The Best Place to get Hanwoo in Seoul

Hanwoo is so so good but it's also so so expensive. Usually, if you go to a hanwoo restaurant in Seoul, it'll set you back at least 100,000 a person. If you want the premium cuts, it'll set you back even further.

Hanwoo Rating System

In Korea, they have a "plus" grading system for beef, kind of like how they have A5, A4 for wagyu in Japan. The best grade is a double ++, or "Two-pull" (투플), as the locals say.

Normally, 투플 beef is reserved for special occasions like as a gift set for parents during Chuseok or if you are planning to propose to someone because the prices can get out of hand.

Where to go to Eat High-Quality Hanwoo for Cheap

If you feel like eating some high-quality hanwoo without breaking the bank, there's only really one option in Seoul: Majang Beef Market.

Exit 2 Majang Station

To get there, get off at Majang Station on line 5 and take exit 2. Walk about 100 meters and you'll see signs that point you towards the left to 마장동축산물시장 (Majang Livestock Market). Turn left and walk about 200 meters and you're there.

The entryway to Majang Meat Market

Once there, you'll be greeted by a long corridor of meat vendors trying to sell you their selection of Korean Beef.

This place is actually a wholesale market and is frequented more by restaurant owners than by individuals but that doesn't mean you can't buy smaller portions while enjoying the benefits of wholesale prices.

Your typical selection of different cuts of beef but at a markedly lower price.

How much is Hanwoo Here?

There's a ton of variance in pricing here, depending on which shop you go to, how well you haggle, what the general market price is, the season, etc... so it's hard for me to pinpoint how much it'll cost you for your meal but I will say that you most likely won't find cheaper prices for hanwoo in Seoul.

투플 (Two Plus)

In my case, I just walked up to a random shop and chose a bunch of different cuts of meat. Since I bought a large amount (enough for 4 people), the owner was kind enough to cut the price down and even added a generous amount of 육회 (marinated raw beef) as a freebie. All the cuts were "Two-Pull" (투플)++ grade and ended up costing 120,000 won.

Cooking Hanwoo

You can either head home with your newly acquired hanwoo or you can choose to head upstairs to one of the many restaurants and cook/eat the meat directly at the market. If you choose to go this route, it'll set you back roughly 4,000-6,000 won per person. This will cover the cost of seating, side dishes, and cooking equipment.

There are two ways to cook your meat here, either over charcoal or pan-seared. On this particular day, we chose bbq over charcoal but if I had to do it again, I'll definitely opt for pan-seared so not a single drop of beef fat is wasted :D

Beautiful

Korean beef tartar (육회)

I noticed that a lot of the other patrons brought their own wine and sure enough, you can for a corkage fee of around 15,000 won.

After we finished, the final tally came out to about 40,000 won per person, a phenomenal deal for hanwoo.

Overall, the beef was amazing and I'd highly recommend this place for anyone that wants a no-frills hanwoo experience.

Final Verdict for 마장축산물시장:

Overall: 9/10

Taste: 10/10

Value: 10/10

Atmosphere: 9/10

Service: 5/10 (I hate haggling)