Seoul City Hall Restaurant, Gumseong is a top choice for anyone looking to enjoy authentic Korean BBQ with a focus on natural flavors. Known for its marinated ribs made with Naju pears, this restaurant has become a favorite among locals and tourists alike. Conveniently located near Seoul City Hall Station, Gumseong offers a welcoming atmosphere and is especially popular with foreign visitors due to its proximity to iconic landmarks like Namdaemun Market and Gyeongbokgung Palace.
A day of indulging in marinated ribs!
Overview, Seoul City Hall Restaurant, Gumseong
Gumseong began in Hapjeong in 2021 and has since expanded to several locations. The brand takes its name from “Gumsung,” the old name for Naju, a city known for its exceptional Naju pears, which were historically served to Korean kings. Using these renowned pears, Gumseong developed a special marinade for their signature marinated ribs, making this restaurant one to look forward to.
Located just outside Seoul City Hall Station Exit 7, Gumseong is easy to spot with its crown-shaped sign shining above the entrance to Bukchang-dong’s dining street.
If you’re driving, parking is available at the Sogong Post Office, where it costs 1,000 KRW per 10 minutes or 6,000 KRW per hour.
With its prime location near popular Seoul landmarks like Namdaemun Market, Gyeongbokgung Palace, and Gwanghwamun, Gumseong’s City Hall branch attracts a large number of foreign visitors. Sure enough, the signage in English, Japanese, and Chinese outside the restaurant shows that it’s already a well-known spot for international guests.
Gumseong Operating Hours:
- Every day from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM
It’s a short 30-second walk from the post office parking lot to the restaurant.
They’re also famous for their affordable lunch specials, but today we came specifically for the marinated ribs. You can make reservations via Naver until 6 PM; after that, it’s first-come, first-served. We reserved the last available time slot at 6 PM!
Entering the main dining hall, we noticed three tables occupied by foreign guests. The rest of the restaurant quickly filled up, a sign that this is indeed a popular Seoul City Hall restaurant known for its quality.
more info: Official Instagram
Interior Atmosphere of Seoul City Hall Restaurant, Gumseong
The restaurant is spacious, especially for the City Hall area, with a main hall and a separate side hall.
The combination of wood accents and gold decor, with amber chandeliers overhead, creates a luxurious yet casual atmosphere. Each table has its own exhaust hood, so the grill smoke is well-controlled.
The design feels reminiscent of the time depicted in the Korean drama Mr. Sunshine, when Korea was embracing Western influences and new technologies. The interior gives off a modern yet nostalgic vibe, which adds to the dining experience.
Since we had made a reservation, we were seated in the side hall. If we had booked earlier, we could have gotten a table by the window, but that’s something to remember for next time!
The side hall is adjacent to the kitchen, so you can see the chefs at work, which adds another level of interest.
However, if you’re bringing foreign friends or hosting a gathering, I’d recommend requesting a table in the main hall or by the window in the side hall for the best experience.
Our table was set with the usual array of side dishes—kimchi, pickled vegetables, and sauces for dipping the meat—all served in elegant brass bowls reminiscent of royal table settings.
Menu:
As expected from a Seoul City Hall restaurant that specializes in Korean barbecue, Gumseong offers a wide range of both beef and pork dishes cooked over charcoal. They also have an extensive drink menu, including a selection of wines that are reasonably priced, offering great value and pairing well with the food.
The menu is laid out with detailed descriptions and pictures of each dish, making it easy to navigate. There are also English translations for foreign guests.
Their signature dishes include Gumseong Fresh Pork Ribs and Gumseong Marinated Pork Ribs for pork lovers, and for beef, they offer Black Angus Galbi and Black Angus Marinated Ribs. They also serve other cuts like snowflake beef and whole pork jowl.
The prices for beef were particularly good, so we had a hard time deciding. They also offer a variety of side dishes like bibim naengmyeon (spicy cold noodles), mul naengmyeon (cold noodles in broth), doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew), and steamed eggs, all of which are the perfect accompaniments to a barbecue meal.
The drinks menu includes thoughtful pairings, showing the extra effort they put into ensuring a top-notch dining experience. In the end, we ordered:
- Gumseong Marinated Pork Ribs (3 servings, 16,000 KRW per serving, 200g per serving)
- Doenjang Jjigae: 5,000 KRW
- Bibim Naengmyeon: 6,000 KRW
- Steamed Rice: 1,000 KRW
- Terra Beer: 5,000 KRW
Promotions:
Gumseong offers a fun Naver Review Event, where you can spin a roulette and win prizes based on your luck. The prizes are tiered, from first to fifth place:
- First prize: A free bottle of wine or Hwayo (Korean liquor)
- Second prize: Free yukhoe (Korean beef tartare)
- Third prize: Free naengmyeon (cold noodles)
- Fourth prize: Free doenjang jjigae
- Fifth prize: Free rice or soft drink
This is a great promotion, so make sure to participate!
On the back of the receipt banner, they also promote their lunch specials, including the Seolhwa Galbi Jeongsik, a reasonably priced set meal featuring Black Angus ribs, available for groups of two or more. I made a mental note to come back and try it for lunch next time.
Seoul City Hall Restaurant, Gumseong, Food Review:
The charcoal grill was brought to our table, and since we had ordered marinated ribs, the grill grate was quickly swapped out for a thinner wire mesh, perfect for cooking marinated meat.
First, we toasted with beer, ready to enjoy the meal.
The star of the show, Gumseong Marinated Pork Ribs, arrived in all their glory. These were some of the thickest pork ribs I’d seen recently!
The marinade, made with Naju pears and minimal additives, had me eager to dig in.
The staff kindly helped with the grilling, making sure we didn’t burn the ribs, as the marinade can easily scorch if you’re not careful. They left us to finish cooking the meat to our liking, ensuring everything was perfect.
We tried the ribs with different condiments—salt, wasabi, and even breadcrumbs! When I asked about the breadcrumbs, I was told that foreign guests love the texture, and I have to agree—it’s a surprisingly addictive combination.
For my mom, who needs rice with every meal, we ordered a bowl of steamed rice, which came as a nutritious multigrain blend. The doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) was hearty, filled with tofu, meat, zucchini, and onions. The stew tasted like a homemade dish, full of rich, earthy flavors.
The Bibim Naengmyeon came a bit later due to the busy kitchen, but it was worth the wait. At first, the noodles seemed a bit clumpy, but after mixing, they loosened up nicely.
The seasoning was a great balance of sweet, savory, and nutty, with a touch of sesame oil. A bite of cold noodles paired with the marinated ribs was pure bliss!
As we left, the restaurant was completely full, with a line forming outside. The location, near Namdaemun and Myeongdong, as well as its proximity to several city hotels, explains why Gumseong is so popular among foreign tourists.
Thanks to the strong grill flame and the staff’s help with the cooking, we were able to enjoy perfectly cooked ribs without any stress. The marinade, with its subtle sweetness from the Naju pears, made the meat irresistible, and the clean flavors lingered pleasantly afterward.
Next time, I plan to try the Gumseong Fresh Cow Ribs, which seemed popular at the other tables. I’ll also make sure to request a window seat in advance when booking through Naver!
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Final Recommendations:
- Highly recommended for hosting foreign friends in Seoul (a 500% must-visit)!
- An ideal spot for office gatherings near Seoul City Hall.
- Great for a date after exploring the City Hall area.
- A perfect family-friendly restaurant for a delicious meal.
Since there’s usually a line, I strongly recommend booking a table via Naver before 6 PM!