Korean BBQ in Sinnonhyeon for a wedding invitation dinner: Deo Bareun

Why Deo Bareun in Sinnonhyeon for a wedding invitation dinner?

My wedding is in July, so lately every weekend and weekday evening is swallowed up by wedding invitation meetups. Picking the place is surprisingly stressful, you know? If it's too loud or cramped, you can't talk, but you also feel bad dragging people who gave up their precious time to somewhere that isn't good.

Then a group chat of fellow brides-to-be strongly recommended a place with really good meat, a pleasant atmosphere, and staff who grill everything for you from start to finish. That's right in front of Exit 3 of Sinnonhyeon Station: Deo Bareun Jeongyuk Sikdang Gangnam Sinnonhyeon Station Main Branch (더바른정육식당 강남신논현역본점).

Getting there from Sinnonhyeon Station, and parking

The restaurant is just a 2-minute walk from Exit 3 of Sinnonhyeon Station, which is a lifesaver for a car-less person like me. It's a great midpoint for friends who work near Gangnam Station as well as those coming after work from all over Seoul.

There is parking in front of the restaurant, but it's a very busy place, so I'd check before you go.

Blue Ribbon and Red Ribbon stickers, and celebrity autographs

Heading in, the first thing I noticed was the door covered in Blue Ribbon Survey stickers. A place that has won Blue Ribbons steadily for years, plus the "Red Ribbon" restaurant sticker from a Coca-Cola collaboration..! My trust shot up before I even ate!

The wall behind the counter is packed with celebrity autographs, which raised my expectations even more, and once I tasted the meat I could see why it keeps collecting certifications and customers. I couldn't help nodding along!

Is it comfortable for group dinners and gatherings?

Even early in the evening the place is full, but the tables are spaced widely so it wasn't noisy. Since it's popular, I arrived a little early in case of a wait, and even that early the tables around us were already full.

Even so, the tables aren't cramped and are laid out really spaciously, so despite the crowd it never felt packed or loud. I think that's this restaurant's real strength.

There are also separate rooms at the back for more privacy. The tables in front of and behind us were mostly Gangnam evening group dinners and office gatherings. I don't think it's easy to find a BBQ restaurant around Gangnam and Sinnonhyeon this clean, comfortable and well divided.

A rainy evening: ordering Jeju black pork belly and neck

Deo Bareun is a premium butcher-style restaurant (jeongyuk sikdang) where you can enjoy top-grade 1++ hanwoo (Korean beef) and fresh Jeju black pork at reasonable prices.

The menu covers recommended dishes, set menus, Jeju black pork and premium hanwoo.

It happened to be a drizzly evening, and my friends wanted chewy, rich pork belly grilled up juicy.

So we first ordered 2 servings of Jeju black pork belly (ogyeopsal) and 2 servings of pork neck (moksal).

The side dishes come out first, and they were the definition of neat and tidy! A perfect lineup to go with the meat.

Do the staff grill the meat for you?

Yes, at Deo Bareun the staff grill all the meat for you from start to finish. This was the best part of all!

They use premium charcoal to bring out the meat's natural flavor,

and since it's grilled with expert skill to lock in the juices, all you have to do is eat.

At a wedding invitation meetup I'm usually frazzled, talking and grilling at the same time, but here the staff handle it all, so I could focus entirely on the conversation. So convenient, and I was so grateful.

We ended up adding more pork belly

The chewy texture and flavor that Jeju black pork is known for was so wonderful that we ended up ordering more belly and ate until we were stuffed.

My friends all praised the quality and taste of the meat, so the money didn't feel wasted at all, and I was proud to have treated them to a hearty meal.

How do you reserve at Deo Bareun?

Deo Bareun is already a well-known Sinnonhyeon BBQ spot, so it's best to book ahead. Using the Catch Table app before you visit, or calling the restaurant to arrange a time, is convenient.

If you're planning an important gathering or group dinner like I was, I recommend reserving in advance. If you're looking for a no-fail BBQ restaurant or a clean place for a get-together near Sinnonhyeon, give Deo Bareun a visit!