The Best Barbecue in Seoul: 14 Must-Try Restaurants

Barbecue has prolonged been an integral section of Korean cuisine. Dishes like bulgogi day again centuries, while depictions exhibit noblemen gathering outdoors in the 18th century to grill meat in excess of an open up hearth whilst drinking and reciting poetry. Currently there is no scarcity of barbecue dining establishments in the place, specially Seoul — even though there’s loads of mediocre barbecue far too, so it’s good to know what to glance for.

Nearly any merchandise can take middle stage in Korean barbecue: Pork, beef, and hen are all normal, and organ meats are commonly popular as nicely. The most coveted are cuts of hanwoo, Korea’s beloved indigenous cow breed regarded for its flavorful, fatty marbling (there are about 120 words in the Korean dictionary to describe distinct beef elements, if you want to get specialized). Sourcing good substances is crucial while sometimes powerful marination can mask the flavor of inferior solutions, on the full, preparing for Korean barbecue is comparatively clear-cut, allowing pure high quality to demonstrate through. Mouthwatering dwelling-produced banchan is also a excellent indicator of a standout restaurant. So is siksa (basically “meal”), a carb-centered dish that could stand by itself as a food but functions even improved immediately after a spherical of barbecue, with common selections like naengmyeon (chilly noodles), fried rice, and kimchi jjigae, as properly as far more unconventional can take that new restaurants use to distinguish on their own.

Look at this guideline a starting point as you consume your way all over Seoul. The list incorporates some timeless classics combined with some hotshot newcomers everybody is talking about. No make any difference wherever you select, be prepared to wait in line, as most restaurants never get reservations. As lengthy as you come to a decision on the right cafe, the wait around is often worth it.

Matty Yangwoo Kim is a former Eater intern and a photographer of A Really Significant Cookbook. Exterior his working day position, he eats his way around Seoul, often documenting dining establishments and chefs as a result of the lens.

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Note: Eating places on this map are listed geographically.