Seongsu Korean BBQ omakase with grilling service: Usiya

If you are looking for a Seongsu restaurant that gets both the food and atmosphere right for a special day—Seongsu omakase, Korean beef, or a date-course spot—take note! I visited Usiya Seongsu Branch (우시야 성수점), known in Seongsu-dong for its charcoal-grilled Korean beef omakase. I was so pleased to enjoy such a carefully prepared course in a cozy setting.

Usiya Seongsu Branch: Location and reservation tips

• Address: 1F, 3 Ttukseom-ro 9-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, South Korea (서울 성동구 뚝섬로9길 3 1층), 727 m from Exit 3 of Seongsu Station.
• You need to reserve through Naver Booking or Catch Table before visiting.
• There is no dedicated parking, so you will need to use a nearby paid parking lot.
• If there is a reservation after yours, dining time is limited to 1 hour 50 minutes.
• There is no waiting area inside, so I recommend arriving on time. Arriving more than 30 minutes late may be treated as a no-show, so be sure to call if you are running late!

A hanok-inspired exterior and cozy bar seating

As you walk from Seongsu Station, you will come across Usiya, with its tiny sign and adorable cow illustration. The upscale wood-toned door with a hanok feel, sleek red brick, and atmospheric floor-to-ceiling windows came together so beautifully.

Visit around sunset and you can really soak up the atmosphere through those big windows!

The staff welcomed us kindly the moment we entered. I was especially impressed by the storage lockers for coats and bags, so I could focus entirely on the meal without worrying about my outerwear smelling of meat.

The seating at Usiya Seongsu Branch is bar-style, making it easy for the staff to explain and grill the food. It was the best because I did not have to grill the meat myself—they cooked every cut to its most delicious point with expert hands! They also explained in detail which sauces suited each cut and how to eat it, so I could sit back and enjoy everything at its best. It truly felt like being treated to something special!

Charcoal-grilled Korean beef with Usiya Course C

As a charcoal-grill specialist serving 1+ and 1++ Korean beef, I chose Course C, which had an impressively full lineup.

1. Beef tongue

I was a little worried because beef tongue is not a cut I am familiar with, but it had a chewy yet tender texture like pork jowl! Dipped in the brown ponzu sauce, it was tangy and pleasantly springy, waking up my appetite.

2. Striploin

With just a light dip in salt, it melted away in my mouth. The striploin on eggplant with a teriyaki-sauce flavor was lovely too.

They had prepared vegetables and sauces that suited each beef cut perfectly. It was such a fun meal, wondering how each cut would be presented next.

3. Boneless short rib

Because the beef was such a high grade, the pieces were large and thick, with an outstanding bite! Dipped in ponzu with vegetables, the juices filled my mouth. Boneless short rib needs to be both thick and chewy, and this had both.

No wonder it is a cut everyone loves: it was savory, with juices bursting in my mouth. The matsutake mushroom and zucchini served alongside it brought out their sweetness and doubled the savoriness.

4. Upjinsal

This cut was grilled in a special sauce and served with wasabi and shishito peppers. It was so thin that it melted the moment it hit my mouth. It was the tenderest of all the cuts I ate, and I was amazed. Experiencing soft beef within that chewy texture made it so fascinating to realize how different every cut can feel.

I did not realize it while eating each cut separately, but I think I completely fell for the charm of beef.

5. Oxtail meat

I was honestly worried that the oxtail meat might be tough, but the meat came away from the bone so tenderly that I put on the sanitary gloves and happily pulled it apart to eat.

Paired with the braised kimchi and rice that came with it, it was a flavor that made me genuinely happy.

6. Special tripe

This was the most memorable cut of the meal. It had such a fun, crisp-chewy texture, a little like squid! With onion and sweet-spicy sauce, I could enjoy it deliciously without getting tired of it right to the end.

It was a truly perfect course that kept whetting my appetite until the very end.

7. Meal: stone-pot rice and braised kimchi

The final course in Type C was a combination of sticky stone-pot rice and braised kimchi with just the right acidity! Thanks to the braised kimchi containing tender, long-simmered beef, I finished a whole bowl of rice in no time even though I was full. Above all, the rice had exactly the right texture and paired wonderfully with the beef. They also serve seaweed soup for birthday visits, so that is good to know, right?

Even the side dishes and dessert

You could tell that every basic side dish had been thoughtfully prepared, not just the meat.

• Pickled calabash: Its white, translucent appearance and firm, jelly-like texture were fascinating and appealing.
• Burdock side dish: Its crisp texture neatly cut through the richness of the beef, making it an excellent match.
• Dessert: Umeboshi cherry tomatoes pickled in maesil syrup to finish! A fresh cherry aroma spread from the first bite and cleansed the palate.

A Seongsu restaurant for a special-date night

Usiya Seongsu Branch had it all: detailed explanations of every cut, perfect grilling service, and a luxurious hanok-inspired interior. If you are looking for a date-night restaurant in Seongsu for an anniversary, birthday, or another special occasion, I highly recommend Usiya Seongsu Branch!