If you want to try a hearty and authentic Korean meat dish in Korea, how about jjokgalbi grilled over an open flame?
The main dish at 'Daepodong Jjokgalbi' is jjokgalbi, which is grilled directly over charcoal. The meat is first partially cooked, then finished on the grill at your table, giving it a rich smoky flavor and keeping it juicy!
From the sizzling sound of the meat cooking on the grill, you can truly experience the unique atmosphere of a Korean restaurant.
Grilled dishes such as tteok (rice cakes), sweet potatoes, and pork skin are naturally served alongside jjokgalbi, making for a hearty and satisfying meal. Warm dishes like sundubu-jjigae (soft tofu stew) or gyeran-jjim (steamed eggs) are also served throughout the meal, allowing you to experience the flow of a traditional Korean dining experience.
The flavors are not overly spicy or intense, yet the distinct smoky aroma and rich taste of the meat come through clearly, making it a great choice even for foreigners new to Korean food to enjoy without hesitation.
If you want to experience the authentic atmosphere of a local barbecue restaurant during your trip, a table full of jjokgalbi like this will be a memorable choice!
From here on, Our editor will share each highlight of 'Daepodong jjokgalbi' based on their own visit and experience!
👇 Click below to see more! 👇
[Spot] Mokdong Restaurant | Daepodong Jjokgalbi Mokdong Omokgyo Branch
Daepodong Jjokgalbi | Why We Recommend It
- 'Daepodong Jjokgalbi' is a place where you can enjoy Korean barbecue culture centered around jjokgalbi grilled over charcoal, all in a casual setting. The meat is served partially grilled, so even if it's your first time visiting a Korean barbecue restaurant, you can enjoy it without any difficulty.
- There are two flavors to choose from: soy sauce and spicy, so even those who aren’t used to spicy food can pick according to their preference. The jjokgalbi, which has thick, meaty portions, is grilled directly over charcoal, giving it a naturally smoky aroma and rich flavor.
- This is a popular restaurant in the Mok-dong area that has consistently attracted many customers over a long period of time. It is frequently mentioned by locals as a go-to dining spot. As it is well-loved by local residents, foreign visitors can also trust and enjoy their meal here!
- Located about a 2-minute walk from Omokgyo Station exit, it is easily accessible by public transportation and is a great spot to stop by casually during your schedule.
- When you write a Creatrip review, you can receive Janchi-guksu (banquet noodles) worth ₩6,000 for free!
Daepodong Jjokgalbi | Benefits
Creatrip Benefits | When you write a Creatrip review, you will receive one Janchi-guksu (banquet noodles) for free. (1 per table) |
Daepodong Jjokgalbi | Our Visit
Today, we visited "Daepodong Jjokgalbi," famous for its charcoal-grilled jjokgalbi, near Omokgyo Station in Mok-dong.
It was just a 2-minute walk from Omokgyo Station, so it was easy to get to, and it had the vibe of a local restaurant with an authentic atmosphere, making it a great place to enjoy a unique meal during your trip.
This jjokgalbi restaurant is already famous in the neighborhood, always packed with people in the evening, so I couldn't help but go in with high expectations.
From the moment I saw them lighting the charcoal grill right at the entrance, I was really looking forward to today’s meal!
These days, many barbecue restaurants use gas or electric grills, but here, they still manage the charcoal themselves and cook over a real fire.
Even before entering the restaurant, I immediately got the feeling, "Ah, this place must have that real fire-grilled flavor."
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There was a storage space inside the chair where you could place your clothes and belongings.
It's easy for the smell of grilled meat to linger on your clothes, but since you can store your coat or bag inside like this, you can focus on your meal without any worries.
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There was also a guide on the wall explaining the best way to enjoy jjokgalbi.
Even without the staff explaining everything one by one, the instructions clearly show at a glance how to grill the pre-cooked meat and which side should be cooked first.
In particular, it was even more delicious thanks to the detailed tips you can really feel when eating, such as standing the bone side down and grilling briefly to keep the meat juicy, or grilling the pork skin from the inside to prevent it from splattering.
Disposable aprons were also provided so you could take them freely.
Since you have to eat the meat by tearing it off the bone, it’s easy to make a mess, but they provide disposable aprons so you can enjoy your meal without worrying about your clothes.
The spot that immediately caught our eye upon entering the restaurant was the "charcoal-grilled first-roasting area"!
This is a dedicated area where the staff pre-grill the meat over charcoal.
When you place an order, the food is pre-grilled here to infuse it with a smoky flavor before being brought to your table, so you can enjoy it perfectly cooked from the start.
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Watching them grill the pork ribs over charcoal, I could immediately tell how much care they put into the meat.
Since they slowly cook it over charcoal while constantly checking its condition, even the waiting time felt exciting.
After the initial grilling is done, the meat is cut into bite-sized pieces, so you can easily enjoy even the meat attached to the bone!
The subtle aroma of charcoal lingers, and the clean, pure flavor of the meat stands out, making this a dish you can enjoy comfortably from start to finish.
This is a typical Korean barbecue table with a grill placed in the center of the table.
As soon as you sit down, the charcoal grill is prepared right in front of you, so you can naturally experience Korean barbecue culture~!
Each table is equipped with a smoke ventilation system, so you can enjoy the unique atmosphere of a Korean BBQ restaurant while still staying comfortable.
If you open the drawer under the table, you'll find chopsticks, spoons, small plates, and napkins all neatly organized.
It was convenient because we could take out the utensils we needed right away and use them as needed.
A full set of Korean BBQ side dishes is served at once, including special sauce, onion salad, freshly made kimchi pickles, and soybean powder.
Rice cakes, sweet potatoes, and pork skin are also served together, so even before you start grilling the meat, the table already feels quite plentiful.
It's a table setup where you can enjoy not only meat but also the fun of grilling various other items together.
You can sense their attention to detail from the fact that the complimentary tea served is Yagwanmun-cha (Epimedium tea).
It's not a tea that's commonly served at barbecue restaurants even in Korea, so it naturally catches your eye.
Yagwanmun tea is known for warming the body and soothing the stomach after a meal!
It’s great to drink after eating fatty meat, so you can tell they’ve put thought into the entire meal, right down to the finish.
Gloves are provided as a standard so you can handle and enjoy the meat yourself according to the number of people in your group.
Since jjokgalbi is a dish you eat by holding the meat on the bone, this kind of setup is especially useful!
Since you wear an extra layer of plastic gloves inside, you can enjoy your meal without worrying about getting oil or sauce on your hands.
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First, put on the cotton gloves, then wear the plastic gloves over them.
The cotton gloves protect your hands from heat and oil, while the outer plastic gloves prevent the seasoning or meat juices from getting on your hands.
If you prepare it like this, you can easily pick up and enjoy meat that you would normally have to hold by the bone, like jjokgalbi!
Not long after we sat down, they brought over the charcoal and set up the charcoal grill for us.
Since the meat is grilled directly over charcoal instead of gas, you can really look forward to the smoky flavor infused into the meat.
Moreover, since the meat is first grilled over charcoal and then cooked again on the charcoal grill at your table, you can really taste the layers of smoky flavor!
After an initial grilling to lock in the flavor, everything is finished over charcoal!
It was "Daepodong Jjokgalbi," which makes the charm of charcoal-grilled meat even more apparent.
When you order meat, soft tofu stew and steamed eggs are served as part of the basic table setting.
If you order each item separately, it can be a bit pricey, but since you get two kinds of high-quality stew and steamed eggs included, the overall cost feels much more reasonable!
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The gyeran-jjim (steamed egg) is fluffy and soft, melting in your mouth as soon as you take a bite.
The seasoning is not too strong, so it pairs well with the meat without being overwhelming, and it helps refresh your palate between bites.
The sundubu-jjigae (soft tofu stew) is generously filled with seafood, giving the broth a spicy kick while keeping it clean and not heavy.
The soft tofu also broke apart smoothly, making it easy to eat by the spoonful, and it paired well as a side while grilling meat!
Janchi-guksu (banquet noodles) was honestly much more delicious than I expected.
The broth was clean yet rich in flavor, and the noodles didn’t get soggy, so I thought it was even tastier than most Janchi-guksu (banquet noodles) specialty restaurants.
While eating the meat, this dish was so good that it almost felt like the main course—it really elevated the atmosphere at the table!
If you write a Creatrip review, you’ll receive one complimentary item per table!
This is only available as a set menu, so you really shouldn’t miss out on it!
The Maepssak Pork Bulgogi Rice Ball is a dish topped generously with spicy stir-fried pork. With its ample amount of meat, you can really taste the hearty flavors with every spoonful.
The rice is mixed with seaweed flakes, and topped with flying fish roe, so with each bite, the spicy flavor of the meat is enhanced by the popping texture, making this a dish that's truly fun to eat.
The spiciness is about the level of Buldak Bokkeum Myeon (Korean fire noodles), but the seasoning isn’t overpowering and blends well with the flavor of the meat, so it’s easy to enjoy until the very end without feeling overwhelmed.
Our editor enjoys spicy food, so they especially enjoyed it in the middle of the meal!
A disposable vinyl glove is provided, making it easy to put on your hand and prepare your food right away.
Mix the rice, spicy stir-fried pork, seaweed flakes, and flying fish roe thoroughly and evenly.
After thoroughly mixing, shape the mixture into bite-sized, round portions before eating. By making and eating it this way, you can enjoy the spicy flavor of the pork and the savory taste of the meat all at once, making it even more delicious!
Our editor also ordered the savory pork skin (dwaeji-kkeopdegi) as an extra!
Marinated in Daepodong Jjokgalbi’s special sauce, it releases a savory aroma as it grills, and its chewy texture makes it fun to cut and eat.
In fact, even if you don't order extra, pork skin is included as a sample in the basic set!
The tasting portion that comes as a default is not quite enough, so we recommend ordering extra from the start.
If you order extra, you'll get two generous pieces of pork skin.
Our editor has always enjoyed pork skin and has tried it in many places, but the pork skin here was especially delicious.
The texture was exceptionally chewy yet not tough, and very tender, so I asked the owner about it. They explained that they boil the skin once, which removes any unpleasant odor and makes the texture much more refined!
Also, while most places usually use a mix of back and belly pork skin, at 'Daepodong Jjokgalbi', they use only the belly part, which is why it tasted even better.
Thanks to this attention to detail, the unique chewy yet tender texture of the pork skin really stood out, and I was glad I decided to add it.
Our editor learned directly from the owner—here’s how to enjoy pork skin even more deliciously ✨
First, pick up a piece of perfectly grilled pork skin, dip it lightly into the sweet and spicy "Daepodong Jjokgalbi" special sauce, and enjoy—the chewy texture combined with the seasoning makes even this basic combination satisfying.
Next, we recommend trying it rolled in soybean powder.
The savory flavor really comes alive, and the unique chewy texture of the skin becomes even more pronounced!
The flavors balance out the richness, so you can enjoy several pieces in a row without feeling overwhelmed.
Lastly, we recommend placing the Maepssak Spicy Pork Rice Ball on a piece of seaweed and eating it in one bite.
The spicy rice balls and savory pork skin come together perfectly, creating a well-balanced flavor!
Our editor’s tip✨ : If you sprinkle just a little more soybean powder on top here, it adds another layer of nuttiness and makes the flavor combination even more complete~!
The meat was served after the first round of grilling was finished~!
The marinated jjokgalbi uses a soy sauce-based seasoning, so the color isn’t too strong and it has a subtle sheen, giving it a clean and appetizing appearance from the very first glance.
Each piece has a generous amount of meat attached to the bone, making every slice substantial and satisfying. Served piled high on a plate, the portion looks plentiful, adding to the overall sense of satisfaction.
Since it’s already almost fully cooked when served, you just need to place it on the grill and cook the bone side for about one more minute before you can enjoy it right away!
It was also quite convenient that you don’t need to keep flipping or pay close attention while grilling—just relax and enjoy, letting the charcoal add its aroma.
Moreover, each piece of meat is scored, allowing the seasoning to soak in thoroughly, and the meat naturally separates, making it look much easier to eat.
When placed on the grill, each jjokgalbi had thick meat clinging to the bone, making it look hearty and generous right from the start.
Our editor immediately put on gloves and started tearing the meat off the bones, and since the meat came off cleanly, it was much easier to eat.
The outside has a subtle charcoal aroma, while the inside remains juicy and moist, so the more you chew, the richer the flavor of the meat becomes.
The subtle sweetness of the soy sauce marinade combined with the rich aroma of charcoal made every bite satisfying from the very first taste!
Our editor’s tip✨: Dipping the seasoned jjokgalbi into the onion salad sauce that comes as a default was really delicious!
We recommend trying this combination!
Next, the spicy jjokgalbi was served right away.
The glossy red marinade was evenly coated over the entire piece of meat, so just by looking at it on the plate, you could tell the seasoning had soaked in deeply. Each piece was thick and looked very appetizing.
The spiciness is just a bit hotter than Shin Ramyun, so if you enjoy spicy dishes, you'll find it quite satisfying.
The red seasoning was well absorbed between the pieces of meat, and when placed on the grill, a naturally spicy aroma rose up, making us really look forward to it!
Each piece of jjokgalbi had plenty of meat on the bone, so every bite filled my mouth, which I really enjoyed. The more I chewed, the more the flavor of the meat came through!
The level of spiciness is just right—not too overwhelming, but pleasantly spicy—so if you enjoy spicy food like Our editor, you’ll find this dish especially satisfying!
Rice cakes and sweet potato noodles are also provided as standard side dishes, so we grilled them together.
Once lightly browned on the grill, the rice cakes become pleasantly chewy, and the sweet potatoes develop a subtle sweetness, making them perfect to enjoy between bites of meat.
We especially recommend dipping the rice cake in soybean powder—it really brings out the nutty flavor, making for a simple yet highly satisfying combination.
The owner also recommended lightly grilling the Maepssak Jeyuk Jumeokbap (spicy pork rice balls) on the grill before eating.
As the outside gets slightly charred and infused with a smoky aroma, the spicy seasoning becomes even more pronounced, and the flavor is much richer than when eaten as is, making it a great way to enjoy it in a new way.
With the grill filled up like this, the table itself felt quite abundant.
You can enjoy jjokgalbi in two flavors—soy sauce and spicy—and grill tteok (rice cakes), sweet potato noodles, and even rice balls together, so it feels like you can enjoy a variety of dishes all on one grill!
As we enjoyed various dishes in between, the flow of the meal continued naturally without interruption, so there was never a dull moment throughout the entire dining experience.
You can't have delicious meat without some drinks, right?
The sweet highball paired well with jjokgalbi, and it was a good combination to sip between bites of meat.
The carbonation is not too strong and has a clean finish, so it refreshes your palate without overpowering the meat, complementing the flavors nicely.
With a wide variety of options like Earl Grey, yuzu, and maesil (plum), it was great to choose according to our preferences, and the highballs were also delicious!
Not only do they offer a variety of highballs, but there is also a wide selection of beer, soju, and soft drinks, making it a great place for both those who enjoy alcohol and those who prefer something lighter to find something that suits their taste!
Jjokgalbi has a lot of meat, so it’s easy for it to get stuck in your teeth while eating, but there are toothpicks and dental floss provided next to the counter, so you can clean up right after your meal.
You could tell they paid attention to even these details, which made the experience satisfying right up to the end.
After Our editor visited ‘Daepodong Jjokgalbi’ today, we understood why so many people seek it out.
With both soy sauce and spicy jjokgalbi as the main dishes, it was fun to grill various items on the hot plate, so there was never a dull moment during the meal. The sides, rice balls, and highballs paired naturally, making it a great choice for drinks as well.
You can really tell that great care has been taken with everything, from the initial grilling to the way it’s eaten, so if you like jjokgalbi, this is a must-visit.
If you're looking for a jjokgalbi restaurant where you can eat your fill and enjoy comfortably, Daepodong Jjokgalbi will be very satisfying!
Exit through Omokgyo Station Exit 2.
Exit and go straight ahead.
Keep going straight.
Go straight down this alley.
Turn right.
Arrived at 'Daepodong Jjokgalbi'!
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