Black beef sirloin with wasabi and myeongi namul, Jongno Seoul BBQ

Today I'm sharing a genuinely satisfying Korean beef restaurant review from Jongno! I visited Gwanghwamun Deungsim Gwanghwamun Branch, and it turned out to be way more satisfying than I expected — so if you're looking for real Korean beef in Jongno, or a spot for a gathering or company dinner, this one's worth checking out!! Let's get into it! 🧚‍♀️

Location and hours of Gwanghwamun Deungsim Gwanghwamun Branch

• 📍Location: 2nd floor, 34 Jongno 5-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
• ⏰Hours: Weekdays 11:00-22:00 (break time 15:00-17:00) / Saturday 17:00-22:00 (closed Sundays)

Is the entrance easy to find? Outside the restaurant

The entrance to Gwanghwamun Deungsim is visible right from the 1st floor of the building, so I found it easily even on my first visit! The restaurant itself is on the 2nd floor and you have to take the stairs up, so keep that in mind if you have trouble with stairs!!

Interior vibe and tables — good for a company dinner

The interior felt cozy yet clean, with an overall upscale atmosphere!

I visited around 6:30pm on a weekday evening and got seated right away with no wait - : )

Every table had its own grill for the meat plus a separate induction burner for boiling jjigae and the like.

Corkage is also available, apparently! When I visited they were running a 10th anniversary event too, including a buy-one-get-one wine deal.

The menu lineup

So many good-looking menu items,,,~ We ordered the black beef sirloin as our main and also tried the old-style doenjang jjigae and mul naengmyeon!

Side dishes

Before our ordered dishes arrived, they set the table with banchan (side dishes) first. There was a good variety to pair with the meat, and the scallion kimchi in particular was so crisp and delicious that I kept going back for more!

Spicy stir-fried octopus (review event)

Writing a review got us the spicy stir-fried octopus!

Free, and this good?! The quality was way better than I expected!! I'm not usually a huge fan of stir-fried octopus, but the portion was generous and the seasoning was spot-on, so I polished it off with rice haha

How was the black beef sirloin (₩39,000 per 150g)?

Finally, the star of the day, the black beef sirloin!!! Just look at that visual...🤭✨

Honestly I figured it'd be good since it's beef, but this was way more tender and delicious than I expected. Easily in my top 3 of the meat I've eaten this year...!! It just melts in your mouth, and I never got tired of it even eating bite after bite — so good.

Wasabi + myeongi namul combo

The owner personally showed us how to put a bit of wasabi on the meat and wrap it in myeongi namul (mountain garlic leaf).

I'd never eaten it this way before, but the tangy flavor of the myeongi namul paired really well with the wasabi and the meat. If you visit, you have to try this combo!

Old-style doenjang jjigae (₩5,000)

Can't have beef without doenjang jjigae, right?

I really love doenjang jjigae and I'm kind of picky about it, but this one passed with flying colors!! The seasoning was just right and it was the perfect thing to eat after the meat — I even finished a full bowl of rice with it haha

Dessert: mul naengmyeon for one (₩6,000)

I really opened up my appetite that day and went from doenjang jjigae straight into naengmyeon too🤤

The noodles held their bounce without going soft, so the texture was great, and it was the perfect refreshing finish after the meat. I said I was full and then ate every bite of this too haha

Final verdict — a spot for gatherings and company dinners in Jongno

This place was so much more satisfying than I expected, so I'll definitely be back whenever I'm in Jongno! The beef in particular was so tender it stuck with me, and the sides — the octopus, the doenjang jjigae — were all satisfying too. And above all, the owner and staff were cheerful and kind, which really made the visit.

The atmosphere is clean and upscale, so it works well for a date or family meal, and also as a gathering or company dinner spot near Gwanghwamun. If you're looking for a Korean beef restaurant in Jongno, I recommend Gwanghwamun Deungsim Gwanghwamun Branch!🥩✨