Gojan-dong izakaya counter seats and buckwheat soba in Ansan: Banwolga

Lately every walk home from work has had that cool, breezy weather, and for some reason I just needed a change of mood — so my husband and I headed out to the bar street in Gojan-dong for a light night of soju.

We wandered the alley trying to decide where to go, and a spot with really pretty, moody vibes caught my eye right away — Banwolga, an izakaya in Ansan welcomed by a soft, moonlight-colored glow.

There were also neat outdoor tables set up outside, which made the whole atmosphere feel even better, and the moment we saw the sign at the entrance reading "same-day beef tartare, seasonal grilled fish," we walked right in without a second thought.

What are the counter seats at Banwolga like?

Inside, Banwolga has a warm wood-toned interior with both counter (dachi) seats and regular table seating. My husband and I chose the counter seats so we could sit side by side. Walking in, the whole space was decorated in a cozy wood tone that instantly put me at ease.

There were plenty of comfortable regular tables available too, but we wanted to sit close together and chat quietly, so we settled into the counter seats.

In front of the counter seats, a row of adorable little duck lamps lined up, which was fun to look at. After we sat down and ordered, the staff set out the basic side dishes and plates, and while munching on crunchy pretzel snacks, I noticed something really special.

It was a "hangover-relief vitamin" placed at every seat! The owner's thoughtfulness in looking out for guests' health before the drinking even started put us in a great mood right from the beginning.

On top of that, two 4-section plates arrived neatly filled with side dishes. Baek-kimchi (white kimchi), gochujang-pickled peppers, jalapeños, upscale gamtae seaweed, fresh wasabi, and a savory garlic-loaded oil sauce — a really generous lineup you could mix and match to your taste.

What comes with Banwolga's beef tartare and raw beef sashimi platter?

Banwolga's beef tartare and sashimi hansang (set platter) comes on a large round plate with sliced shiitake mushrooms, smoked cheese, minari (water dropwort), vegetable gimbap, and gamtae-roll gimbap all together. It was the Ansan beef tartare & sashimi "Banwolga hansang" that melts in your mouth.

After a short wait, the beef tartare and sashimi we ordered showed up on a huge round plate with an incredible visual presentation.

The bright red color made it obvious at a glance just how fresh the meat was. On the big plate, alongside the main meat, there were fresh shiitake mushroom slices, smoked cheese, minari, and colorful, prettily plated vegetable gimbap and gamtae-roll gimbap — a feast for the eyes before we even took a bite.

I picked up a generous bite of beef tartare with my chopsticks first. There was absolutely no gamey smell at all — it clung chewily in my mouth, and with every chew, a savory flavor kept bursting through. Paired with the sweet, crisp pear slices served alongside, the flavor combination was just perfect.

The beef sashimi was sliced neither too thick nor too thin, so the texture was excellent to chew.

I spread out a piece of gamtae seaweed, laid a piece of beef sashimi on top, wrapped it with wasabi and garlic oil sauce, and ate it — a deep meaty aroma spread thick through my mouth.

Right then, knocking back a cold shot of Jinro soju, all the fatigue and stress that had built up just seemed to melt away. Tasting it for myself, I completely understood why so many people recommend this place as the real deal for beef tartare in Ansan.

How was the buckwheat soba as a closing dish?

Banwolga's buckwheat soba is the closing dish — a cool broth with floating ice, topped generously with finely chopped scallions and sesame seeds. A must after drinking soju! It's the buckwheat soba that resets your stomach. After enjoying the delicious beef tartare and sashimi over glasses of soju, we ordered soba on the side to cleanly cap off the meal.

It arrived in a red bowl with cool broth and floating ice, topped with plenty of chopped scallions and sesame seeds — the visual alone felt refreshing all the way to the chest.

I scooped up a big bite of noodles with my chopsticks and slurped them down — the buckwheat noodles were so springy and chewy, and they went incredibly well with the deep, savory broth.

After a sip of soju, knocking back this cold soba broth cleared away any lingering greasiness in my mouth and left my stomach feeling completely refreshed. It was a truly worthy choice as a closing dish for a night of drinks.

Why Banwolga is worth a night out in Gojan-dong, Ansan

With a cozy, atmospheric mood, fresh and high-quality beef tartare and sashimi, and buckwheat soba that clears your stomach at the end — it was a truly gapless, satisfying evening at Banwolga, this izakaya in Ansan.

If you're looking for a good-atmosphere spot for a date with your partner, or you're searching for a comfortable bar in Gojan-dong to visit with close friends, I really recommend giving this place a try!