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Korean BBQ · Sinsa-dong (Apgujeong) · Seoul
Samwon Garden
In 1976 Park Su-nam opened Samwonjeong; in 1981 came the Apgujeong-dong flagship of Samwon Garden, which today serves marinated Hanwoo galbi beside its garden.
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By Hugo Ledger · Steakpedia editorial voice · Who writes
Why go01
Samwon Garden belongs to the generation that set the form of the large Seoul galbi house. Visit Gangnam credits it with starting the fashion for galbi restaurants with 'garden' in the name, and calls it a pioneer for its 1,200-pyeong grounds, about 3,966 m², its valet parking and its uniformed staff. MICHELIN describes a long-established grill house with a range of top Hanwoo cuts, a well-kept garden, high ceilings and glass walls; the house presents itself as selected in the MICHELIN Guide Seoul 2026, and the Blue Ribbon Survey placed it among its three-ribbon restaurants for the first time in its 2024 edition.
What to order02
Samwon yangnyeom-galbi- Hanwoo saeng-galbi
- Galbitang
02What to order
- Samwon yangnyeom-galbiThe signature marinated galbi, now made with a low-sugar marinade (2026 menu). Its diamond scoring is patented, according to Sidae, which priced the dish at ₩44,000 in 2017.
- Hanwoo saeng-galbiFresh, unmarinated Hanwoo rib, in limited supply; ₩81,000 in 2017.
- GalbitangThe other signature at the flagship. The 2026 menu has four versions; the teuk galbitang carries gopchang.
- Weekday lunchHanwoo bulgogi (200 g), bori-gulbi or ganjang-gejang, with cold noodles or soybean stew. The house makgeolli, Dalbit Garden, is made with Kooksoondang.
03The beef
MICHELIN speaks of a variety of top Hanwoo cuts, and the 2026 menu lists Hanwoo only on the grill: tenderloin, striploin, skirt, ribeye, hanger steak in limited supply, chuck flap (salchisal) and a selection of rarer cuts. One food guide mentions cheaper imported beef; the official menu does not, and Steakpedia follows the menu. No source gives a grade.
04The fire
Taste Korean Food, a food guide, says the beef is grilled over wood charcoal, sutbul, with the staff watching the grill; the house menu does not describe the fire.
05The story
The founder, Park Su-nam, started without capital and later led the restaurant trade association; the name reflects his aim to be first in three things, taste, service and cleanliness. The official chronology runs: Samwonjeong in 1976, Samwon Hoegwan in 1979, the Apgujeong-dong flagship in 1981, a company in 1987, Daechi-dong in 1994. Visit Gangnam dates the Apgujeong opening to 1976; Steakpedia uses the chronology. His son, Park Young-sik, is chief executive of Dinehill, the group that grew out of the restaurant, and the flagship reopened after renovation in June 2022. Abroad there is Jakarta since 2013 and Hanoi since 2023. For New York, the group announces its first US Samwon Garden for 2025, while a 2019 review describes one at 37 West 32nd Street, opened in 2018; the sources do not agree.
06The practical
835 Eonju-ro, Gangnam-gu. Weekdays, lunch 11:30–14:30 and dinner 17:30–21:30; weekends and holidays, 11:00–14:30 and 17:00–21:00. Book on 02-548-3030 (annex 02-6670-3601) or through Naver. The main building seats 158 on the ground floor and 120 on the next, with a banquet floor for about 230; a private room costs ₩30,000 extra. The annex, the byeolchae, has 11 rooms for 4 to 24, with courses by head chef Kim Hyung-seok. Valet ₩4,000.
- Address
- 835 Eonju-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
- Phone
- +82 2-548-3030
- Website
- dinehill.co.kr
- Directions
- Google Maps ↗
When did Samwon Garden open?
The official chronology gives 1981 for the Apgujeong-dong flagship; the founder's first restaurant, Samwonjeong, opened in 1976. Visit Gangnam gives 1976 for Apgujeong.
What is the signature dish at Samwon Garden?
Samwon yangnyeom-galbi, the house's marinated Hanwoo galbi, made in 2026 with a low-sugar marinade; galbitang is the other signature.
Is there a Samwon Garden in Hanoi?
Yes. According to Dinehill, it opened in 2023, the first at Somerset West Point in Tây Hồ.
Is Samwon Garden in the MICHELIN Guide?
The house presents itself as selected in the MICHELIN Guide Seoul 2026; MICHELIN's page describes a long-established Hanwoo grill house.
07In Seoul’s selections
08Sources
joinpearl.co · koncierge.kr · visitgangnam.net · tastekoreanfood.com · guide.michelin.com · dinehill.co.kr · dinehill.co.kr · dinehill.co.kr · dinehill.co.kr · magazine.hankyung.com · visitgangnam.net · sidae.com · travelsort.com · guide.michelin.com · lady.khan.co.kr
Last verified 25 Oct 2026.