Seongbuk charcoal grill with grilled hagfish: Gamgol Yeontanjip

This is one of Bomun Station’s standout restaurants, where you can enjoy hagfish and grilled meat infused with a subtle charcoal aroma in the best atmosphere around.

Meat for round one, hagfish for round two—all near Bomun Station?

Have you ever wandered the alleys around Bomun Station after work or on a weekend evening, wondering, “Where should we go for round two today?” Even after filling up on meat in the first round, you start craving something chewy and fragrant that really hits the spot for the second. If mediocre franchise bar snacks have let you down, this is the place to experience properly charcoal-grilled hagfish! You can even have meat for round one and hagfish for round two all at Gamgol Yeontanjip. Follow me!!

The basic spread, with basil ssamjang as the star

Basil ssamjang (seasoned soybean paste for wraps)! It’s the secret weapon at Gamgol Yeontanjip, a Bomun Station meat spot!

Just seeing kimchi gets a Korean appetite going, hehe.

When Geumgirin gets boiled water as drinking water, the favorability meter shoots way up before the meal even begins!

The retro interior is fun.

Eun-ni drove today, so I’ll soothe my loneliness with hovenia tea... sob.

Even on a weekday evening, the restaurant was already full!

There are lots of menu options, so just order to suit your taste.

Plum slush for a palate cleanser later~

The owner’s thoughtfulness gets 200 points for putting the alcohol in a cold basket to keep it chilled!

The order we ate: meat, hagfish, then mulhoe

For a foolproof first- and second-round drinking session at Gamgol Yeontanjip, try these three steps!

• For round one, grill thick, mild meat until golden over charcoal. The outside turns crisp while the inside stays juicy, locking in deep flavor.
• After the meat, switch to sweet-spicy marinated hagfish or lightly seasoned salt-grilled hagfish. Its pleasantly chewy texture and charcoal aroma make it a second-round snack you keep reaching for even when you’re full.
• Finish with the seasonal mulhoe (cold raw-fish soup) with somyeon noodles. You need some carbs in there, after all!

Special pork neck and basil ssamjang

Special pork neck, ₩15,900 per serving

Forget dry pork neck. This is an incredibly tender pork-neck steak!

Grill it properly with kimchi,

Ugh, and I brought the car on a day like this... sob sob.

For the first bite, dip it in sesame-oil salt. For the second, wrap it snugly in green-onion kimchi.

And you can’t forget the one-and-only basil ssamjang! Once we’d happily eaten our meat, they changed the grill plate for the hagfish.

Spicy marinated hagfish, grilled well done

Marinated hagfish, ₩13,900 per serving (Geumgirin ordered two servings)

Ahh, look at that hagfish~~ There aren’t many places in Seoul where you can eat hagfish! I love it.

Grill it nicely~

The owner’s tip was that it tastes even better cooked well done, so we grilled it until nicely crisp.

Dip it in mayonnaise and you can eat forever! It’s especially good dipped in mayo and wrapped in perilla leaf.

Finish with the summer-special cuttlefish mulhoe

(Summer special) cuttlefish mulhoe, ₩11,900

The moment you bite in, that springy texture bursts out, while the tangy-spicy broth refreshingly grips the tip of your tongue—ultimate chewiness!

After meat, a cool carb finish is the only way!!!! Another clean-plate kimchi ending for Geumgirin today....!

Questions before you visit

What are the signature dishes?

The signature dishes are juicy charcoal-grilled meat and grilled hagfish with a pleasantly chewy texture and a subtle smoky aroma.

Is it suitable for a second-round drinking spot?

Yes, very much so. Hagfish and a variety of dishes are available to enjoy without feeling too heavy after a meat dinner, making it a popular choice for round two.

Will the charcoal grill leave a strong smell on my clothes?

The restaurant has good ventilation for a comfortable meal, and the distinctive charcoal aroma enhances the flavor of both the meat and hagfish.

Is it easy to get there by public transportation?

It is on Bomun-ro near Bomun Station, so it is easy to reach on foot from the subway station or bus stops.

Are reservations or group visits possible?

Depending on the restaurant’s situation, I recommend asking in advance about reservations and seat arrangements.