Friday night wait for gopchang BBQ in Magok, Seoul: Hwang Gop

A gopchang (grilled beef intestines) restaurant near Magoknaru Station, visited for dinner out "Hwang Gop Magoknaru Branch review"

Last Friday, after work, I went looking for somewhere to celebrate the start of the weekend and ended up at a gopchang place. At first I was overwhelmed by how many good restaurants there are near Magoknaru Station, but while digging through reviews I kept finding the same regulars raving about one spot — Hwang Gop. It was packed with regulars when I went, but the food didn't disappoint one bit. Here's my review of this Magoknaru Station favorite.

Where is Hwang Gop Magoknaru Branch, and what is the restaurant like?

The restaurant sits within a 5-minute walk of Magoknaru Station, right next to Magoknaru Castle Park. It's on a main road so it's easy to access, and the sign is eye-catching, making it simple to find.

Inside, there's no door — it's an open layout, and if you sit near the entrance you get a bit of that outdoor tent-bar (야장) vibe. Being a Friday, the place was busy when we arrived; there were some empty seats, but most were reserved. We got lucky and were seated right away, though a wait formed behind us, so I'd recommend booking ahead if you're going during dinner peak hours.

There's also a self-serve corner on one side. Since the place is so popular and staff are busy grilling the gopchang for everyone, refills on simple side dishes are self-serve. The basic banchan (side dishes) are all neatly set up, so I'd suggest grabbing what you need before the meal really gets going.

Ordering the assorted gopchang platter for two at 46,000 won

At this well-known Magoknaru Station restaurant, you order through a tablet, and a bell rings in the kitchen whenever an order goes through — hearing it constantly really drives home how popular this place is. The signature items are Korean beef (hanwoo) gopchang and grilled daechang. Since it was our first visit, we went with the safe choice — the assorted platter set — which let us try gopchang, makchang, daechang, yeomtong (beef heart), and samgyeop-yangji (pork belly and beef brisket) all at once. If you're not sure what to order on your first visit, the assorted platter is a solid bet, just like we did.

• 📌 Our order 📌
• Assorted gopchang platter for two: ₩46,000
• Saero soju: ₩6,000

After ordering, I noticed the menu itself has tips for enjoying the meal properly. The kicker at Hwang Gop is that mukbap (acorn jelly noodle soup) and yukhoe (beef tartare) come out as complimentary starters. We didn't know about this beforehand so we weren't expecting much, but the moment we tasted them, I understood why people line up for this place. More on why below.

The table setting plus complimentary mukbap and yukhoe

Once we ordered, the basic table setting was laid out, and I liked how clean it looked, plus I liked getting my own small dipping plate. At other gopchang restaurants, the sauce often comes in one shared bowl, which can feel unsanitary with everyone dipping in together — here, each person gets their own plate, which was a nice touch.

Before the main dishes arrived, the complimentary mukbap caught my eye first, and I dug in for a refreshingly cool bite. You could see the slushy ice in it, and the first bite was crunchy and cooling, chasing away the heat, followed by a rich savory flavor as the seasoning soaked into the jelly noodles — it was so good it made my mouth water. Later, once the gopchang arrived, it was perfect for cutting through the grease alongside the meat.

Next we tried the complimentary yukhoe — the portion was small, but the moment I tasted it, I thought, this is free?! It was fresh and tender enough that they could easily charge for it, and it made a perfect drinking snack.

The pre-grilled platter arrives with a Saero omija soju

While we were busy with the starters, our main order showed up already pre-grilled — the golden-brown gopchang and daechang looked so good that I instantly wanted a shot of soju.

Before the yeomtong (beef heart) finished cooking, we ended up ordering the newly released Saero omija (schisandra berry) flavor. It went down like a regular soft drink — barely any alcohol taste — great for anyone who's not a fan of the usual soju burn.

Yeomtong, samgyeop-yangji and daechang: the best eating order

Well-grilled yeomtong is best eaten as soon as the pink disappears, before it toughens up. The staff grill it and place it on top for you — dip it in Hwang Gop's special soy sauce for even more flavor.

For us, the samgyeop-yangji dipped in the special sauce packed the biggest punch. Load it up with the thinly sliced peppers for extra flavor — surprisingly they're not spicy at all, in case you're wondering.

After that, we lost track of time going through gopchang, then daechang, then makchang. Unlike other places, here they grill the daechang and makchang until crispy and golden — that first bite of texture was on a completely different level.

The crispy exterior gave way to a springy, fatty layer inside — it was exactly like the texture you see in mukbang videos on YouTube. I was almost surprised it could get this crispy, but that's apparently the right way to enjoy it here.

The one downside at Hwang Gop: the wait, so book ahead

Usually with gopchang I'd leave some behind because of the greasiness, but here, between the sides and the unique texture, we cleaned our plates completely — and there was so much to enjoy that we were too full to even order the fried rice at the end. The only downside is that the place is so popular that waits can get long; you can try an opening run or book ahead through Catch Table or Naver, so I'd definitely recommend reserving during peak hours. My girlfriend, who came along, kept saying she wants to come back — so if you're looking for a gopchang spot near Magoknaru Station for dinner or drinks, I'd recommend checking out Hwang Gop Magoknaru Branch.

Restaurants built around one standout dish versus restaurants that pile on generous sides — which do you prefer? Let me know in the comments.