A hydraulic control system for a construction machine, the hydraulic control system comprising: a hydraulic actuator that drives an arm with hydraulic fluid delivered from a hydraulic pump; a meter-out channel (34,35) through which the hydraulic fluid discharged from the hydraulic actuator flows; a variable restrictor (23a, 23b) provided in the meter-out channel (34,35); an operating device that outputs an operation command signal for the hydraulic actuator according to an operation amount of the operating device; and a controller that controls an opening area of the variable restrictor (23a, 23b), and including a posture calculation unit that calculates an arm angle (θA') made by the arm with respect to a horizontal direction; wherein the controller further comprises a meter-out opening area calculation unit that calculates a target opening area of the variable restrictor (23a, 23b) based on an arm angular speed (ωA') of the arm angle (θA'); wherein said meter-out opening area calculation unit is configured to calculated said target opening area using a table (45bH, 45bL) having a characteristics set such that said target opening area decreases when the arm angular speed (ωA') increases when the arm angle (θA') is less than or equal to 90 degrees, and the meter-out control unit configured to output a command signal to a solenoid valve used for adjusting the opening area of the variable restrictor (23a, 23b) based on the calculated target opening area. a hydraulic actuator that drives an arm with hydraulic fluid delivered from a hydraulic pump; a meter-out channel (34,35) through which the hydraulic fluid discharged from the hydraulic actuator flows; a variable restrictor (23a, 23b) provided in the meter-out channel (34,35); an operating device that outputs an operation command signal for the hydraulic actuator according to an operation amount of the operating device; and a controller that controls an opening area of the variable restrictor (23a, 23b), and including a posture calculation unit that calculates an arm angle (θA') made by the arm with respect to a horizontal direction; wherein the controller further comprises a meter-out opening area calculation unit that calculates a target opening area of the variable restrictor (23a, 23b) based on an arm angular speed (ωA') of the arm angle (θA'); wherein said meter-out opening area calculation unit is configured to calculated said target opening area using a table (45bH, 45bL) having a characteristics set such that said target opening area decreases when the arm angular speed (ωA') increases when the arm angle (θA') is less than or equal to 90 degrees, and the meter-out control unit configured to output a command signal to a solenoid valve used for adjusting the opening area of the variable restrictor (23a, 23b) based on the calculated target opening area. a meter-out opening area calculation unit that calculates a target opening area of the variable restrictor (23a, 23b) based on an arm angular speed (ωA') of the arm angle (θA'); wherein said meter-out opening area calculation unit is configured to calculated said target opening area using a table (45bH, 45bL) having a characteristics set such that said target opening area decreases when the arm angular speed (ωA') increases when the arm angle (θA') is less than or equal to 90 degrees, and the meter-out control unit configured to output a command signal to a solenoid valve used for adjusting the opening area of the variable restrictor (23a, 23b) based on the calculated target opening area.