Magok lamb BBQ in Seoul: shoulder rack and spicy noodles, Hwarodam

On a weekday evening, I headed to Hwarodam Yang Kkochi Magok in Gangseo, wanting to eat lamb properly. What I loved about this place is that you can try so many different cuts of lamb in one spot — not just regular skewers, but shoulder rack, lamb flower short rib, French rack and more. It's newly opened so it's spotless, and there's even a large private room, so I'd recommend it for date nights as well as company dinners around Magok or Balsan Station.

Where is Hwarodam Yang Kkochi Magok, and is there parking?

It's on the 2nd floor of Queens Park 10, 66 Magokjungang 6-ro, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, about 300m from Exit 9 of Balsan Station, so it was easy to reach by subway.

• Weekdays 11:30–22:50
• Saturday 14:00–22:50
• Closed Sunday
• Free 4-hour parking in the Queens Park 10 basement lot

Since it's a newly opened spot, the interior was really clean and pleasant overall. A charcoal grill caught my eye right at the entrance — that's where the meat gets its first sear, haha.

Lamb skewer places usually feel a bit bustling and casual, but Hwarodam's interior is clean enough that it worked well as an evening date spot too. What stood out most was the large private room for groups, which looked great for a Magok dinner gathering.

Which lamb cuts are on the menu, and how does kiosk ordering work?

The biggest strength of Hwarodam Yang Kkochi is that it's not just a regular skewer place — you can try shoulder rack, lamb flower short rib, French rack and more, all together. They also have a separate lunch menu, so it seems like a good option not just for evening drinks but for office workers nearby at lunchtime.

Ordering was easy with the kiosk at each table.

I also liked the side dishes — it was a nice touch to get Korean-style kimchi sides like radish salad (muchimchae) and baek-kimchi (white kimchi) as standard accompaniments. The tangy, crunchy radish salad went surprisingly well with the rich lamb, cutting through the greasiness whenever I ate them together. It was also fun switching between the three sauces and seasonings for dipping.

What we ordered: from fried eggplant to lamb shoulder rack

Crispy fried eggplant, tender inside

Crispy eggplant (Pungmi Gaji Twigim) ₩20,000

The crispy eggplant I ordered as a side came out first — crunchy outside, soft inside, so my hand kept reaching for more, and it went well between bites of meat too.

So glossy and shiny! The sauce wasn't too strong, so the eggplant alone was delicious with beer — I ended up eating more than half of it before the meat even arrived, hahaha.

The 270g lamb shoulder rack grilled by staff at the table

Lamb shoulder rack (270g) ₩28,000

A staff member grilled the shoulder rack for us directly, which was great — I didn't have to worry about doneness and could just enjoy it at its best moment.

I tried the meat first — it was tender with no gamey smell, easy to eat. If you love lamb, I'd recommend ordering a cut like shoulder rack alongside regular skewers to compare, rather than sticking to just skewers.

Lamb sirloin skewers vs thick lamb skewers: how they taste

Thick lamb skewers (250g) ₩18,000 / Lamb sirloin skewers (250g) ₩23,000. Next, we ordered the lamb sirloin skewers and the basic thick skewers separately. Even though they're both skewers, the texture difference was clear — the sirloin was much softer and juicier.

The thick skewers had a more satisfying chew, a bit more toothsome. Both were delicious, so personally I'd recommend ordering one of each and comparing.

Finishing with Hwarodam's spicy warm noodle soup

The charcoal heat was strong so the meat browned quickly, and the meal never had a lull, haha. Hwarodam noodle soup (Onmyeon) ₩8,000 — the noodle soup we finished with was on the spicy side, so it might be a bit much for those who can't handle spicy food.

I like spicy food and spices, so I actually enjoyed the kick and ate it happily. It was perfect for finishing off the meal with a warm broth after all that meat. The portion was about the size of a dessert naengmyeon (cold noodles), so it was easy to finish as a light closer, haha.

Overall, Hwarodam Yang Kkochi Magok let me enjoy everything from regular skewers to a variety of lamb cuts in one place, and having staff grill the meat for us made the meal easy and comfortable. The store is clean and has a large private room too, so it seems especially well-suited for couples' dinners as well as company dinners around Magok or Balsan Station, and group gatherings. If you've ever felt like plain skewers weren't enough, try ordering the shoulder rack and lamb sirloin skewers together. :)