Gondrejip — Restaurant in Seoul

I’ve been coming here for as long as I can remember. It’s become a must-stop spot after my hikes up 청계산—a tradition that feels just as essential as the hike itself. In the past, I used to park my car here before heading up the trail. Back then, as long as you dined in afterward, parking was allowed. But with the growing popularity of this place, things have changed. Now, valet parking is available strictly for dining customers only.

Despite the changes, one thing has remained the same: the food. Their 곤드레밥 (thistle rice) feels like a cure-all—nourishing, comforting, and undeniably good for you in so many ways. I always go for the set menu that comes with BBQ beef. The flavors are perfectly balanced, and everything is thoughtfully prepared.

One of my favorite things? The 곤드레밥 is refillable at no extra cost. I never leave without getting a second helping—not because the first serving isn’t enough, but because it’s simply the best 곤드레밥 I’ve ever had. There’s something incredibly grounding and satisfying about it—enough to keep me coming back,...

My fiancée and I went to this place for lunch after climbing Cheonggyesan. Its signature gondrebap was absolutely tasty (plus you can get free refill on this) but the bulgogi was borderline sweet for me by the time I finished. The dotorimuk muchim tasted like too much raw garlic and the texture was too soft. The doenjang jjigae and handmade tofu were simply okay, not spectacular. Server was nice but not really attentive. Overall this place wasn't bad. If we ever climb the mountain again, we'll likely eat here again because of the convenience (the place is right in front of the entrance of...

Let’s say you happened to be in this area of Seoul, maybe to climb a mountain or just happened to be lost. And you see all those bbq restaurants and you’re sick of them... head on over to this restaurant. There’s beef if you just need your meat. But the speciality is something that’s not easy to explain but it looks like dried leaves cooked together with rice that has a nice woody smell. I’d say it’s easy to eat, won’t repel most taste buds. I like it. Banchans are all the usual salty kimchi and the likes, which I think complements the rice...