Korean BBQ four-person set with bibim naengmyeon in Gangdong: Geumdon

Looking for somewhere to eat near Sangil-dong Station? I had an appointment near the station and heard this place was famous as a Sangil-dong Station restaurant, so I decided to check it out.

The meat quality was really good, having the staff grill it for us made things easy, and we got to enjoy a solid bibim naengmyeon and doenjang jjigae too, so I wanted to write this up as a proper review.

Where is Geumdon Hwaro Sangil-dong Station Branch, and where do you park?

Geumdon Hwaro Sangil-dong Station Branch is about a 5-minute walk from Sangil-dong Station. There's parking in the basement of the building, and if you eat at the restaurant you can park for up to 3 hours, so it's convenient if you're driving.

We visited around 6:30pm on a weekend evening and the restaurant was full except for exactly one table. I could see why it's known as a Godeok-dong restaurant to beat.

Luckily there was a table free so we got seated right away, but apparently waiting is basically a given here, so if you're planning a visit I'd recommend leaving plenty of time.

Is the 132,000-won Geumdon Whole-Pig Set enough for four people?

Geumdon Hwaro Sangil-dong Station Branch's Geumdon One-Set (for 3–4 people) costs 132,000 won and comes with aged pork belly x2, aged pork neck x2, pork jowl x1, Korean beef brisket x2, and doenjang jjigae included. You can also order items individually, but if you're torn between aged pork and Korean beef, I'd recommend the Geumdon One-Set so you can enjoy both.

We added a bibim naengmyeon on top and four adults ate until we were full — despite worrying it wouldn't be enough for four, the portion turned out to be just right.

There was plenty of meat, and with the bibim naengmyeon and doenjang jjigae on the side, the four of us finished up completely full.

Staff-grilled pork and brisket that stayed tender to the last piece

At Geumdon Hwaro Sangil-dong Station Branch, the staff grill the meat themselves, so all we had to do was eat comfortably. At Korean BBQ places where you grill it yourself, you often get caught up in conversation, miss the timing, and the meat ends up tough.

Instead of grilling everything at once and handing it all over, they grilled it in batches at whatever pace we asked for, so we could enjoy it at our own rhythm.

📍TIP: Usually at Korean BBQ places, the longer the meat sits on the grill the tougher it gets, but here it stayed tender to chew even after time passed — you could really tell the difference.

The pork neck wasn't tough at all and was full of juice, and the pork jowl was really delicious too. The staff were all kind, so we enjoyed the whole meal in a good mood.

Finishing with bibim naengmyeon and doenjang jjigae

Geumdon Hwaro Sangil-dong Station Branch didn't skimp on the finishing menu either — it wasn't just about the meat. If you're deciding between mul naengmyeon and bibim naengmyeon, going with bibim naengmyeon like we did for a spicy palate cleanser is a good call.

Eating the bibim naengmyeon together with the beef brisket was a great combination of spicy and savory, and the doenjang jjigae was cleanly brewed too, giving our stomachs a nice, settled finish after all that meat.

Who should book a table at Geumdon Hwaro Sangil-dong Station Branch

To sum up, Geumdon Hwaro Sangil-dong Station Branch is a Sangil-dong Station restaurant with great meat quality where the staff grill for you, so it's easy to enjoy.

• Anyone looking for a family dinner spot near Sangil-dong Station
• Anyone who'd rather not grill their own meat and just eat comfortably
• Anyone looking for quality pork belly and beef brisket