Bongdam grilled fish restaurant with Caprese self-serve bar: Hwadamga

Hwadamga hours and parking in Bongdam

Hwadamga is a Korean set-menu restaurant on the 1st floor along Nangnaegi-gil in Bongdam-eup, Hwaseong, Gyeonggi. It's open 11:00 - 21:00 with a break time from 15:00 - 17:00. It's open every day, year-round, and has a large private parking lot on site so parking is never an issue.

On a day when I suddenly craved a neat, generous Korean set table, I visited Hwadamga, a grilled fish restaurant in Bongdam. I had plans in Hwaseong and timed my visit for weekday lunch, and even from the outside, the place had a spacious, upscale feel.

There's a large dedicated parking lot right in front of the restaurant, which I loved — you can drive there without worrying about parking even on busy weekends or peak hours. With my heart fluttering a little, I stepped into the neatly decorated interior .ᐟ

Rooms and partition-wall seating: is Hwadamga good for family gatherings?

The interior of Hwadamga was overall very clean and well kept. There's a fully separated, room-like private space for groups, and

The regular table seating where we ate was also nicely divided by partition-like walls, so it felt cozy and let us focus entirely on the meal without being disturbed. Thanks to this thoughtful separation of space, I thought it would be perfect for family gatherings or bringing your parents along.

What is on Hwadamga's unlimited self-serve bar?

The real star and special perk of Hwadamga, this grilled fish restaurant in Bongdam, was the unlimited self-serve bar set up right in the middle of the store.

It runs on a system where you can freely help yourself to a wide variety of basic side dishes. There was a Caprese salad with a refreshing dressing and standout freshness, along with various namul (seasoned vegetable) dishes and thoughtfully made banchan (side dishes) in a diverse lineup,

and above all, my boyfriend, who loves putting namul into barley rice, couldn't take his eyes off the barley rice corner where you make your own bowl however you like — haha! It was fun both to look at and to eat. He was busy building his own combination, starting with seaweed soup, then rice

I took this photo thinking, 'now for the perfect finish with dessert!' — but we had to rush off to our next stop, so... we never actually got to eat it. So disappointing ㅠㅠㅎ

How do the grilled mackerel and atka mackerel sets taste?

This time we ordered the grilled mackerel set and the grilled atka mackerel set — a meal where a thoughtfully composed table comes with fish grilled a golden brown.

After piling a full bowl of tasty side dishes from the self-serve bar and setting the table neatly, we ended up with such a hearty spread that just looking at it was comforting! The fish looked like it had been grilled in a wood oven or dedicated grill — crisp and golden on the outside, moist and juicy on the inside. Squeezing on some lemon juice, lifting the meat off the bones, and laying it over rice made it an absolute rice thief. The atka mackerel was savory and clean with no fishy taste at all, while the mackerel was salty with deep flavor, thick and meaty, full of chew and savoriness

Combining the Caprese salad and various namul side dishes I'd brought from the self-serve bar, I never got tired of it for the whole meal — just happiness filling my mouth the whole time…🤍🤍 Mixing the comforting, savory barley rice with various namul and seasoned sauce, then pairing it with the neat grilled fish, made for a truly hearty and satisfying meal.

If you're looking to enjoy a tidy Korean set meal alongside a generous self-serve bar near Bongdam in Hwaseong, or searching for a proper grilled fish restaurant in Bongdam, I highly recommend visiting Hwadamga without hesitation .ᐟ