Korean BBQ private room for 12 in Gangnam, Seoul: Yuklab Gangnam

A great spot to eat beef and lamb with a group right by Gangnam Station! I went to Yuklab Gangnam. Besides the Gangnam location there are branches in Jongno and Yeouido, but Gangnam is apparently the flagship. It feels like they only opened branches in areas packed with office workers — makes sense since it's so well suited to company dinners and group gatherings.

Yuklab Gangnam

Where is Yuklab Gangnam, and what are the hours and parking?

Yuklab Gangnam is open daily from 16:00 to 23:00, and parking isn't available. It's located near Gangnam Station Exit 11, right above Yeokjeon Grandma Beer.

• ⏰ Hours: Daily 16:00–23:00
• 🚗 Parking: Not available
• 📍 Location: Near Gangnam Station Exit 11

It's right above Yeokjeon Grandma Beer near Gangnam Station Exit 11 — the kind of spot people in the know already know haha. Easy to find and easy to get back from. Naver Reservation is also available, so if you're coming with a group, booking ahead seems like a smart move.

The bar table with wine and whiskey corkage

I'd heard Yuklab Gangnam allows wine and whiskey corkage, and sure enough there's a bar table right by the entrance. Seems related to the fact that they also sell highballs and other drinks — I've never seen a Korean BBQ place sell alcohol this seriously haha. If you're into highballs and whiskey rather than just soju and beer, this will be a nice touch.

The private room for 12 and the window tables for four

Just to the left of the bar table is a separate group room that fits about 12 people. The day I visited, the room filled up pretty quickly — looked like a small work dinner from a nearby office. Yuklab could definitely work as a Gangnam BBQ restaurant with a private room!

We didn't need the room, so we sat in the main hall, where the windows gave a wide-open view that made the atmosphere feel a bit nicer.

There are plenty of four-top tables in the main hall too, so an early evening visit should be comfortable. The spacing between tables was generous, which was nice — it didn't feel noisy.

What comes in the 64,000 won rib set for two

We ordered Yuklab's 2-person rib set — 64,000 won. Apparently set menus at Yuklab are discounted compared to ordering items individually, and this one lets you try both jingalbisal, their signature cut, and the lamb that's on the sign out front. Felt like just the right combination.

The basic side dishes came out first — six side dishes total, plus four sauces to eat with the meat, and three more sauces on top of that. But it definitely feels like a place that focuses on the meat rather than the side dishes!

The doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) included in the set — a classic, familiar Korean BBQ-restaurant flavor haha. It would've been good with rice mixed in as doenjang-bap, but we filled up on meat alone and skipped ordering rice — worth trying if you want a heartier meal.

The ordered 2-person rib set arrives~ From left: lamb ribs, seasoned ribs, and jingalbisal (fine rib meat). They recommended grilling in the order jingalbisal > lamb ribs > seasoned ribs. Sides to grill alongside — potato, avocado, mushroom, cheongyang pepper, and cheese — also came out.

Charcoal grilling means serious heat

Yuklab isn't electric-grill BBQ — it's proper hot charcoal!!! That means great grilling flavor, but the charcoal heat is quite strong, so it's best not to load up the grill all at once — grill small amounts as you go. Since it's beef, it cooks fast, and otherwise you'll be too busy grilling to actually eat haha.

Jingalbisal, also called kkotgalbisal

Following the recommended order, they grilled the jingalbisal first for us. It's a top-grade rib cut with excellent marbling, also known as kkotgalbisal ("flower rib meat") — which somehow sounds a bit more familiar.

It cooks fast on that intense charcoal heat, so watch that it doesn't burn.

Beef is best eaten slightly rare, so I tried a piece plain first with no sauce — and thanks to the quality cut, it was tender and delicious!! It's been a while since I've had beef this well-marbled...

Lamb ribs with no gamey smell

Second was the lamb ribs! Yuklab uses young lamb under 12 months old, which apparently makes the meat tender with less of the gamey smell lamb can have. And honestly — there was zero gamey smell!!!

The texture was definitely tender, and maybe because there was no gamey smell, I actually preferred the lamb over the jingalbisal, even though the jingalbisal was great too haha.

Maybe because it's a touch richer and fattier — it's tasty on its own, but it's even better paired with the cheongyang peppers, or with cumin and curry powder on the side.

Smoke extraction that keeps the room comfortable

While grilling, I noticed the charcoal smoke gets pulled away right from the side of the grill, so the room never felt stuffy or smoky, and eating felt comfortable. That kind of environment matters for group dinners and gatherings — a really good point ★

Seasoned ribs: a surprising hit of garlic

Lastly, the seasoned ribs~ They're covered in a heavy garlic marinade, so I expected a strong garlic smell or taste, but it was totally different — a nice surprise!!!

As it grills, the marinade melts into the meat, and surprisingly there's no garlic taste at all — just a sweet flavor like classic seasoned pork ribs??? That familiar sweet marinade taste would probably be a hit with kids especially.

Cheese and vegetable samhap wraps, and the verdict on Yuklab Gangnam

I wasn't sure at first if the cheese was meant to go on the meat, but they placed it on the vegetables instead, so I ate it with the potato, zucchini, and mushroom — grilled together with the meat, it was uniquely delicious! The location right near Gangnam Station is a plus, and the quality of both the beef and lamb seemed solid, so this feels like a solid choice for a simple work dinner or group gathering~~