Charcoal pork BBQ in Jeongwang-dong with crab doenjang stew: Samstar

What kind of place is Samstar Charcoal Grill?

Samstar Charcoal Grill (삼스타숯불구이) is a charcoal BBQ specialist in Jeongwang-dong, Siheung, with a reputation among people who know their grilled meat. I'd been craving deep charcoal flavor and proper pork belly, so I searched all the BBQ places around Jeongwang-dong and found it. The clean interior and the quality of the meat left our whole group very happy.

If you're looking for a Jeongwang-dong spot for a team dinner, a weekend family meal or a hearty get-together with friends, this is a place I really want to recommend. Let me walk you through what makes Samstar's thick, juicy meat so good!

Where is Samstar, and what about hours and parking?

Samstar Charcoal Grill is at 47 Jungsimsangga-ro, Unit 102, Siheung-si, Gyeonggi, South Korea. It's open Monday to Saturday 17:00–23:00 (last order 22:30) and closed every Sunday. If you drive, use the Sihwa parking lot behind the building and tell the staff when you pay to get 2 hours of free parking.

• Corkage allowed (free)
• Group seating available
• Takeout
• Wi-Fi
• Separate men's/women's restrooms
• Reservations
• Waiting area
• Baby chairs
• Pets allowed
• Wheelchair-accessible entrance
• Wheelchair-accessible seating
• Accessible parking space

It's in the Jungsimsangga commercial area of Jeongwang-dong, so it's easy to reach by public transport or on foot. If you drive, you don't have to worry about squeezing into tangled side streets, since the big Sihwa parking lot is right behind the building. Parking stress-free!

The group seating is well set up and reservations are possible, so if you're coming for a team dinner or gathering, I recommend calling ahead.

What are the interior and group seating like?

The inside of Samstar has a warm wood interior that feels clean and comfortable overall. I liked that the tables and the area around the self-serve bar were kept fresh, with no greasy buildup.

Even though it's a charcoal grill place, the ventilation works so well that there was no smoke or stale meat smell; the air stayed fresh and light. The seating is comfortable chair-style (not floor seating).

The group area holds a minimum of 8 and up to 120 people, so it's hard to beat for a Jeongwang-dong team dinner or a big gathering. On top of that there's free corkage, reservations, a comfortable waiting area, baby chairs, and pets are allowed, which all earn extra points from me.

The men's and women's restrooms are outside the restaurant but separate, and the entrance and seating are wheelchair accessible, so anyone can use the place comfortably.

What's in the Samstar Modeum Hansang, and how does it taste?

This time I ordered the Samstar Modeum Hansang (삼스타모듬한상), which you could call Samstar's signature set.

The set includes 500g of mixed pork, crab doenjang stew (soybean paste stew) and perilla oil buckwheat noodles, so it's a really generous, great-value spread.

First I put the meat on the heated grill, and thanks to the good charcoal, a subtle smoky aroma drifted up as it cooked. The first bite was packed with flavor, and the juices burst with every chew, which made it deeply satisfying. The quality definitely lives up to the title of a Jeongwang-dong BBQ place.

Is the crab doenjang stew salty?

The crab doenjang stew in the set had a very rich, deep broth, probably thanks to the crab. It was great to sip between bites of meat.

It's on the salty side, which actually cut the richness of the pork belly nicely, and it's the kind of rice-thief dish that makes you finish a whole bowl of rice.

The best dish: perilla oil buckwheat noodles

My personal favorite of this table was the perilla oil buckwheat noodles (들기름막국수).

The moment it hit the table, the nutty smell of perilla oil wafted out, and the pairing with fresh, fragrant perilla leaves was better than I imagined. Add the popping texture of sesame seeds and you get nuttiness and chew at once. I kept exclaiming over it and finished every last bit. If you visit, please try these noodles.

What's at the self-serve bar?

There's also a self-serve bar corner that's as neat and fresh as a locker room!

Feeling awkward about calling the staff over and over... Not at Samstar, no worries at all! On one side of the restaurant there's a tidy self-serve bar in a giant showcase fridge. It's not open-air but a fridge with sliding doors, so it looks hygienic and keeps everything cool.

Fresh wrap veggies like lettuce and chili peppers are a given, and it's generously stocked with scallion salad, napa cabbage kimchi, pickled mustard greens, pickled radish wraps, garlic and sauces. Side plates and sauce dishes are lined up by size at the bottom in perfect order, so it's easy to take just what you need. The Saero and Byeolbit Cheongha (soju brand) bottles decorating the top of the fridge also work as a nice interior touch.

And that's not all! The owner's thoughtfulness shows in a separate special self-serve zone. Scissors and tongs, essential for cutting meat, are stocked plentifully, and seasonings like roasted soybean powder and salt, which go with sesame oil to boost the nuttiness, sit in neat shakers. They even thoughtfully keep foil on hand for when you need it.

The side dishes are kept so clean and fresh that the meat tasted twice as good. Just take what you'll eat, no need to feel awkward, you know? 😉

Until when is the ₩2,500 soju and beer deal?

🔥An unmissable, record-breaking value event! When I visited, Samstar was running a wild promotion selling soju and Terra beer for just ₩2,500. I heard this tear-jerking deal runs only until June 5, so hurry over before it's too late and enjoy a cold one!

Verdict: is Samstar good for a Jeongwang-dong pork belly team dinner?

If you want properly grilled meat and well-made sides in Jeongwang-dong, Siheung, I wholeheartedly recommend Samstar Charcoal Grill. Beyond the meat with its gentle charcoal aroma, the Samstar Modeum Hansang is a perfect combination, with a rich stew and the burst-of-nuttiness perilla oil noodles. With 2 hours of free parking at the Sihwa lot behind the building, convenience gets full marks too.

Above all, the spacious, comfortable group area holds up to 120 people, so I don't think you'll find a better Jeongwang-dong spot for a team dinner or family gathering. It's easily one of the top names for pork belly in Jeongwang-dong, and I'm definitely coming back with my group soon!