Korean restaurant in Gwacheon for bibimbap and tteokgalbi: Bibisam

Where is Bibisam Gwacheon Main Branch?

I went to Bibisam Gwacheon Main Branch (비비삼 과천본점) on Saesulmak-gil in Gwacheon for lunch. It was close to Exit 11 of a Line 4 subway station, so it was easy to reach on foot.

The posted hours at the time of my visit were 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM daily. There was no break time, and last orders were at 8:30 PM. If arriving by car, the guidance suggested using a nearby paid public parking lot, or parking at Gwacheon City Hall and walking over; its parking was noted as free on weekends and public holidays.

If there was a wait, the process was to write your name on the waiting list inside the restaurant, wait, and enter when your name was called.

Is it suitable for a solo lunch?

I visited late in the lunch period, and there were quite a few people eating bibimbap alone. It felt like a natural place to stop by for a solo meal.

Everything from getting water and side dishes to collecting the food was self-service. It did require moving around, but I thought it was fine considering the prices and meal sets. At the time of my visit, they were also running an event that gave side dishes for writing a receipt review.

How much are the bibimbap and tteokgalbi sets?

At the time of my visit, bibimbap à la carte started at ₩9,000, and most sets pairing bibimbap with tteokgalbi were under ₩15,000.

We ordered the stone-pot octopus roe rice and Korean pork tteokgalbi set for ₩15,500, and the Hwangdeung torim bulgogi bibimbap and Korean beef tteokgalbi set for ₩14,500. There were also sides such as stone-pot roe rice and yukhoe, so I thought they could be nice to order together with a group.

How do the self-service bar and pickup work?

Each table had wet wipes and roasted seaweed flakes to sprinkle over rice. The open kitchen and tables generally felt clean.

I could take as much of the basic side dishes—white kimchi and miso soup—as I wanted from the self-service bar. There was also sesame oil to have with the rice.

The white kimchi was refreshing and went well with the bibimbap, so I went back for it about three times. The miso soup included enoki mushrooms. It was a slightly cool, rainy day, and the warm soup helped me warm up.

We could order and pay at the table kiosk, which also sent an alert when the food was ready. After checking the alert, we went to collect our two sets.

There were separate counters for collecting food and returning dishes. We picked up our food at the collection counter, then returned the bowls at the return counter after finishing.

How were the bulgogi bibimbap and stone-pot octopus roe rice?

The Hwangdeung torim bulgogi bibimbap was topped with seasoned shredded radish, bean sprouts, bracken fern, and seasoned spinach. The sweet bulgogi and chewy mushrooms made it enjoyable to eat the ingredients together.

The stone-pot octopus roe rice had tender yet springy stir-fried octopus topped generously with flying-fish roe. Perilla leaves, mushrooms, and white kimchi added a variety of textures.

With bibimbap, tteokgalbi, white kimchi, and soup together, it made for a substantial meal.

The tteokgalbi was thick and came with plenty of sauce. A soft-fried egg sat on top, making the bibimbap more filling when eaten together.

The Hwangdeung torim bulgogi bibimbap was made by mixing the rice with seasoning first, then topping it with the ingredients. It did not come with separate plain rice.

When I cut the Korean beef tteokgalbi in half, I could see chunks of meat inside. It was not overly greasy for my taste, so it was easy to eat.

Alternating bites of octopus and bulgogi over rice, I was able to finish a satisfying, filling meal.

A staff member told us that the stone pot was very hot, so we should be careful. Scorched rice formed at the bottom as we ate, and I enjoyed its nutty, crisp texture at the end.

Although we had to collect the food and side dishes ourselves, the bibimbap and tteokgalbi made for a filling meal. I was satisfied with the composition of the sets I had for their price.