Hongdae BBQ Restaurant Cheonggiwa Galbi | Korean Beef Ribs, Marinated Beef Ribs & Pork Galbi
Hello!
My husband and I are both big meat lovers.
He enjoys almost every kind of meat, from pork cutlets and spicy stir-fried pork to beef and pork BBQ.
As for me, if I had to choose just one type of meat, I would definitely go with marinated galbi.
I do enjoy samgyeopsal and ogyeopsal, but there is something about sweet and savory marinated ribs that always draws me in.
This time, we visited Cheonggiwa Galbi, a well-known Hongdae BBQ restaurant famous for both beef ribs and pork galbi.
Cheonggiwa Galbi Location and Opening Hours
Cheonggiwa Galbi
188-1 Donggyo-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, 1F
Tel: 02-334-3336
Opening Hours: 11:00 AM–9:50 PM
Closed every Monday
Cheonggiwa Galbi is located about a 2-minute walk from Exit 1 of Hongik University Station, making it very easy to reach by public transportation.
Parking can be quite difficult in Hongdae, but one nice advantage here is that free valet parking is available.
We usually prefer taking public transportation when visiting Hongdae, but this is one place where bringing a car could actually be convenient.
Spacious and Comfortable Interior
The restaurant was much larger than I expected.
We visited around 1 PM, just after the main lunch rush, but there were still quite a few people enjoying their meals.
The spacious interior makes it suitable for company dinners, group gatherings, family meals, and even casual dates in Hongdae.
The air conditioning was also strong enough to keep the restaurant comfortable even with charcoal grills at each table.
The chairs had storage compartments underneath, which was convenient for keeping bags and jackets away from the BBQ smoke.
Just be careful when opening and closing the seat lid so you do not pinch your fingers.
Cheonggiwa Galbi Menu
There were several celebrity autographs and photos displayed on the walls.
Among them, a photo of Korean singer Lim Young-woong especially caught my attention.
It gave the restaurant the feeling of being a long-established and popular local BBQ spot.
From 11 AM to 2 PM, they also serve lunch dishes such as galbitang and naengmyeon.
So even if you are not planning a full BBQ meal, it can still be a good lunch option in Hongdae.
Charcoal-Grilled Korean Beef Ribs
After ordering, the staff brought out the charcoal grill.
You could immediately feel the strong heat from the real charcoal fire.
Then came the dipping sauces and side dishes, including kimchi, cucumber, garlic, and king oyster mushrooms.
Finally, the meat arrived.
We ordered:
- Korean Beef Ribs – KRW 37,000
- Marinated Beef Ribs – KRW 26,000
- Marinated Pork Galbi – KRW 17,000
In the photo, from top to bottom, you could see the marinated pork galbi, marinated beef ribs, and Korean beef ribs.
Beautiful Marbling on the Korean Beef Ribs
The first thing that caught my eye was the Korean beef ribs.
The marbling was evenly spread throughout the meat and looked incredibly tender even before grilling.
The marinated beef ribs and pork galbi also looked good.
The marinade was not overly dark or heavy, which made the meat look more appetizing.
Rather than covering the meat completely with sauce, the seasoning seemed designed to complement the natural flavor.
We also ordered a zero-sugar cola to go with the meal.
How Was the Korean Beef Galbi?
The owner recommended trying the Korean beef ribs first.
That made sense because lightly seasoned beef lets you taste the natural flavor of the meat more clearly.
We grilled the beef quickly over the charcoal and dipped it lightly in salt.
It may sound like a cliché, but the meat was genuinely very tender.
It had a juicy texture and a rich, savory flavor that worked perfectly with just a little salt.
If you enjoy Korean beef, this is definitely one of the standout dishes here.
Marinated Beef Ribs at Cheonggiwa Galbi
Next, we grilled the marinated beef ribs.
Because the meat is seasoned, it is best to turn it often so the marinade does not burn over the charcoal.
Once cooked, we dipped the beef into the restaurant’s special sauce.
The marinade itself was not overly sweet or salty, and the dipping sauce added even more flavor.
Since I already love marinated galbi, this was probably the dish I kept reaching for the most.
Marinated Pork Galbi
After the beef ribs, we moved on to the marinated pork galbi.
The pork was tender, sweet, and savory, with the classic flavor you would expect from Korean-style galbi.
Compared with beef, it is also a more affordable option, so it is a good choice if you want to enjoy a larger portion without spending too much.
In fact, we ended up ordering another serving of the pork galbi.
That should tell you how much we enjoyed it.
Rice, Doenjang Jjigae and Naengmyeon
At some point, we could not resist ordering rice, doenjang jjigae, and cold noodles as well.
That completed the full Korean BBQ experience.
The doenjang jjigae had a deep, rich soybean paste flavor and came with plenty of ingredients.
For me, one of the best ways to enjoy galbi is to rotate between:
a spoonful of doenjang jjigae,
a bite of meat with white rice,
a piece of galbi dipped in sauce,
and finally, meat wrapped together with cold noodles.
Especially the combination of naengmyeon and marinated galbi is hard to beat.
Attentive Service
One small detail that impressed us was how the staff checked the grill without us having to ask.
Since marinated meat can cause the grill plate to burn quickly, they replaced it when needed.
It may seem like a small thing, but it made the meal much more comfortable.
We Ended Up Eating Four Servings
We originally ordered one serving each of Korean beef ribs, marinated beef ribs, and marinated pork galbi.
But we eventually added another serving of pork galbi.
In total, we finished:
4 servings of meat + naengmyeon + 2 bowls of rice + doenjang jjigae + drinks
It was definitely a big meal, but everything worked so well together that we finished much more than expected.
Final Thoughts on Cheonggiwa Galbi in Hongdae
Hongdae has plenty of Korean BBQ restaurants, but one of the best things about Cheonggiwa Galbi is that you can enjoy several different styles of galbi in one place.
You can try Korean beef ribs, marinated beef ribs, and pork galbi all during the same meal.
I especially liked that the marinated galbi was not overly sweet or overpowering.
The balance between the meat and the seasoning was very good.
The restaurant is also close to Hongik University Station, spacious, and suitable for group dinners, family meals, casual dates, and company gatherings.
If you are looking for a Hongdae BBQ restaurant specializing in Korean galbi, Cheonggiwa Galbi is definitely worth considering.
We had a very satisfying meal here and would happily visit again.
Cheonggiwa Galbi Information
Name: Cheonggiwa Galbi
Address: 188-1 Donggyo-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, 1F
Phone: 02-334-3336
Opening Hours: 11:00 AM–9:50 PM
Closed: Every Monday
Nearest Station: Hongik University Station, Exit 1
Popular Dishes: Korean beef ribs, marinated beef ribs, pork galbi, galbitang, naengmyeon
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