Korean BBQ

What it is

Korean BBQ means raw meat grilled at your own table over gas or charcoal. The classic is samgyeopsal (thick-sliced pork belly), but most places also serve moksal (pork neck), galmaegisal (skirt meat), and heukdwaeji (“black pork”). Beef cuts such as galbi (marinated short rib) and deungsim (sirloin) are common too, at a higher price.

You wrap each bite in a lettuce or perilla leaf with garlic, a dab of ssamjang (a thick soybean and chili paste), and grilled kimchi or mushrooms. That wrap is called ssam. The pork itself isn’t spicy. The heat, if any, comes from the kimchi and whatever sauce you add.

For price, the Seoul average for one 200 g serving of samgyeopsal was ₩20,639 in July 2025. Beef, charcoal-grilled, and premium cuts cost more.

How to order

• Plan on sharing. BBQ is ordered by the portion (inbun) for the table, and the whole group eats from the same grill. Some restaurants expect a minimum number of portions per table. If you’re dining alone, check the menu or ask before you sit down.
• Side dishes are included. Banchan (small side dishes) arrive with the meat, typically kimchi, lettuce, garlic, ssamjang, and sometimes a doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) or gyeran-jjim (steamed egg). Refills are usually free. Just ask.
• Let the staff help. At full-service restaurants, servers often turn the meat and cut it with scissors without being asked. If it’s your first time, it’s fine to ask them to do it.
• Drinks. Soju or beer is the usual pairing. Order rice or a stew at the end if you’re still hungry.
• Paying. Cards are widely accepted in the main tourist districts. Very small, old-style places may prefer cash, so carry some.

Where to eat it

• Mapo / Gongdeok-dong: a long-running charcoal-grill pork belly district, with several restaurants that have been open for decades clustered around Gongdeok Station.
• Euljiro 3-ga: old downtown alleys with long-established grill houses, busy with office workers at group dinners after work. It’s close to Cheonggyecheon Stream if you want an evening walk first.
• Wangsimni: a student neighborhood near Hanyang University with many budget charcoal pork belly restaurants.
• Hongdae and Seongsu: smaller, more stylish BBQ restaurants, popular with couples and pairs for a night out. See Hongdae & Yeonnam.

For a late meal, BBQ is one of the easier things to find after dark. Pair it with a second round of chicken and beer if the night keeps going.

Long-running spots

• Uchon (우촌), Euljiro 3-ga. Open since 1964 and now run by the third generation. Korean food media highlight its black pork samgyeopsal. Other listings feature galbitang (short rib soup) and sotbap (rice cooked in a stone pot), so you can also eat here without grilling. Eulji-ro 12-gil 24, Jung-gu (1F).

Good for families

Grilling at the table and wrapping your own lettuce parcels is hands-on, and kids usually enjoy it. The pork is mild, so picky eaters are easy to please. The steamed egg and rice are safe backups. Keep the kimchi and chili paste away from young kids unless they like spice.

Seating is the main thing to plan. Many BBQ restaurants have low tables with floor seating (jwasik) in at least part of the room. That’s hard with a stroller or with grandparents. When you book or arrive, ask for table-and-chair seating (ipsik). Also remember the grill is hot and sits in the middle of the table, so seat small children away from it.

For groups of 4 or more, restaurants in Euljiro and Mapo/Gongdeok that cater to company dinners (hoesik) often have larger tables or private rooms. Call or book ahead, especially on weekend evenings, when these places fill up with groups.

Restrooms and baby-changing facilities vary from restaurant to restaurant, so check when you book if you need them.

Dietary notes

• Vegetarian: Limited. The meal centers on meat, and the grill is shared. Some side dishes are plant-based, but stews and sauces may contain animal ingredients. Ask what’s in each dish, or look for a restaurant that offers mushroom or tofu grilling.
• Halal: Standard samgyeopsal restaurants are not halal. The main dish is pork, and grills and utensils are shared. If you need halal food, choose a restaurant with its own certification and confirm it directly before you go.
• Allergies: Ssamjang is a soybean-based paste, so skip it if you have a soy allergy. Marinated cuts such as galbi come with a sauce already on the meat, so ask what’s in it. If you have a serious allergy, carry a written card in Korean.