Gwangalli Korean BBQ for a family of 3: couple set, cold soba, Donbegi

What kind of Korean BBQ restaurant is Donbegi Gwang-an Branch in Gwangalli?

Donbegi Gwang-an Branch (돈베기 광안점) is a pork-only Korean BBQ restaurant in Millak-dong, Gwangalli, where the staff grill all the meat for you. My family and I were craving pork belly, so we headed to Gwangalli, which is super popular right now. The atmosphere was nice, and since the staff do the grilling, it's an easy, relaxed place to have a meal. That's why we came.

• Address: 34 Millakbondong-ro 11beon-gil, Suyeong-gu, Busan (floors 1 and 2)
• Hours: 12:00–23:30 (last order 23:00), open every day
• Parking: 1 hour covered at the Seohui Star Hills Centum Primo officetel in front of the restaurant (extra ₩2,000 per 60 minutes, max ₩20,000)
• Dog-friendly restaurant, corkage allowed

Where Donbegi Gwang-an Branch is and what it looks like

Donbegi is near Jinro Beach Apartment and Tonshou, close to Gwangalli Beach. It sits in the food alley area.

From the outside it almost looks like a Japanese restaurant, but it's actually a pork specialty BBQ place!

There's a big menu board outside! I skimmed through it before going in. There were cuts I'd never seen before, like French rack and shoulder rack, which was fun to see.

Atmosphere and seating at Donbegi Gwang-an Branch

The restaurant is clean and comfortable to eat in. The interior has a nice mood too, quite different from the packed, noisy feel of a typical BBQ joint.

There's a mini garden like a courtyard. There are about 7 tables, and a space at the back that's separate, so it would be great for a group dinner.

There's also a self-serve bar zone for refills. They say they prepare fresh pork aged for 480 hours! Aged meat really is different.

Why a family of three ordered the couple set

Donbegi's menu seems to be built around set menus, with a good variety of sides. There are cuts I'd never heard of, like French slice, shoulder rack and French rack. There were three of us, but we'd had a little something before coming, so I ordered the "couple set" (커플모듬한상).

The couple set comes with 400g of shoulder rack and 200g of pork neck. You can choose between pork belly and pork neck, and I went with the neck because I wanted something lighter. When I eat meat, I prefer lean cuts over fatty ones.

Shoulder rack was a cut I'd never heard of, so I was really curious about it. I also wanted to find out what 480-hour aging tastes like! The staff come and grill all the meat for you, so you don't have to sweat over the grill. You just wait~

They set up the grill for us! The staff grill everything over charcoal, so it's super comfortable.

What side dishes come with Korean BBQ at Donbegi Gwang-an Branch?

Unlike other BBQ places, the side dishes here were really generous. Besides the dipping sauces for the meat, there were lots of things to eat alongside it.

The scallion salad was tasty when I took some onto my plate, and there's an unusual bean sprout soup, perfect for cleansing your palate between bites of meat! There were also mushrooms (I think?) on the sauce plate, and eaten with the meat they were a personal favorite of mine.

How do the staff-grilled shoulder rack and pork neck taste?

The staff were busily grilling meat at every table. They grill everything from the start, and they come by now and then to make sure nothing burns. They also kindly recommended which combinations taste good!

I tried the shoulder rack first, and the tenderness of the fat was a treat! I thought, so this is what aged meat tastes like.

The shoulder rack is good on its own, but I also wrapped it up in the scallion salad for a tangy bite,

and the pork neck I dipped in the basic salt. I found it surprisingly good eaten together with the mushrooms!

Is the cold soba a good way to finish the meal?

The cold soba (buckwheat noodles) at Donbegi comes with radish and a pretty big portion, so it was perfect as a refreshing replacement for rice. I ordered it because a meal without carbs felt incomplete, and it was a good side for my family member who is eating healthy.

Is Donbegi Gwang-an Branch worth a return visit in Gwangalli?

It was my first time trying shoulder rack, and the meat was tender and delicious. It was one of the better BBQ places I've eaten at recently, so I plan to stop by again next time I'm in Gwangalli! If you want Korean BBQ in Gwangalli with tasty pork belly, I recommend Donbegi~