Jayang Station Korean BBQ after a run: beer and pork skirt at Donstar

Where is Donstar Charcoal Grill? Hours, break time and parking

Donstar Charcoal Grill (돈스타 숯불구이) is at 8 Neungdong-ro 6-gil, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, on the 1st floor. It's open daily 11:30–22:00 and closed on Mondays. Break time is 2:40–4:40, and last order is 20:50.

• Private rooms can be reserved, perfect for a Han River date course!
• Corkage is free (wine and whiskey only; distilled soju and local makgeolli are not allowed)
• Parties of 5 can use one table
• Park in front of the restaurant! When the front is full, they ask you to kindly use the Han River public parking lot.

What's the atmosphere like at Donstar Charcoal Grill near Jayang Station?

Donstar is close to Jayang Station, so it was easy to pick as a meeting spot, and the place is spacious and tidy, so I was happy from the first impression. My husband and I recently went to eat good meat in Jayang-dong.

I had booked through Naver, so our seat was already assigned. I loved that too!! We could eat right at the time we expected!

Our neatly set table!

The interior was roomy and well kept, and the tables had plenty of space between them, so we could enjoy our meal comfortably! It felt right for family dinners, friend get-togethers and company dinners too. Haha. The ventilation seemed good as well, so the usual BBQ-restaurant smell didn't cling to us as much. Love that!

The seating layout works well for larger groups, so I thought it suited group gatherings too. Around us I saw lots of family gatherings and groups. I thought, I'd love to come with my in-laws sometime!

Seeing how tidy everything was, I thought it was great from a customer's point of view!

Donstar's signature pork skirt and the cuts we ordered

Donstar's signature menu is pork skirt (galmaegisal)! My husband and I ordered 3 servings: pork skirt, pork belly and pork neck!

All the meat is aged, so I figured the pork belly, pork neck and pork jowl would all be amazing too!

Doenjang stew and side dishes served with every order

Doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) comes as standard at Donstar, and honestly.. I really wanted to eat it with rice. It was so delicious I wanted to just scoop rice into it and dig in T_T

There was also a nice variety of basic side dishes to go with the meat, and when we asked for more, the staff kindly obliged, which made the meal even nicer. The service was attentive, so we spent the whole meal in a relaxed mood. When I wanted Cheongyang chili peppers, they brought them right away!

Of the side dishes, the scallion salad (pajeori) went best with the meat!!!

The meat arrived fresh, and I was happy with its color from the start. Grilled over charcoal, it picked up a subtle smoky flavor that tasted wonderful. Every bite was full of juice, and the texture of the meat itself was tender... (drool)

With the garlic seasonings, the tangy bean sprouts and the scallion salad, the meat just slid down so easily... heh. Is it just me, or do you also like places with good side dishes more and more as you get older... hehe

Post-run beer and Korean BBQ at Donstar

We were worn out from running, so at Donstar we downed a cold beer in one go first! I run just for this one glass of beer... haha. But for me, this reward is totally worth it!

Do the staff grill the meat for you at Donstar Charcoal Grill?

Yes, the staff pre-sear the meat and grill it for you. From the pork skirt to the pork belly and pork neck, they grilled everything into bite-size pieces, which was so convenient!

At last, the meat makes its entrance! It was tender, and when they grilled the mushrooms too, it was perfect!!!! The person who grills the meat for you = a good person... hehe

Gorgeous meat~ Even just from the GIF, doesn't the quality look great?

They grilled it so diligently and even set it up for easy eating~~~! Now I'm going to dig in properly!!!

Salt, garlic sauce, wasabi or meljeot: which dip suits the pork?

I started the pork belly with plain salt, the default. Really good meat tastes amazing with just salt, and this was exactly like that! Just the right amount of fat and lots of charcoal aroma, so juicy T_T

I also tried it with the garlic seasoning and with wasabi. I think meat can become a real dish or turn bland depending on what you eat it with!

I tried the meljeot (salted fermented anchovy dip) they gave us too, and unlike other places it was less salty, so I thought it went really well with the meat~~!

With a glass of beer, the plate was empty before we knew it, and the two of us wiped out 3 servings in no time!

Donstar Charcoal Grill review event: free noodles

If you do a review event at Donstar, they give you kimchi kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) or cold noodles as a free extra! Please make use of it if you go!!!

Lots of celebrities visit, they age the meat themselves, and I'm just amazed that such a high-quality BBQ place exists near Jayang Station... haha

Why Donstar is a Korean BBQ worth visiting near Jayang Station

Donstar was satisfying in taste, service and atmosphere, so I want to go back. My husband said his satisfaction was off the charts too!

If you're looking for good BBQ near Jayang Station or in Jayang-dong, I recommend giving Donstar a visit. Above all, the atmosphere is great, so I'd especially recommend it to anyone looking for a company dinner spot near Jayang Station! Next time I crave tasty charcoal BBQ, I'll be back!