Gangnam Korean BBQ for group dinners with flower rib: Raviok

Raviok Yeoksam Main Branch location, parking, and reservations

Raviok is near Yeoksam Station, so it is in a convenient spot for office workers to visit. There are so many companies around Yeoksam Station that lots of people look for Korean barbecue restaurants for company dinners or gatherings on weekday evenings.

Perhaps because it takes that demand into account, Raviok offers both Naver Reservation and Catchtable reservations‼️

Even from the exterior, its hanok-inspired look gave it a slightly different atmosphere from an ordinary Korean barbecue restaurant.

Parking was available, too. You can park beside the building, with valet service on weekdays and free parking on weekends! That is quite a nice plus for anyone arriving by car.

Hanok-inspired interior and group seating

Once inside, the interior has the feeling of an old family home based on a hanok. It is a little different from the sleek Korean barbecue restaurants you see everywhere these days, which actually made it more memorable. The overall feeling was warm and comfortable, so it looked suitable for a family meal or a gathering too.

There are no separate private rooms, but group tables are available, so it was not bad for several people to sit together. So when choosing a Yeoksam restaurant for a company dinner, it seemed worth considering if a fully private room is not essential.

Where is the restroom?

The restrooms are inside and separated by gender.

How to order Snowflake Jin Galbi loin barbecue

As you would expect from a restaurant near offices, there was a lunch menu too. But we visited in the evening and ordered mainly from the main menu!

There is one useful thing to know when ordering Snowflake Jin Galbi loin barbecue, Raviok's signature dish. You can order a maximum of three servings at a time. So when five people visit like we did, you cannot order five servings at once; you need to start with three, then add one or two servings afterward.

What five people ordered

• Snowflake Jin Galbi loin barbecue — ₩29,000 × 5
• Gamasot nurungji soup (scorched-rice soup cooked in a cauldron) — ₩5,000
• Steamed rice — ₩1,000

The basic side dishes included salad, green-onion kimchi, pickled vegetables, and salted squid. Personally, I did not find the side dishes especially memorable.

Still, I liked that the rice came as black rice. For people who enjoy having rice with their meat, it has a different appeal from plain white rice.

We also tried the gamasot nurungji soup. The name made me expect a rich, savory scorched-rice soup cooked directly in a cauldron, but personally, it tasted closer to the familiar ready-made kind.

Tender flower rib and the wait for more meat

First, we tried the Snowflake Jin Galbi loin barbecue we had been looking forward to most. What sets Raviok apart from ordinary LA galbi is its use of flower rib. They say they trim and use only the flower-rib portion from ribs six, seven, and eight. Perhaps because of that, the meat was definitely tender. Another feature is that, unlike typical LA galbi heavily infused with marinade, this is a loin-style barbecue that lets you focus a little more on the texture of the meat itself.

The meat came partially grilled, and the staff grilled the rest for us, which was convenient. First, they grill shiitake mushrooms and garlic stems. Then, after a fire-show performance, it is ready to eat. haha

However, the first three servings we ordered for five people disappeared in no time at all. The portion of meat is not especially large, so for five people, three servings were really just enough for a quick taste before they were gone.

The meat is tender and really delicious... At this place, do not expect the rest—come focused only on the meat.

So we immediately ordered two more servings. But the slightly disappointing part was how quickly the meat arrived. Perhaps because it is partially grilled before being brought out, it took quite a while after ordering. Even with our first order, the meat arrived about 20 minutes later. The additional two servings also felt like a long wait. Since we had already finished the first meat, waiting for the next round naturally made the flow of the meal and drinks feel interrupted.

Especially at a Yeoksam company dinner with several people, you will probably order more meat, so I think it is best to order extra with plenty of time to spare.

Anyway, we still enjoyed the meat. It really is noticeably tender.

Raviok Yeoksam Main Branch: overall thoughts

Raviok's most distinctive point is that it specializes in flower rib, rather than ordinary LA galbi. It seems like a good fit for anyone looking for a gathering spot near Yeoksam Station, who prefers a hanok-inspired Korean barbecue restaurant, or who wants an easy company-dinner venue in Yeoksam with parking and reservations. If you are looking for Korean barbecue near Yeoksam Station, how about Raviok?