How To Eat Korean BBQ: What To Expect When Eating In Korea
Korean barbecue might seem a bit intimidating if itโs your first time, but donโt worry, itโs as much about the experience as it is about the food! Whether youโre seated at a table with friends or enjoying it with coworkers, youโre in for a tasty adventure. Before you can begin that adventure though, you need to know how to order meat, what to expect at a Korean barbecue restaurant, and then you can reap the delicious rewards.
What makes Korean BBQ so popular, especially for first-time visitors to Korea, is not just the high-quality, flavorful cuts of meat, but the immersive nature of the entire dining process. But, like I said, it can be a lot to take in, so here’s what to expect from ordering to eating.
Korean barbecue is the dining experience to have in Korea. It can be a lot though. Here’s what to expect:
- Korean Barbecue Is A Communal Event
- How To Eat At A Korean Barbecue Restaurant: Step By Step
- Where To Eat Korean BBQ In Seoul
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Korean Barbecue Is A Communal Event
In Korea, meals are often enjoyed in groups, with family, friends, or colleagues sitting around a table. This is important to note as some barbecue restaurants won’t let a single diner order which is something any solo traveler should be aware of. Of course, there are some restaurants that will be fine with it, but you’ll have to order at least enough for two. Ready to dig in?
The act of grilling your own food allows everyone to be involved, and it gives each person the freedom to cook their meat exactly how they like it. Whether you’re a fan of slightly crispy pork belly or perfectly tender bulgogi, Korean BBQ lets you be the master of your meal. Itโs a bonding experience that encourages conversation, laughter, and sharing.
How To Eat At A Korean Barbecue Restaurant: Step By Step
Choose Your Meat
I think ordering at a Korean barbecue restaurant can really be the most intimidating aspect of the experience. I never knew much about meat and the different cuts before coming to Korea, but I certainly know which cuts I enjoy most now.
Youโll have options like samgyeopsal (pork belly), galbi (marinated short ribs), or bulgogi (marinated beef) among plenty of others. Take your time and pick what looks bestโafter all, this is where the magic begins.
Korean Meat Vocabulary
Pork Cuts
- ์ผ๊ฒน์ด (Samgyeopsal): Pork belly, the most popular cut. Juicy and flavorful.
- ๋ชฉ์ด (Moksal): Pork neck, leaner than samgyeopsal, so it requires careful grilling.
- ํ์ ์ด (Hangjeongsal): A tender, rarer pork neck cut, pricier and quick to cook.
- ๊ฐ๋ธ๋ฆฌ์ด (Gabeulisal): Pork cheek, very tender and expensive. Grill carefully to avoid burning.
- ๋ผ์ง๊ป๋ฐ๊ธฐ (Dwaejigeopddaegi): Pork skin or pork rinds, crispy and rich in collagen, often enjoyed toward the end of the meal.
Fun Fact: In Korean, there is a saying “one head with 100 tastes” (์ผ๋๋ฐฑ๋ฏธ) which refers to the fact that one cow can be cut to create 100 different tastes. While US beef cuts are usually around 22, Korean beef cuts are around 120!
Beef Cuts:
- ํ์ฐ (Hanwoo): Premium Korean beef with a distinct taste, but pricey.
- ์ฐจ๋๋ฐ์ด (Chadolbagi): Thin beef brisket, cooks quickly and pairs well with sesame oil and salt.
- ๋ ์ฌ (Deungshim): Soft, fatty sirloin that melts in your mouth.
- ์์ฐฝ์ด (Anchangsal): Outside skirt, tender, thin, and flavorful. Our personal favorite.
- ์์ฌ (Anshim): Beef tenderloin, thick and juicy. Usually cooked by staff for the best result.
- ์ด์น์ด (Salchisal): Rare chuck tail flap, thin steak with rich flavor.
- ๋์ฐฝ (Daechang): Soft, chewy beef large intestines, a bit oily.
Yukhoe (์กํ) is Korea’s version of steak tartare. Thinly sliced raw beef is marinated in soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil, and seasonings, then topped with a raw egg and crisp Korean pear. Itโs all mixed tableside into a flavorful blendโsoft and delicious.
Could be pork or beef, make sure to ask:
- ๊ฐ๋น (Galbi): Marinated ribs, ask if theyโre pork or beef. Sweet and kid-friendly. It’s often a great choice for Korean food if you have kids.
- ๋ถ๊ณ ๊ธฐ (Bulgogi): Thinly sliced beef marinated in a sweet and savory sauce. Also a kiddo favorite.
- ๊ณฑ์ฐฝ (Gopchang): Small intestines, either pork or beef, often stir-fried with a strong flavor.
- ๋ง์ฐฝ (Makchang): This can either be the cow’s fourth intestine or the pig’s last intestine. Lean and juicy, usually pricier.
Fire Up The Grill
Once youโve made your selection, the staff will fire up the grill right at your table. Korean barbecue restaurants can have gas, charcoal, or portable stove grills that they bring to your table.
If the table itself doesn’t have a built in grill with gas that feeds into it, a waiter will bring over a large fiery coal that will be placed in the center of the table. Make sure to watch out and don’t wave your hands around while they’re doing this.
Want have a Korean barbecue at home?
Decide Who Holds The Tongs
If you’re in Korea, youโll likely be the one doing the grilling, though if the staff notice that you don’t know what you’re doing, they may also shuffle over to assist because no one wants their good meats going to waste.
While the majority of restaurants are cook-it-yourself, there are some restaurants that have staff always on-hand to cook for you. Just depends where you go. Either way, listen to that sizzle as the meat hits the grillโitโs like a soundtrack to a delicious meal.
How To Eat Korean Barbecue
Flip the meat to get that perfect char, and once itโs ready, youโll want to dive into the art of ssam, or the lettuce wrap. This involves wrapping your grilled meat in lettuce and perilla leaves (but called sesame leaves in Korea), adding a sauce, some side dishes and enjoying the bite.
Tip: When it comes to taking that bite, make sure you shove the whole thing in your mouth in one go. You’re not supposed to take bites of your wrap. It’s one-go or no-go.
Personally, my first bite is always just the meat on it’s own so I can taste the goodness. I like a good ssam, but the reason we go out is for the meat so I taste it first, in all its glory.
Ultimately, it all comes down to personal taste. My husband taught me that the best way to enjoy Korean food is simply to dive in and eat it. While there may be specific recommendations on how to enjoy a dish, the most important thing is to savor it in whatever way makes you happiest.
Common Dipping Sauces and Seasonings
Ssamjang
You’ll notice a red sauce on the table. This is ssamjang and it’s a sauce made from soybean paste, or doenjang, hot pepper paste, or gochujang, sugar, green onions, garlic, and toasted sesame seeds.
Sesame oil, Salt, Pepper
This savory option is my favorite as it lets the meat really shine through. Also an option is to just have salt without the sesame oil, my daughter’s favorite.
Side Dishes, Soups, and Steamed Eggs Oh My
Donโt forget about the side dishes, or banchan. These small plates add layers of flavor, from the tanginess of the onions to the spiciness of the kimchi. Each banchan is designed to complement the grilled meat, providing a refreshing contrast to the rich flavors of the barbecue.
Youโll often find that Koreans enjoy mixing and matching these side dishes with every bite, creating endless combinations of flavors and textures. Don’t be afraid to experiment with everything that’s on the table to find your favorite combination.
After The Meat, There’s More
After the meat is gone, you might think the end of the meal has come, but wait!, there is potentially more. Many restaurants will also have naengmyeon or bibimnaengmyeon on the menu. These are very refreshing cold noodle dishes that are the perfect crisp way to end a meat-heavy meal.
Combining julienned cucumbers, sliced Korean pear, radish, and a boiled egg or cold boiled beef, spicy mustard and vinegar make the broth quite tangy. Save a few pieces of meat from the grill to eat it in combination. It’s delicious!
Where To Eat Korean BBQ In Seoul
To be perfectly honest, you can have great Korean barbecue all over the city of Seoul. Our personal favorite is right in our neighborhood in Eunpyeong-gu. It’s a neighborhood favorite and always packed with locals. All of that to say, follow your nose if you want to eat barbecue in Seoul.
If you’re staying in downtown Seoul, head over to the popular Ikseon-dong district to find Gogi Street, or Meat Street. Suffice to say, there are a lot of places to dive into the Korean BBQ experience.
Yeonnam Seo Sikdang (์ฐ๋จ์์๋น)
Opened in 1953 just after the Korean War, donโt plan to sit if youโre heading to eat here. One of the oldest restaurants in Seoul, this is the spot for a unique Korean barbecue meal in Seoul.
Itโs an experience, but donโt expect a ton of sides. Since the table is a grill, you pretty much just get the meat and drinks. If you want something more, youโll have to bring it yourself.
- Address: 15 Yeonhuimat-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul (์์ธ์ ์๋๋ฌธ๊ตฌ ์ฐํฌ๋ง๋ก 15)*
- If youโve been before and thought it was in a different location, youโre right. It moved in 2022 so the address listed above where it is now established.
- Hours: Tuesday โ Sunday: 11:30am ~ 6:30pm
Mapo Jinjja Wonjo Choidaepo (๋งํฌ์ง์ง์์กฐ์ต๋ํฌ)
Opened in 1956, if you visit, be sure to walk around a bit. There are some great things to do in Gongdeok and a lot of people really overlook the area. If you like Korean bbq, youโll like what theyโve got on order; pork ribs, pig skin, and all the fixins.
- Address: 112-4 Mapo-daero, Mapo-gu, Seoul (์์ธ์ ๋งํฌ๊ตฌ ๋งํฌ๋๋ก 112-4)
- Hours: Every day: 11:00am ~ 11:00pm
Woorae-ok (์ฐ๋์ฅ)
Well-known for their Pyeongyang naengmyeon that even President Obama enjoyed, Woorae-ok opened in 1946 and is firstly a fantastic Korean BBQ restaurant. This place always has a line so get there early and just be prepared for a bit of a wait. Is it worth it though? Yes it is. Go hungry!
- Address: 62-29 Changgyeonggung-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul (์์ธ ์ค๊ตฌ ์ฐฝ๊ฒฝ๊ถ๋ก 62-29)
- Hours: Tuesday โ Sunday: 11:30am ~ 9:00pm
No matter where you go, youโll feel the energy of the placeโpeople chatting, drinks clinking, and the constant sizzle of meat on the grill. It’s an experience thatโs lively, dynamic, and quintessentially Korean.
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