Ansan pork belly restaurant with unlimited daytime soju: Cheongnyuok

Sundays are always the days I can't be bothered cooking. So when I heard there was a fresh, tasty meat restaurant near Bandalseom, I went to check it out.

Where is Cheongnyuok on Bandalseom, and is there parking?

Cheongnyuok

Cheongnyuok sits on Bandalseom, and parking is really convenient too. I especially liked that they cover parking free for up to 5 hours.

Cheongnyuok is on the ground floor, run as a butcher shop restaurant selling both hanwoo (Korean beef) and pork, plus a lunch special menu. It's a Bandalseom favorite, and on weekdays office workers nearby often come in for lunch meals.

By the way, Cheongnyuok also sells Chuseok (Korean harvest holiday) gift sets.

And looking at the prices, the hanwoo assorted platter is only ₩56,000. Being able to enjoy a variety of cuts for just ₩56,000 is a real draw. Since it's a butcher shop restaurant, the meat quality is guaranteed.

Unlimited soju at lunchtime: how the daytime drink deal works

By the way, Cheongnyuok is a favorite for Bandalseom company dinners and gatherings, and soju is provided unlimited too. The unlimited hours are during daytime. If you like drinking, keep in mind you can drink as much as you want here while eating.

Right at the entrance, you can see the meat properly aging like this. Meat really needs aging to taste truly good.

We visited during an early lunch slot. Even so, there were quite a lot of people. It seems the unlimited soju drew in a lot of groups too.

What we ordered at Cheongnyuok and what it cost

You can check the menu in the photo above; we ordered pork belly 400g (₩38,000), hanwoo doenjang jjigae with rice (₩6,000), and bibim naengmyeon (₩8,000). Even with all this, eating for just over ₩50,000 total was quite appealing.

By the way, Cheongnyuok has private rooms available, and they even have a clothes steamer inside. I've never seen a meat restaurant with a steamer before. That's how thoughtful this place is.

Charcoal grill and the side dishes

The grill uses charcoal. Using gas versus charcoal makes a world of difference. Meat definitely tastes better cooked over charcoal.

Looking at the side dishes, you can tell they're quite clean and simple. And they're made up of just the right tasty sides, so anyone can enjoy them without complaints. The mul kimchi (water kimchi) in particular was so refreshing I nearly drank it in one shot.

Pork belly 400g, bibim naengmyeon and hanwoo doenjang jjigae

The pork belly 400g arrived. It comes somewhat aged, and probably thanks to that, it was tender.

Then the bibim naengmyeon we ordered came out. It had just the right delicious taste. Rather than emphasizing spiciness, the tasty seasoning was the appeal.

This is the doenjang jjigae I ordered. It had plenty of hanwoo beef in it and was rich in flavor. It's the perfect lunch special dish.

The heat from the charcoal is really strong. Put the meat on and grill for about 5 minutes, and the pork belly is fully cooked.

First I tried a lettuce wrap. The meat had no gamy smell, and the savory fat was the real draw. Adding pickled chili peppers on top also cut through the richness nicely.

Next I tried wrapping the meat with bibim naengmyeon. This combo was also great. The noodles in the bibim naengmyeon are on the thick side, giving it good chew.

Since the meat is 400g, we didn't grill it all at once but in batches. These days a lot of places serve just 100-something grams per portion, but here at Cheongnyuok, the price is affordable while the taste is high-end.

We scraped up every last bit of the side dishes too.

Is Cheongnyuok worth it? One-line verdict

One-line review

Cheongnyuok is a Bandalseom favorite and also a good spot for company dinners near the Banwol Industrial Complex. It sells not just hanwoo but pork including pork belly, and even has a lunch special, making it a bustling favorite restaurant.

And during daytime hours, above all, the unlimited soju means drinkers can enjoy it here along with delicious meat. If you're looking for a pork belly and hanwoo spot among Bandalseom's Korean BBQ restaurants, I'd recommend Cheongnyuok.