Hanwoo BBQ near Samseong Station: four cuts medium rare, Gungmin

While looking for good food near Samseong Station, I wanted proper hanwoo (Korean beef), so I visited Gungmin Hanwoo House Samseong Station branch.

There are countless barbecue restaurants around Samseong Station, but this time I prioritized how satisfying the meat itself would be over price.

The hanwoo that arrived immediately caught my eye with its marbling, and being able to try tenderloin, chuck flap, top sirloin and whole short rib all at once made it fun to compare the textures of each cut.

Grilling the meat to about medium rare really brought out its tenderness and juiciness, and it made me think it had been too long since I'd had proper hanwoo.

Easy to find near Samseong Station: location and hours

Gungmin Hanwoo House Samseong Station branch is located at 15 Teheran-ro 86-gil, 1F, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea.

It's open weekdays from 11am to 10pm, with a break time from 3pm to 5pm and last order at 9pm.

It doesn't open on weekends, so it's worth checking your schedule before visiting.

Partitioned seating — good for work dinners and dates?

The restaurant isn't huge, but partitions installed between tables made the meal feel more comfortable than I expected.

It's not a fully separate room, but there's a decent sense of separation from the next table, so it seemed like a solid pick for a Samseong Station work dinner, a get-together with coworkers, or a date.

During my visit I noticed both Korean and foreign customers, and there were autographs from celebrities on the wall.

I could also see certifications and country-of-origin labeling for the hanwoo on sale, which left a pretty clean first impression.

Premium assorted set 400g: four cuts at once

Looking through the menu, what I picked that day was the premium assorted set 400g.

The set comes with tenderloin, chuck flap, top sirloin and whole short rib together, which made it more interesting to compare textures than sticking to just one cut.

When the meat arrived, the first thing that caught my eye, of course, was the marbling.

Each cut had a different pattern of fat running through it, and it looked so good I had trouble deciding which one to put on the grill first.

I decided to save the tenderloin, my personal favorite, for last and slowly grilled the other cuts first.

Charcoal heat and grilling to medium rare

The charcoal fire was quite strong, so the surface of the meat browned quickly without having to wait long.

Rather than cooking it all the way through, I grilled it to leave a rosy pink center, and the texture was tender with plenty of juiciness.

The whole short rib had a satisfying chew when sliced along the grain after grilling, offering a different appeal from the tender tenderloin.

From yukhoe minari muchim to tenderloin: a satisfying lineup

Just as memorable as the meat was the complimentary yukhoe minari muchim (beef tartare with water dropwort).

The yukhoe had almost no icy, frozen texture, and eating it together with the minari (water dropwort) was great for stirring up my appetite.

The hanwoo was good dipped lightly in salt to enjoy the beef flavor on its own, or paired with wasabi, pickled onion, or seasoned vegetables, which cut through the richness and made it easy to keep eating.

The tenderloin I grilled last stood out for its moderate fat and tender texture.

How many people does 400g suit?

The premium assorted set 400g felt like a reasonable amount for two people making a meal mainly of meat.

If you tend to eat more, it's worth adding extra meat or ordering a meal menu item alongside it.

Beyond hanwoo yukhoe and yuksashimi (raw beef slices), there's sirloin kkakdugi fried rice, beef brisket doenjang jjigae, naengmyeon and more, so there were plenty of options to continue the meal after the meat.

A place worth remembering next time I want hanwoo near Samseong Station

Gungmin Hanwoo House Samseong Station branch is worth considering if you want to eat proper hanwoo on a special occasion or are looking for a place to eat near Samseong Station.

I liked being able to try several cuts at once, and above all, the tender texture from grilling the meat myself stuck with me.

It's not a fully private room setup, but having partitions was also a plus, letting me eat with some degree of comfort.

At lunch there are lighter options too, like galbitang, yukhoe bibimbap, or bulgogi, so it seems like a good place to visit even on days you're not set on the assorted hanwoo.

Parking is available at public lots around the restaurant or nearby paid lots, but it can get crowded, so if you're driving it's worth checking the parking situation in advance.

Among restaurants near Samseong Station, if meat quality is your priority, Gungmin Hanwoo House Samseong Station branch is a hanwoo restaurant worth visiting at least once.