Seoul’s dining scene is vibrant and there are just so many restaurants to choose from. Iljeomsa is a spot we highly recommend if you’re looking for a local experience – here, you get to dine outdoors on good weather days, and the food is reasonably priced for its quality and quantity.
Charcoal Galbi Restaurant in Seoul
Iljeomsa, which translates to 1.4 in Korean, is also the weight of the galbi-sal they serve here. They have more than one outlet, but we chose to visit this one for the outdoor seating experience.
Here at Iljeomsa, they serve three cuts of meats, the Sirloin (1kg for 85,000won) and Oak Smoked Samgyeopsal (1.4kg for 65,000won) along with their most representative cut, the Yangnyeom Sogalbi (700g for 47,000won).
As you can tell already, the minimum order for a serving of meat is 700g, which is quite hefty. You would want to bring someone along when dining at this restaurant.
There are lots of indoor seats here, but the outdoor ones tend to be a bit more popular. When the restaurant is packed, you’re required to fill in your name on a board along with the number of pax to wait for a seat. They won’t ask you to leave a phone number, so you’ll have to wait around the restaurant for your name to be called.
Outdoor Dining in Korea
Dining outdoors in Korea is an experience not to be missed. With chatters from neighbouring tables and the smoke of grilled meat filling the air, this spot is as local as it can get.
Don’t expect the best of service here, once the staff brings you the charcoal for the table and takes down your order, their job is more or less done. They have a DIY counter for side dishes inside the restaurant, and you can take whatever you like.
The variety of side dishes is not bad, with items like seasoned beansprouts, kimchi and a salad. Everything you need for your BBQ is also available here, with seasonings like salt, ssamjang, and garlic.
We ordered the Yangnyeom Galbisal, which is marinated very lightly. Usually, the word yangnyeom is associated with a bright red colour thanks to the iconic Yangnyeom Chicken. However, the Yangnyeom here refers to a soy sauce base, which the galbi is marinated with.
For those unsure what Galbisal is, it’s a rib finger cut that comes from the rib section and includes meat between the ribs. It has a nice rich, beefy flavour with just the right fat content.
Cooking it wasn’t too difficult either, as the pieces are already served in bite-sized pieces. The beef was juicy and had a nice smoky flavour. We don’t think it required additional seasoning, but pairing it with the various condiments makes the meal experience more fun!
Cook Your Own Kimchi Pancake, Ramyeon & Eggs
This is perhaps, the most unique factor of Iljeomsa – a corner where you can make your own kimchi pancake, ramyeon, and eggs!
There are portable gas stoves, along with pots and pans – basically everything you need to cook up a storm.
The kimchi pancake batter is already prepared, all you need to do is add oil and fry it. Since the banchan counter is right beside it, we threw in a few pieces of kimchi to “upgrade” our pancake.
And that’s not the only thing you can do, we saw people adding beansprouts and eggs into their ramyeon too. Some even topped their ramyeon with sunny side up eggs.
Restaurant Near Gangnam
For the price point and quality of beef served, Iljeomsa (일점사) screams value for money. Along with the unlimited kimchi pancake, ramyeon and eggs, you probably won’t go hungry here. This experience was truly unique to Korea and is one we highly recommend checking out.
Since it’s very local-coded, you might have trouble communicating, but it should be easily solvable with some translation apps.
There’s also an outlet right opposite that serves Pork Galbi instead of Beef. So make sure to keep a lookout for the right entrance!
Iljeomsa (일점사)
94 Banpo-daero 22-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul
서울 서초구 반포대로22길 94
Mon-Sun, 11am-11pm, 4pm-5pm Break Time
Nearest Subway: Seoul Nat’l Univ of Education Station (Line 2/3), Exit 14
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*This was an independent review by MiddleClass
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