Hanpando Yeoksam: Gangnam Korean BBQ with Corkage-Free Dining

I recently found myself back in Seoul, and you know what that means? Time for some amazing Korean BBQ!

Here's my take on Hanpando Yeoksam Main Branch, a fantastic samgyeopsal spot near Gangnam Station :>

📍1st Floor, Grand Prix Building, 9 Teheran-ro 10-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul

⏱️Mon-Sat 11:30 AM - 10:00 PM (Break time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM, Closed on Mondays)

🅿️Free parking available directly in front of the restaurant

💰~$28 per person (including draft beer)

✅️A top choice for corporate dinners near Gangnam Station, accommodating up to 90 guests

✅️Enjoy a corkage-free policy with complimentary wine glasses, rock glasses, ice bucket, and opener setup

1. Hanpando Yeoksam: Location & Parking

This fantastic samgyeopsal restaurant is conveniently located

between Gangnam Station and Yeoksam Station!

I hopped off the bus at Gangnam Station and

took a pleasant stroll over.

The restaurant's sign is prominently displayed, making it

easy to spot.

Free parking is available right in front, though it's tandem parking.

While valet service isn't offered,

the staff are incredibly helpful and will assist you with moving your car

if needed during your meal!👼

2. Hanpando Yeoksam: Interior & Menu for Group Dinners

It was a Wednesday evening, and the place was nearly full,

so I couldn't get too many interior shots.

Hanpando boasts a spacious hall with seating for up to 90 guests, making it

an excellent spot for corporate dinners for local office workers.

My visit was towards the end of the month, and I definitely saw plenty of teams

enjoying their company outings 😋😋

The menu at Hanpando, a premier Gangnam Korean BBQ spot,

primarily features premium Han-don (Korean pork),

but also offers beef options like short ribs and brisket.

Han-don with abalone… now that's a combo!

Feeling a bit run down, I decided to go for the hearty

Han-don Abalone Set and a refreshing draft beer 🍻

3. My Honest Review of Hanpando: Gangnam's Corkage-Free BBQ

Since we made a reservation in advance,

the table was already set with an array of banchan (side dishes).

We had seaweed, perilla leaves, freshly washed kimchi, stir-fried kimchi, wasabi, salt, and more.

If you need more side dishes, there's a self-serve bar

where you can get unlimited refills!

First up from the Han-don Abalone Set was the Han-don pork!

It included samgyeopsal (pork belly), moksal (pork neck), galmaegisal (skirt meat), and duhangjeongsal (jowl meat).

You'll recognize the pork belly and neck...

The piece in the middle is skirt meat, and the round cut on the right is jowl meat!

We started by grilling the pork neck, belly, and skirt meat.

The staff expertly grilled the first batch for us, allowing us to

relax and chat while we waited.

Even though it's corkage-free, and I considered bringing a bottle of wine,

the weather was quite warm recently, so I was craving a cold beer instead.

So, we simply ordered draft beer.

If you do bring your own alcohol, they'll provide an ice bucket, opener,

and glasses – it's a fantastic perk if you have a special bottle!

Especially for a corporate dinner, you might want to suggest this to your manager ☺️

The Han-don assorted platter at Hanpando was grilling up deliciously!

If you make a Naver reservation and sign up for notifications,

you'll get a complimentary Steamed Egg Volcano!

So definitely make a reservation and enjoy this delicious treat.

The perfectly grilled meat was ready!

We tried it simply with salt, with freshly washed kimchi, and dipped in warm fermented anchovy sauce.

There are so many delicious ways to enjoy the meat at Hanpando, a corkage-free gem in Gangnam.

Personally, the combination with the freshly washed kimchi was unbeatable 😋

The abalone was served a little later –

a generous five pieces!

They were already perfectly prepared, making them great to eat

either raw or grilled.

You can enjoy abalone raw, but grilling it lightly

with a touch of oil makes it even richer and more savory.

It was an excellent palate cleanser between bites of meat

and a perfect accompaniment to our drinks 😌

The meat was so good, we just had to order more!

After some deliberation, we chose the skirt meat!

The skirt meat at Hanpando, a fantastic Gangnam Station samgyeopsal spot,

had a perfect balance of lean meat and fat.

After enjoying the chewy, delicious grilled meat,

it was time to finish with some carbs, right?

I was incredibly curious about the country-style doenjang jjigae (fermented soybean paste stew) and kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew),

but I simply couldn't resist the Truffle Chapaguri.

My friends and I all ended up ordering the Chapaguri!

Seriously... the visual alone is cheating!

Usually, truffle dishes at places like this only have a hint of truffle that quickly fades,

but they must have used a generous amount of truffle oil here.

The truffle aroma was incredibly fragrant throughout the entire dish,

making it even more delicious.

Next time I get my hands on a great bottle of wine, I'll definitely be heading back to Hanpando! ㅎ_ㅎ

That concludes my review of Hanpando, a fantastic corkage-free restaurant in Gangnam!