Korean BBQ in Hongdae with spicy marinated crab banchan: Gogi Salon

If you want to enjoy everything from juicy beef to pork ribs perfectly in Hongdae, I seriously recommend Gogi Salon. Like, seriously seriously recommend! The portions, the taste, the service — all of it!!!!!!!!!! Such a satisfying meal. Definitely going back.

Gogi Salon Hongdae hours, location and parking

• Hours - 11:30am – 11pm
• Break time 3pm–5pm (no break time on Saturdays)
• Closed - every Sunday
• About a 3–5 minute walk from Hongik University Station!
• Parking - use nearby public parking lots
• Reservations - available via Naver or phone

We got there around 7pm, and since it's such a popular spot near Hongik University Station, there were tons of people having group dinners!

We were seated at a table further inside!

What cuts are on the Gogi Salon menu?

The menu board at Gogi Salon, a well-known spot near Hongik University Station

Once we sat down and scanned the menu, I noticed a really diverse lineup — starting with their signature aged Dodram pork belly and pork neck, then beef rib finger, marinated pork ribs, beef ribs, and even set menus. During lunch hours they also have budget-friendly set meals for office workers nearby, plus side dishes like pork neck kimchi jjigae (stew), doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew), janchi guksu (banquet noodles), and bibim guksu (spicy mixed noodles) — the kind of stuff that just disappears when eaten alongside meat.

The grill's on! We ordered exactly what we came for, no hesitation at all!

• Beef rib finger (neukganssal) x2 servings
• Pork ribs x1 serving

This place is especially famous for grilling the meat for you. Honestly, not having to grill it myself after work was such a relief.

Spicy marinated crab (yangnyeom gejang) as a free side dish

Banchan (side dishes) at Gogi Salon Hongdae

Right after ordering, a neat spread of banchan was set down — and get this, they include bright red spicy marinated crab as a basic side dish!! Sweet, spicy, total rice thief... we finished it before the meat was even cooked. Seriously, why is this marinated crab so good.

Dressed lettuce salad and fresh salad. There was a sweet-and-tangy dressed lettuce and a refreshing yuzu dressing salad, perfect for wrapping with the meat and cutting through the richness in between bites.

Every table also had a neat little setup of salt, fresh wasabi, and wholegrain mustard. I love pairing wholegrain mustard with meat, and this place really seemed serious about their meat game.

Beef rib finger grilled for you at the table

Neukganssal (rib finger) is the meat between the ribs, apparently known for its chewy texture and rich juiciness. It was my first time trying it, but the moment it arrived I could tell it was fresh... seriously mouthwatering. They checked the grill temperature carefully and flipped it at exactly the right moment to grill it.

They set the cooked pieces aside so nothing burns, so all I had to do was eat; we just chatted away and got fed like baby birds, which was so nice haha. Meat grilled by someone else really is the best...

Try wrapping the rib finger in lettuce, seriously.

They told us to grill about half the mushrooms until crispy, and eat the other half as they are, haha.

Finishing with one serving of marinated pork ribs

After clearing the two servings of rib finger, you've got to end with something a little sweeter and marinated, so we ordered a serving of pork ribs on top! 🤤 Pork ribs can easily go wrong — burnt outside, undercooked inside — but since they grilled it for us, it came out perfectly cooked. The marinade wasn't too sweet or salty, just the right amount of savory with a subtle charcoal aroma that made it explode with flavor. But the best part? It was even more tender than the beef...

Is Gogi Salon Hongdae worth it? Final verdict

• Taste ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (the chewy, nutty rib finger paired with the savory pork ribs — highly recommend the combo!)
• Service ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (having them grill it for you makes everything so easy)
• Hygiene/Atmosphere ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (surprisingly clean for a BBQ place, and the bathroom mouthwash & Febreze touch was a nice detail)

I'm definitely coming back. It was that good. Highly recommend Gogi Salon near Hongik University Station for a group dinner, a date spot, or a hangout with friends.