special. It's close to the gentle Seongbuk Stream walking path too, so it works perfectly as a date course.

Craving a drink? Where to eat meat near Bomun Station

When I want pork belly or neck with a glass of soju near Bomun Station, Gimgol Yeontanjip Bomun Station Branch is the first place that comes to mind. You know those days when you just really want a drink.

Some days you're extra tired, or you're desperate for fatty meat and a cold soju. You scroll through your phone wondering, "Where should I eat tonight so I can say I really ate well?" Even common cuts like pork belly or neck taste on a different level depending on where they're grilled. This is the Bomun Station BBQ place that pops into my head first when I want a no-fail meal and a relaxed drink.

Gimgol Yeontanjip Bomun Station Branch: location and hours

Gimgol Yeontanjip Bomun Station Branch is just a 1-minute walk straight ahead from Exit 7 of Bomun Station, served by Subway Line 6 and the Ui-Sinseol Line. The address is 105-1 Bomun-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, and it's open daily from 3 PM to midnight.

It's right by the station, so access is great and it's an easy meeting point. The long hours make it good for an early dinner with a drink or a late second round. With no break time, you can go any time you get hungry in that awkward late-afternoon weekend slot, which is a big plus. There may be a wait, so I went right at opening ^^

A briquette grill, so isn't it hot? Inside Gimgol Yeontanjip

Even though it's a briquette-grill specialist, the air conditioning blasts, so you can grill meat in comfort even in midsummer. The interior is stylish with a touch of retro, cozy and warm.

When you hear "briquette grill specialist," it's easy to imagine a smoky, stuffy room that stays sweltering even with the AC on. But the moment you step into Gimgol Yeontanjip, the powerful air conditioning means you can grill meat comfortably and coolly even in a midsummer heatwave.

In the neatly arranged, stylish interior, nostalgic old-school touches are cleverly blended throughout, creating a warm and cozy mood. Stylish and retro together, it was easy to see why this has become a Bomun-dong hot spot for couples.

The retro chairs even store your belongings! Just in case oil splatters, your stuff goes inside the chair~

Gimgol Yeontanjip menu and prices: what we ordered

At Gimgol Yeontanjip Bomun Station Branch, the writer ordered jul-jul-i pork neck and briquette coarse-salt pork belly (₩15,900 each), flat bibim noodles (₩6,900), shrimp steamed egg (₩5,900) and spicy hagfish (₩13,900). With reasonable prices, Korean pork and unusual side dishes, it's good value that also feels satisfying.

• Jul-jul-i pork neck (Korean pork) ₩15,900
• Briquette coarse-salt pork belly ₩15,900
• Only-original-in-the-world flat bibim noodles (spicy cold noodles) ₩6,900
• Changdong-ine shrimp steamed egg ₩5,900
• Spicy hagfish ₩13,900

How do the pork neck and coarse-salt pork belly taste?

Gimgol Yeontanjip's jul-jul-i pork neck is said to use only strictly selected cuts from top-grade Korean pork. It's not dry at all, and every bite is chewy and tender. I'd confidently say it could be the best pork neck of your life.

The briquette coarse-salt pork belly also uses top-grade selected Korean pork, grilled on a special plate over powerful briquette fire, so the outside is crisp and the juices locked inside absolutely explode in your mouth.

Flat bibim noodles, shrimp steamed egg, spicy hagfish: should you order the sides?

You can't skip the sides at Gimgol Yeontanjip Bomun Station Branch. The "only original in the world" flat bibim noodles are said to be served only here, and the sweet-spicy sauce clings to the wide, flat, special noodles and cuts right through the richness of the meat.

The Changdong-ine shrimp steamed egg is the manager's special, packed with small dried shrimp, plump whole shrimp and fragrant green onion, a peak of savory flavor. It reminded me of the steamed egg my mom used to make.

And finally, spicy hagfish, the peak of drinking snacks! Chewy hagfish tossed in an addictive special sauce and grilled over the briquette fire so it picks up that aroma, it makes an unbeatable side for drinks.

5 owner-recommended combos at Gimgol Yeontanjip

At Gimgol Yeontanjip Bomun Station Branch, you don't just dip meat in ssamjang (dipping paste). You can enjoy it in many ways with side dishes and sauces like basil sauce, sesame oil dip, sour kimchi, green onion kimchi and seasoned scallion salad. The sour kimchi and green onion kimchi are especially amazing.

Wrapping a piece of meat in grilled sour kimchi is delicious on its own, but let me share more of the owner's best recommended combos. The savory flavor bursts with every bite, so you never get tired of it.

• Combo 1: Dip golden, juicy grilled pork neck in the fragrant, unusual basil sauce for a clean, mild bite.
• Combo 2: The classic at its finest. Dip briquette-scented pork belly lightly in nutty sesame oil dip only, and taste the meat's own flavor.
• Combo 3: Put crunchy vegetables and a piece of well-grilled meat on the sweet-and-sour flat bibim noodles, roll it up and pop it in your mouth in one bite for the perfect meat-wrapped bibim noodles!
• Combo 4: On fresh lettuce, layer spicy green onion kimchi and tangy ripe sour kimchi, add a piece of meat and the scallion salad, and enjoy a full, generous wrap.
• Combo 5: Put meat on a fragrant perilla leaf and add the special sauce and scallion salad for the peak of clean, refreshing flavor.

What makes it different from an ordinary BBQ restaurant?

Gimgol Yeontanjip Bomun Station Branch felt less like a place that just fills your stomach and more like a fine-dining course where you savor one dish at a time. On top of the deep flavor of selected Korean pork, original kicks like the basil sauce and flat bibim noodles balance the whole meal beautifully.

The side dishes that go with the meat are precisely balanced, so your mouth is never bored and the whole meal is a harmonious experience. The care you feel, as if you're being treated like a guest, makes it a magical space where conversation stays fun throughout the meal.

An owner who studied with Chef Edward Lee? Chef Ahn Sung-jae's alumnus, plus a plum slushie

Gimgol Yeontanjip is buzzing as a chain reportedly created by an owner who is an alumnus of Chef Ahn Sung-jae, who set off a craze with Netflix's Culinary Class Wars. Trendy, tasty hot spots like this used to mean traveling far, so I'm just happy it has finally come to my neighborhood, Bomun-dong.

And finally, I was touched by the owner's kindness and attention! A slushie was prepared for guests.

It was a plum slushie, cold of course, and it left my mouth feeling fresh too. It was a really pleasant meal. Along with their philosophy and sense for food, kindness and consideration came through.

I'm sure there are people who haven't been yet, but nobody has come just once. It's a life-long BBQ spot. This weekend, how about a light stroll along Seongbuk Stream with someone you love, then a happy evening of smoky briquette-grilled meat at Gimgol Yeontanjip Bomun Station Branch?