During the Chuseok holiday, Korea’s fall harvest celebration, we took a drive toward Hyangiram Hermitage in Yeosu, South Korea.
I was craving galchi, or hairtail fish, so we stopped for a meal.
I’d been here before with my in-laws,
and it felt lovely to come back to a familiar spot.
Located at 378 Hyangiram-ro in Dolsan-eup,
Yeosu Bapsang Galchiya has now earned two visits from me.
Here’s my honest review of both visits—all paid for out of my own pocket.
Yeosu Bapsang Galchiya: Location Near Hyangiram Hermitage
The restaurant is right near Hyangiram Hermitage
and specializes in hairtail dishes.
There’s a spacious parking area out front,
so we didn’t have to wait for a spot at all.
The sea is right across from the restaurant, and the view is gorgeous!
From a window seat, you can look straight out over the waters off Yeosu.
Throughout the meal,
I kept finding myself looking up to take in the scenery.
The restaurant also has an “Excellent” food hygiene rating,
which gave me extra peace of mind.
It’s open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.,
with last orders at 7 p.m.
You can also reserve through NAVER, Korea’s popular search and booking platform.
I’d recommend booking ahead during holidays or peak travel season!
Galchiya Menu and Prices
There was more variety on the menu than I expected.
The à la carte options include:
Yeosu galchi jorim, spicy braised hairtail: $18 per serving.
Yeosu galchi gui, grilled hairtail: $18 per serving.
Yeosu seodae hoe, a raw tonguefish dish: $15 per serving.
Here’s what comes with the popular set meals:
Galchiya Set for Two: $37
(Braised hairtail + whole grilled hairtail + soy-marinated and spicy-marinated raw crab;
guests with young children are welcome to order this set.)
Galchiya Set for Three: $56
(2 servings of braised hairtail + 1 whole grilled hairtail + soy-marinated and spicy-marinated raw crab.)
Galchiya Set for Four: $75
(2 servings of braised hairtail + 2 whole grilled hairtail + soy-marinated and spicy-marinated raw crab.)
There are also Wanggalchi Special Sets featuring extra-large hairtail.
Prices start at $60 for two people,
with the set for five to six people
priced at $149.
Fried rice is $3,
and a bowl of steamed rice is $1 extra.
If you buy a take-home meal kit after dining,
you’ll also get a discount.
How the Braised and Grilled Hairtail Tasted
I wanted galchi jorim
and gejang, marinated raw crab, so I chose a set meal.
I loved getting everything in one spread!
At other restaurants, you often have to order two servings of braised hairtail
and a separate crab set.
That’s usually more than two people can finish, which always feels like a missed opportunity.
Here, each person’s set includes galchi jorim,
galchi gui, ganjang gejang—soy-marinated raw crab—
and yangnyeom gejang, raw crab in a spicy sauce, all in one meal.
The galchi jorim had a peppery kick without being overpowering,
and the flavors were clean and balanced.
The whole grilled hairtail was crisp on the outside,
with moist, tender flesh inside. It was delicious!
The extra-large wanggalchi costs a little more,
but the fish in the regular set was still thick and meaty.
I didn’t feel like we were missing out at all.
If you want an even plumper fish,
go for the wanggalchi!
Free Refills of Soy-Marinated and Spicy-Marinated Crab
Both ganjang gejang and yangnyeom gejang come with the meal,
and they’re exactly the kind of dishes that make you keep reaching for more rice.
You can get one free refill of each,
so even one person’s set
makes for a seriously generous meal.
The ganjang gejang was perfectly seasoned rather than overly salty,
while the yangnyeom gejang had a sweet, spicy kick
that kept me coming back for another bite.
Our refills arrived as soon as we asked,
and I polished off two bowls of rice without a second thought.
If you love marinated crab,
I highly recommend this combination.
Craving both hairtail and crab?
This restaurant’s set meal lets you enjoy them together!
Free Americano After Your Meal
Once you’ve finished eating, you can help yourself at the coffee machine
to a complimentary Americano.
Both hot and iced options were available.
Sipping coffee while looking out at the sea
was such a relaxing way to finish the meal.
They were also running a receipt-review promotion:
leave a review using your receipt,
and you could enjoy an Americano.
Little extras like these
made the restaurant even more memorable.
Tips for Visiting Galchiya in Yeosu
For weekends and holidays, I’d definitely book ahead through NAVER!
The spacious parking area out front made things easy for us,
but it could fill up quickly during peak season,
so I recommend arriving early.
The window seats have the best views.
In a funny coincidence, when I visited with my in-laws
and again on this trip,
we ended up at exactly the same table!
Yeosu Bapsang Galchiya has already brought me back twice,
and I can see myself returning on my next trip to Yeosu.
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