Bongdam family meal in a closed-door room: hairtail set at Hwadamga

* Hwadamga Location: 58 Nangnaegi-gil, Bongdam-eup, Hyohaeng-gu, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea Hours: Daily 11:00–22:00 Break time: 15:00–17:00 Last order: 21:30 Parking: Free parking available at the restaurant

Picking a menu for a family meal is oddly hard, isn't it? Especially when eating with parents, I don't want anything too spicy or heavy — warm rice with lots of side dishes, that classic Korean-meal feeling, is what comes to mind. This time I went looking for somewhere good for a meal with my parents that also serves great grilled fish, and I ended up at Hwadamga, a grilled fish spot in Bongdam.

From wood-fired grilled fish to a table packed with banchan (side dishes), plus a self-serve bar where you can grab more of whatever you like — and best of all, the place is spacious with plenty of private rooms, so it was great for a relaxed family meal.

Where is Hwadamga in Bongdam, and is there parking?

Hwadamga is a Korean restaurant located in Bongdam, Hwaseong. The building itself is clean-looking and sizable, so it wasn't hard to find even on a first visit.

And personally, what I liked most was the parking! There's a large parking area right in front of the restaurant. Especially when visiting with parents or a kid, the distance between parking and the restaurant matters, so being able to park right out front was really nice.

How are Hwadamga's private rooms for a family meal?

Walking into Hwadamga, it was much bigger than I expected. Everything was tidy and well organized, with tables spaced generously, making for a comfortable atmosphere to eat in.

What I especially liked about Hwadamga was the separate private rooms. There are several rooms along one side of the restaurant, structured so you can close the door and eat, which made it great for spending private time as a family.

The room itself was spacious and clean too! The table was large and the room felt roomy, so it seemed like a good fit for a meal with parents or a family gathering. Visiting with a kid like we did, having an independent space to eat in was a real plus. If you're looking for a family meal or a place to take your parents in Bongdam, having rooms like this is a big advantage.

Hwadamga menu and prices

Hwadamga is a Korean restaurant where you can enjoy wood-fired grilled fish, flame-grilled jeyuk bokkeum (spicy stir-fried pork), and hot-stone grilling. It's not just grilled fish — there are meat dishes too, so even if family members have different tastes, everyone can find something they like. Check the photos for the menu and prices : )

The banchan spread that fills the table at Hwadamga

The first thing that caught my eye when the food came out was really the table full of banchan. It wasn't just grilled fish sitting there alone — several side dishes and soup came out together, so it felt like a proper full Korean meal.

Kimchi, namul (seasoned vegetables), japchae (glass noodle stir-fry), and vegetable side dishes all came out, a well-rounded spread to go with rice. Every single banchan at Hwadamga was good quality, so it was fun picking through them.

Extra side dishes from Hwadamga's self-serve bar

Another perk of Hwadamga is the self-serve bar. The initial side dishes are already varied, but if you run low on anything while eating, you can grab more from the self-serve bar. It had kimchi, namul, and various seasoned side dishes ready to go.

There were so many banchan that a lot of them weren't even included in the basic spread, so make sure to scan the self-serve bar and grab extras!!! The quality was insane — check out the cheese tomatoes at the salad bar, seriously, so good haha.

What we ordered: wood-fired mackerel set, hairtail set and pork suyuk

Of everything we ate this time, what I was looking forward to most was the wood-fired mackerel and hairtail. Grilling fish at home means dealing with the smell, the prep, and the cleanup afterward — a hassle. So I'm the type who prefers eating grilled fish sets out like this!

The mackerel came out nice and large, so it was appetizing just to look at. The outside was grilled to a golden brown with lemon on top, which made it look even better. The skin especially was grilled to look so delicious that chopsticks went straight for it the moment it arrived, haha.

Flaking apart the mackerel meat, the inside was moist and tender. Golden and crisp outside, moist inside — perfect with rice. Piling mackerel flesh over warm rice confirmed once again that grilled fish really is a rice-thief.

The suyuk (boiled pork) came sliced into easy-to-eat pieces, served with garlic, chili, and dipping sauce on the side. Alternating between the grilled fish and the suyuk let us enjoy more variety than sticking to just one dish. With grilled fish, rice, soup, and all these side dishes, nothing felt missing.

Final verdict on Hwadamga in Bongdam

This visit to Hwadamga felt especially suited for anyone looking for a Korean restaurant in Bongdam that's good for a meal with parents. The wood-fired mackerel and hairtail were delicious, and what I liked most was the table full of banchan.

The side dishes were varied and good quality, and being able to grab more from the self-serve bar meant we never felt short on anything throughout the meal. The restaurant is spacious and clean, and having so many private rooms made it great for a family meal in private.

If you're looking for a good grilled fish restaurant in Bongdam, or a Korean restaurant to take your parents to in the area, Hwadamga is worth considering. Next time I'd like to try the flame-grilled jeyuk or other set menus instead of the grilled fish, haha.