Hi, everyone! Let’s talk Modowoo Korean beef.
I recently had the chance
to visit Modowoo’s Samseong branch.
Modowoo had been on my radar for a while—
I’d heard plenty of good things
about its Korean beef dining.
Naturally, that meant
I went in with fairly high expectations.
I’ve always loved hanwoo, Korea’s prized domestic beef,
so I was curious to see
how it would work as a full tasting menu.
This time, we were trying a hanwoo course
with traditional Korean alcohol pairings,
which gave me even more to look forward to.
I couldn’t wait to see
what would arrive at the table.
Modowoo Korean Beef: Essential Information
Restaurant: Modowoo, Samseong branch
Address: 35 Teheran-ro 87-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Basement Level 1, Geumgang Tower 3
Phone: 02-565-8324
Hours:
Daily, 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m.
Afternoon break: 3–5 p.m.
Last orders: 9 p.m.
Parking:
On-site building parking available
Valet parking information available
Confirm parking validation and valet fees before visiting.
What to expect:
Grilled 1++ hanwoo, Korea’s highest beef grade, and hanwoo shabu-shabu
are the focus of this Korean dining restaurant.
Lunch and dinner courses are available at several price points.
Individual dining rooms make it easy to enjoy a private meal.
The atmosphere is quiet and upscale,
well suited to family gatherings or a formal first meeting between a couple’s families.
Seasonal ingredients feature throughout the menu,
alongside the hanwoo courses.
Getting There: Near Samseong Station and COEX, Plus Parking Tips
Modowoo’s Samseong branch
is on the Exit 5 side of Samseong Station,
just behind COEX.
It’s a convenient spot.
With Samseong Station close by,
getting here on public transportation
was straightforward.
When you’re choosing a private-room restaurant in Samseong-dong,
location matters, too.
Being near COEX
makes this a practical meeting point
for a group dinner.
The building also has a parking garage,
so driving is an option.
Keep in mind that it uses a mechanical parking system,
which reportedly cannot accommodate electric vehicles
or large SUVs.
Parking eligibility depends
on your vehicle,
so check ahead if you’re planning to drive.
An Elegant Basement Entrance at Modowoo Samseong
Modowoo’s Samseong branch
occupies the building’s basement,
so it doesn’t have
a freestanding restaurant facade.
Still, the entrance
was more polished
and elegant than I’d expected.
Right from the doorway,
it had the feel
of a refined Korean beef restaurant.
Everything felt calm and understated,
which made me even more curious
to see the dining rooms inside.
Surprisingly Spacious, with Private Dining Rooms Throughout
Once we stepped inside,
the restaurant turned out to be
much bigger than I’d imagined.
From the areas I saw,
almost all the seating
seemed to be in private rooms.
There were plenty of them,
with wide hallways and generous spacing
that kept the restaurant feeling comfortable.
If you’re looking for a private-room restaurant in Samseong-dong,
this is exactly the kind of layout
you’ll appreciate.
You don’t have to worry much
about neighboring tables,
making it easy to settle into your own conversation.
For anyone planning a company dinner,
that privacy
is a real advantage
of the room-based setup.
I could also see it working well for an important business meeting
or a gathering
where you want to talk without distractions.
Hanwoo Course Menus and Traditional Korean Alcohol Pairings
Next, it was time to look at the menu.
Modowoo offers courses
at several price points, plus à la carte dishes,
so there’s quite a bit to choose from.
Alongside grilled hanwoo courses,
there are shabu-shabu courses,
giving you a few different ways to enjoy the beef.
There’s also a separate lunch menu,
which looked like a good option
for people working nearby
who want a sit-down lunch.
At the time of our visit,
they were advertising a 30% discount for pregnant diners
and a free-corkage promotion.
Both were listed among the current offers.
Promotions can change,
so it’s worth confirming
the details before you go.
For the two of us,
we chose the Modowoo Hanwoo Standard
course.
We also upgraded the main course
from grilled sirloin to the hanwoo omakase,
a chef-selected assortment of beef cuts.
The supplement was
$7 per person.
We added the traditional Korean alcohol pairing
as well,
and I was especially curious
to see how the drinks would complement the food.
With so many menu options,
Modowoo seemed like a flexible choice
for a company dinner,
with room to choose
according to your group’s tastes and budget.
Starting the Course with Warm Pumpkin Porridge
Once we’d ordered,
the courses started arriving right away.
First up was
hobakjuk, a smooth Korean pumpkin porridge served before the meal.
Starting with warm hobakjuk
felt soothing
and easy on the stomach.
Before moving into
the more substantial courses,
something this soft and gentle
made for
a lovely opening.
It wasn’t heavy at all,
which made it a good first course.
Aged Flounder Sashimi with Perilla Sauce and a Korean Drink Pairing
Next came the seasonal raw fish course.
On our visit, it was aged
flounder sashimi.
Our first
traditional Korean alcohol pairing
arrived alongside it.
The flounder came with perilla seed sauce,
chamnamul, an aromatic Korean herb, and pickled tomato.
Together,
they made a slightly unexpected combination.
It felt like a meeting
of Japanese and Korean cooking,
rather than a strictly traditional dish.
The flounder’s delicate flavor
picked up nuttiness from the perilla sauce,
while the vegetables added freshness.
Overall, it was light
and easy to enjoy.
The accompanying Korean drink
worked nicely with it, too,
so even this early in the meal,
the pairings were already
adding another layer of enjoyment.
Four Hanwoo Bites Paired with Gyeongtakju
The next dish
was the four-part hanwoo tasting.
Before even taking a bite,
I loved the presentation.
Each little component
had been neatly arranged,
making the plate a pleasure to look at.
The four-part tasting included
a tenderloin sandwich; yukhoe, Korean raw beef, with gim bugak, crispy seaweed chips;
osaekjeon, a colorful Korean savory pancake; and pyogojeon, a battered shiitake mushroom pancake.
That gave us four distinct bites to try.
All four
were enjoyable,
but for me,
the tenderloin sandwich
was the standout.
The fried tenderloin inside
was wonderfully tender,
and the truffle mayo
added a rich, savory flavor
that made it especially satisfying.
At this point,
our second traditional Korean alcohol pairing
was Gyeongtakju.
Gyeongtakju had a thick,
full-bodied texture,
which worked surprisingly well
with these little
beef-centered bites.
Each item tasted different,
so working through them one by one
was part of the fun.
Grilled Sea Bass with Basil Barley Risotto
Next was the seasonal grilled fish.
This version used basil pesto
in a barley risotto,
topped with braised radish
and grilled sea bass.
The sea bass
was crisp on the outside
and moist in the middle—
nicely cooked.
It was good on its own,
but adding the radish and risotto
made the combination
even better than I’d expected.
The mild sea bass
picked up sweetness from the radish,
while the risotto
brought a gentle
basil fragrance.
At first, I thought
the combination sounded a little unusual,
but once I tried everything together,
it felt surprisingly harmonious.
The barley
also gave the risotto
something you don’t get from a standard rice version:
a pleasantly chewy bite
that I really liked.
Seasonal Noodles to Refresh the Palate Before the Hanwoo
Before the main course,
we were served seasonal noodles.
They came in a hanwoo brisket broth,
with gat-kimchi, mustard-leaf kimchi, and dongchimi, a tangy radish water kimchi.
Both featured in the bowl.
The first bite
was tangy and wonderfully refreshing,
with a clean, cooling finish.
After working through
several dishes already,
these chilled noodles
were just the thing
to freshen up
my palate.
Before diving into the hanwoo,
it was nice to have
this little reset
built into the menu.
Modowoo Korean Beef Omakase: A Spread of 10 Cuts
Finally, the moment I’d been waiting for:
the main hanwoo spread arrived.
Our third
traditional Korean alcohol pairing
came with it.
For this meal,
we’d swapped the standard grilled sirloin
for the omakase assortment,
and personally,
I was glad we did.
For about $7 extra,
you get to try a full 10 cuts
of hanwoo.
The beef looked
beautifully fresh and appetizing,
and each cut
had its own shape and character.
I was excited before taking a bite.
The accompanying meal components
and side dishes
were neatly laid out, too.
Being able to try this much variety
in a private dining room
in Samseong-dong
was a big part of the appeal.
I was looking forward to comparing
the cuts one by one.
Surprisingly Tender Arongsatae and Seolgit-sal
From the hanwoo spread,
the first cuts we tried
were arongsatae, a center-shank cut, and seolgit-sal, a lean round cut.
Since both
are relatively lean,
I’d wondered beforehand
whether they might
be a little tough.
But once I tasted them,
they were much
more tender than I’d expected.
There was barely any toughness,
and I happily ate both.
Getting that much tenderness
from cuts
without much fat
was something
that really stood out.
Chima-sal and Specialty Cuts with a Satisfying Bite
Next came chima-sal, a flank cut,
followed by jebichuri, a neck-adjacent rib cut, and tosi-sal, or hanger steak.
Personally,
these three cuts
were my favorites.
All three
had just enough resistance
to give them a satisfying bite.
They weren’t tough;
they were tender,
but still had that substantial,
meaty texture.
Add their rich, savory flavor,
and I was sold.
Rather than beef
that’s simply soft,
I tend to prefer cuts
with a little chew.
For my tastes,
these three
struck just the right balance.
They were the cuts that kept making me think,
“That’s really good.”
Rich, Buttery Fat in Strip Loin and Chuck Flap
The next cuts we tried
were chaekkeut, or strip loin; salchi-sal, or chuck flap;
and chadolbagi, thinly sliced fatty brisket.
They had a different appeal
from the cuts we’d just eaten.
These had
a bit more fat,
so the richness
from the beef fat
was much more noticeable.
I especially liked
how tender they felt
with each bite.
Whereas the chima-sal,
jebichuri, and tosi-sal
stood out for their satisfying chew,
these cuts
were all about
tenderness and rich flavor.
Each cut
brought something different,
which made the omakase upgrade
feel worthwhile.
Galbi-sal and Eopjin-sal in a Sweet Garlic Marinade
The final cuts in the hanwoo spread
were galbi-sal, boneless rib meat, and eopjin-sal, a belly-side short-plate cut.
These two
were served a little differently
from the earlier beef.
They came coated
in a marinade.
The gently sweet seasoning
had soaked nicely into the meat,
which was tender
and full of flavor.
The garlic
worked particularly well,
helping balance
the richness of the beef.
Even after trying
so many cuts,
these didn’t feel overly heavy,
and I enjoyed them right to the end.
If you’re looking
for a company dinner restaurant,
this chance to try several cuts
in succession
is a nice selling point.
Finishing with Omija Sorbet and Chocolate
Naturally, the final course
was dessert.
We were served omija sorbet, made with tart magnolia berries,
along with tea and chocolate.
After tasting
all those different cuts of hanwoo,
I was already quite full,
but a cold sorbet
was still hard to resist.
The omija sorbet
was bright and refreshing,
leaving my palate
feeling clean again.
With the sweet chocolate
alongside it,
it made a lovely final pairing.
From the opening porridge
through the various courses,
the grilled hanwoo omakase,
and finally dessert,
the two of us
left very well fed.
Overall, this Modowoo Korean beef dinner
was something I’d looked forward to,
and the actual experience
exceeded my expectations.
I loved having a comfortable, private space
to enjoy
a varied hanwoo course menu,
but above all,
the quality of the beef impressed me.
It looked appetizing,
and the different textures and flavors
kept every cut interesting.
Upgrading to the grilled hanwoo omakase
was a decision
I was particularly happy with.
Comparing small portions
of 10 different cuts
makes this a satisfying option
for anyone who loves beef.
Adding the traditional Korean alcohol pairing
brought even more variety
to the meal.
I also appreciated the number of spacious rooms,
which meant
we could focus on our own meal
without worrying much
about other diners.
If you’re searching for a private-room restaurant in Samseong-dong or a spot for a work dinner,
this is one
I’d consider trying.
Both of us left
happier with the meal than we’d expected.
Who I’d Recommend It For
Anyone looking for private-room dining in Samseong-dong
Anyone organizing a company dinner
Anyone planning a business meeting in a private dining room
Beef lovers who want a course featuring several hanwoo cuts
Anyone curious about pairing hanwoo dishes with traditional Korean drinks
So, was this a meal I paid for myself? Not this time—
but these are my honest thoughts.
Likes and comments are always welcome!
Fellow bloggers, I’m happy to connect and follow each other, too.