Gangneung lunch spot for charcoal-grilled pork galbi: Chodang Uga

Day two of our Gangneung trip started bright. It was one of those exciting days heading to Gangmun Beach, a place I visit twice a year without fail. Before hitting the beach properly, we stopped by Chodang Uga, a spot known among St. John's Hotel diners, to fill up first. My boyfriend loves the pork galbi here, so it was a must on our itinerary — and sure enough, we cleaned the grill completely. Here's my review, from the taste to the atmosphere, and everything was satisfying.

Where is Chodang Uga, and what are its hours?

• 🏠 Address: 298-4 Haean-ro, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do, South Korea
• ⏰ Hours: Daily 11:00 - 21:30
• Break time 15:00 - 17:00 / Last order 20:50
• Check Naver Place for closed days

The restaurant sits just about 100m from Gangmun Beach, so it's a great spot for a walk along the water before or after eating. It's especially close to Gangneung St. John's Hotel, well known as a pet-friendly hotel — only a 1-minute walk away. Perfect for anyone visiting with a dog for a stroll.

Parking at Chodang Uga

No need to worry about driving here either — there's a private lot in front of the standalone building that comfortably fits around 30 cars, so we walked in stress-free.

What's on the menu at Chodang Uga?

The menu is posted right outside the entrance, so you can easily check what's available and at what price before even going in. There's a good variety, from Gangneung hanwoo (Korean beef) to pork and bulgogi.

Inside Chodang Uga: atmosphere and seating

Walking inside, a spacious, comfortable view opens up. The overall interior feels upscale too. I especially loved the snowy mountain mural covering the wall and the indirect lighting every time I looked at it. On our first visit, I was surprised that despite being a BBQ place, there was no acrid smell or smoke at all. The ventilation system works so well that you can eat without worrying about your clothes smelling. The tables were spaced generously and the whole place felt meticulously clean, which gave me confidence in it.

This restaurant, popular with St. John's Hotel guests, is laid out to suit family gatherings and group dinners alike. There's also a carefully separated pet-friendly seating area. (The space is wide enough to move around easily with a dog stroller or baby stroller.) Sturdy high chairs and other amenities are well prepared, so anyone can feel comfortable staying here.

The free vegetable self-serve bar

On one side of the restaurant, there's a generously stocked self-serve bar with fresh salad, various lettuce wraps, and shredded onion, all free to take as much as you like. Being able to grab lettuce and perilla leaves without hesitation is a huge plus for anyone who loves wrapping their meat in ssam (lettuce wraps).

Ordering is done contactlessly through the tablet kiosk on each table. We chose one of the meat dishes, fruit-marinated pork galbi.

What side dishes come with the galbi?

After ordering, a neat array of side dishes was set on the table. Salad, sweet pumpkin salad, kimchi, japchae (glass noodle stir-fry) — all nicely arranged sides that pair well with the meat.

All the side dishes suited my taste perfectly and even felt thoughtfully healthy. Before diving into the main meal, we started light with broccoli and salad. They say it's good for your health to eat vegetables first, and I liked that Chodang Uga gave us both broccoli and salad.

Of everything, what caught my eye most was the pale tofu side dish. Since the restaurant is near the famous Chodang Sundubu Village, they thoughtfully served tofu to match the local specialty. Mild and nutty, it gently soothed our empty stomachs, so we got to enjoy both tofu and meat — a nice two-for-one treat.

My boyfriend isn't a fan of fermented kimchi and prefers fresh, un-aged kimchi, especially geotjeori-style. This St. John's Hotel-area restaurant always serves fresh kimchi, so he cleaned the plate every time.

This is the shredded onion and sauce to eat with the meat. The shredded onion can be freely refilled from the self-bar.

Fruit-marinated pork galbi, 22,000 won per serving

The long-awaited main dish, fruit-marinated pork galbi, arrived looking hearty. True to its ₩22,000 price per serving, it uses domestic Dodram pork, so the quality of the meat itself stood out. Marinated for a long time in natural fruit sauce made with Gangwon-do Imgye apples and more, it had a sweetness that felt natural, not artificial.

Chodang Uga runs on a self-grill system with no staff grilling service — customers cook the meat themselves. As we set the thick pork galbi onto the strong charcoal fire, a sweet aroma spread everywhere.

Marinated meat needs frequent flipping so it doesn't burn on the outside, and thanks to our careful teamwork, the galbi came out looking perfect. The deep charcoal aroma soaking into the sliced pieces looked amazing. A powerful ventilator sucked up the rising smoke so we could focus purely on the meat without stinging eyes.

I popped a glossy, well-cooked piece of galbi into my mouth. It melted the moment my teeth touched it, and I couldn't help but be amazed at how tender it was. Not dry or chewy anywhere, just soft and juicy, with the fruit marinade soaked right through for a lovely sweet-and-savory balance. It wasn't overly salty or sweet, so it's a flavor everyone could love without exception.

This time, we made a big wrap with perilla leaves and lettuce from the self-bar, topped with shredded onion and meat. The crunchy, fresh vegetables, the sharp onion, and the sweet meat bursting with juice all came together for incredible synergy. The pork galbi's addictive marinade kept our chopsticks moving without ever getting tiring.

Finishing with doenjang jjigae and rice

As our plate of meat was nearly cleared, we ordered doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) and a bowl of rice to finish the meal properly. Even as a dessert-style stew, it was packed generously with ingredients — meat, tofu, vegetables — giving a real sense of satisfaction. It did a great job cutting through the sweetness and refreshing our palate with a spicy, clean finish.

Before heading out to enjoy the dazzling sea at Gangmun Beach, we had a fully satisfying meal at Gangneung Hanwoo Chodang Uga, a spot popular with St. John's Hotel guests. Trustworthy, high-quality pork paired with a fantastic natural fruit marinade, a spacious and well-managed dining room, and a generous self-bar — everything came together perfectly. If you're looking to enjoy quality meat with a neat table setting while traveling in Gangneung, or searching for a relaxed BBQ restaurant to visit with your beloved dog or family, this is a spot worth checking out.