If you want one Korean beef barbecue dinner in Seoul to remember, this is the one I would book. Myongwolgwan sits in a traditional tile-roofed building in the grounds of Walkerhill, on a hill above the Han River. The beef is top-grade Hanwoo over real charcoal, the staff grill every piece for you, and before dinner you can walk a lawn and a river deck that are made for photos.
We went on Sunday 27 September 2026 for my wife's birthday. We had been choosing between a hotel buffet and this, and picked the beef. It was the right call.
Quick facts
- Name: Myongwolgwan, also spelled Myeongwolgwan (명월관)
- Where: annex building, Vista Walkerhill Seoul, 177 Walkerhill-ro, Gwangjin-gu (서울 광진구 워커힐로 177)
- Getting there: free Walkerhill shuttle from Gwangnaru Station (Line 5) Exit 2, about 8 minutes, or Gangbyeon Station (Line 2) Exit 1, about 15 minutes
- Hours: lunch 12:00 to 15:00, dinner 17:30 to 21:00
- Booking: +82 1670-0006 (extension 4); bookings open at 10:00 on the 1st of the month, two months ahead
- What we had: Special Assorted Beef Cuts for two, 350,000 won including the meal course
- Dress code: smart casual. Private rooms seat 2 to 36
- Good for: birthdays, anniversaries, taking parents out, garden photos
A name with a past
Myeongwolgwan, "the House of the Bright Moon", is an old name in Seoul. In the early 1900s a Korean restaurant of that name stood near Gwanghwamun, run by An Sun-hwan, who had been in charge of the Korean Empire's royal banquet kitchen. Its branch, Taehwagwan in Insadong, is where 29 of the 33 national representatives met at 2 p.m. on 1 March 1919 and read the Korean Declaration of Independence.
Walkerhill's Myongwolgwan opened in 1964, a year after the resort, in its own traditional tile-roofed building, and it is the longest-running restaurant at Walkerhill. Today it is a Hanwoo charcoal barbecue with painted dancheong eaves outside and a lawn running down towards the river.
How to get there
By subway and free shuttle. Take Line 5 to Gwangnaru Station, leave by Exit 2, cross at the crosswalk in front of you and wait at the Walkerhill shuttle stop; the ride is about 8 minutes. From Line 2, the stop is across from Gangbyeon Station Exit 1, about 15 minutes. Shuttles run 06:00 to 23:30 every 15 minutes, every 10 minutes at busy times. Myongwolgwan is in the annex on the Vista Walkerhill side.
By car or taxi. Give the address 177 Walkerhill-ro. Diners can park at Myongwolgwan for up to four hours, and paid valet is available. From Jamsil it is about 5 minutes by car.
Prefer the bigger sister hotel? Grand Walkerhill Seoul is in the same grounds. Read my Grand Walkerhill Seoul review (Han River view room, The Buffet breakfast, Skyard foot bath), or check Grand Walkerhill rates on Agoda.
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Before dinner: the garden and the river deck
Come 20 or 30 minutes early. We arrived around 17:30 and walked the grounds while the light was going gold. The lawn in front of the building gives you the eaves and the pines; follow the wooden deck along the slope and the Han River opens up below, with Lotte World Tower in the distance. You get good occasion photos here without trying.
Inside
There is a glass wine cellar by the reception and a large dining hall with windows over the lawn and the river. A chef was trimming beef in front of the glass meat cabinets.
Menu and prices
From the menu at our table (2026 prices, won). The menu and prices change from 1 January 2027.
- Special Assorted Beef Cuts (what we had): 350,000 for two. Sirloin, tenderloin, short plate, top blade and marinated Hanwoo, 510 g, with naengmyeon cold noodles or doenjang stew for each person
- Set menus (two or more): Hanwoo sirloin set 179,000; marinated Hanwoo rib set 155,000. Both come with beef tartare, abalone grilled in butter, noodles or stew, and fruit with tea
- Hanwoo grill: rib 160 g 118,000; sirloin 180 g 103,000; assorted marinated 160 g 86,000; charcoal bulgogi 200 g 53,000 (lunch only)
- Special cuts: brisket 75,000 and tongue 79,000 per 100 g; tripe 150 g 80,000
- Meal add-on: naengmyeon or doenjang stew (small) 17,000 with any of the above
The meal
The table filled with side dishes first: japchae, seasoned vegetables, kimchi, a clear soup and roasted seaweed, all neat and well made.
Then the charcoal came in and the beef arrived on a wooden board, marbled all the way through. The best part: a member of staff grilled everything for us, cut by cut, at the right doneness, and snipped it into bites. We just talked and ate. Every cut had its own texture, and the marinated Hanwoo at the end was as good as the rest. They also brought out a few extras along the way.
For the meal course we chose mul-naengmyeon and the doenjang stew, which has blue crab in it and makes a good finish after beef.
Dessert, and the birthday
It was my wife's birthday, so we had a cake with us. Dessert was fruit with tea, and we lit the candle at the table to end the night.
There is also a coffee machine for diners next to the reception.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to Myongwolgwan at Walkerhill?
Take the free Walkerhill shuttle from Gwangnaru Station Exit 2 (Line 5, about 8 minutes) or opposite Gangbyeon Station Exit 1 (Line 2, about 15 minutes). Shuttles run 06:00 to 23:30.
Do I have to grill the beef myself?
No. Staff grill every piece at the table and cut it for you.
How much is dinner for two?
The Special Assorted Beef Cuts for two is 350,000 won including noodles or stew. The sirloin set is 179,000 won per person, minimum two.
Do I need to book?
For dinner and weekends, yes. Call +82 1670-0006 (extension 4); bookings open two months ahead.
Is it good for a birthday or anniversary?
Yes. We went for my wife's birthday; the garden, the river view and having the beef grilled for you make it feel like an occasion.
The bottom line
We nearly went to a buffet. For a birthday for two, Myongwolgwan was far better: excellent Hanwoo you never have to grill yourself, a quiet table, and a river garden for photos before you sit down. Book it for a birthday, an anniversary or a dinner with your parents.
Prices from the menu at the restaurant on 27 September 2026; hours, booking, parking and shuttle details from Walkerhill (checked November 2026).
Staying nearby? See our picks for where to stay in Jamsil & Songpa, each with the nearest station, a map and what Korean guests say.
Written by WY, a Seoul-based local sharing honest, first-hand guides to Korea. Every guide here is a place I have actually been to: written from my own visit, my own photos. More about me →