Lamb and beef BBQ set for two after a Magongnaru walk: Nokji Magok

Lamb can be hit or miss because of its distinctive smell, but these days so many places grill lamb ribs properly!!!! I think I order lamb far more often than I used to, haha. Nokji, where I went this time, serves beef as well as lamb ribs, so it was especially good for a twosome who want to taste a variety of meats.

Nokji Magok Main Branch: location, parking and reservations

Nokji Magok Main Branch is on the first floor of Building B in Magok's Queens Park 9, and you can use the building's underground car park. It's close to Balsan Station too, a handy spot for meetups around Magok! I walked over from Magongnaru after a stroll (I had to drink beer, haha). It's also easy if you come by car. 🚗

The restaurant isn't very big, with bar-style seats and tables together in a cozy setting. The lighting is soft, so it feels less like just going for meat and more like a place for a date or an anniversary dinner. Since it's small, I recommend booking ahead. You can use Naver Reservation, Catch Table and so on.

We ordered the Wooyang set for two (beef and lamb), scallion-roe rice and Tsingtao beer 😝👍🏻

Nokji Magok menu: what lamb and beef are there?

The menu lets you order lamb and beef in plenty of variety. The lamb cuts are below, and the beef includes aged raw short rib, chuck flap tail, chuck flap and special marinated grill.

• Shoulder rack
• French rack
• Raw lamb loin
• Lamb rib meat

For two people there's also a beef-and-lamb set, so if you can't decide, ordering a set seems like a good idea 🤍

The banchan (side dishes) are tasty and clean too.

A beer while we wait~~

The first sip of beer is always the best 🍻🍻🍻

Does Nokji Magok grill the meat for you?

Yes, the staff grill the meat for you, watching how it's doing. That was one of my favorite things about Nokji, and it's the biggest reason my husband loves lamb ribs, hahaha. With lamb ribs, the doneness changes the texture and juiciness quite a lot, so it was nice that the staff grilled them just right and we only had to eat. 😊

Lamb in particular can turn tough if overcooked, but grilled to the right point it was tender and still juicy. The lamb smell was subtle and never strong enough to bother me, so it's worth a try both for lamb lovers and for people who don't eat lamb much.

If lamb ribs alone aren't enough, add beef

Another plus of Nokji is that you can have beef and lamb in one place. Eating only one meat can get a bit tiring, but going from beef to lamb let me enjoy it to the end. So for two people, I personally recommend the beef plus lamb combination. 👍

Nokji side dish: how much is the scallion-roe rice?

Nokji's scallion-roe rice (myeongran pa bap) is ₩6,000, and the salty pollock roe with the scent of scallion went well with the meat. My husband is someone who must have rice or a side with meat, so we ordered it too.

A piece of meat on top of the rice is a combo that never fails. 🤭 Based on the menu I could confirm, scallion-roe rice is ₩6,000, buckwheat cold noodles (memil naengmyeon-style makguksu) are ₩8,000 and beef market soup is ₩10,000.

Nokji lamb rib flavor, sauces and garnishes

The lamb ribs were golden outside and juicy inside, with a nutty flavor rising the more I chewed. Lamb ribs are best eaten hot, right? 🤍

They're good just dipped in salt, but Nokji has a variety of sauces and garnishes to go with the meat, so it was fun to try each bite with a different combination 😁😁 The lamb's flavor with something fresh or nutty made it less greasy even as I kept eating.

I added these mushrooms because they smelled and tasted so good! Nokji gives extra vegetables for free, FYI 😆💚

This mashed potato garnish is really good too!!!

Why I recommend Nokji as a Magok date-night BBQ

With staff grilling the meat and a clean dining room, Nokji Magok Main Branch felt less like a place you go just for lamb ribs and more like a BBQ place where you enjoy the atmosphere too. It was great for a dinner date with my husband. One bottle of corkage is free, which is another plus! 🍷 If you like wine or drinks, bring a bottle.

Even the last bite with sauce and minari (water dropwort) was delicious at Nokji, hahahahaha. We have to come again 😏

Verdict: is Nokji Magok Main Branch worth a visit?

If you're looking for a good lamb rib place in Magok, Nokji Magok Main Branch is worth a visit.

• Tender lamb ribs
• Meat grilled by the staff
• Beef and lamb together
• A variety of sauces and sides
• Clean, atmospheric restaurant
• Parking available
• 1 bottle free corkage

It should suit you especially if you want lamb ribs but something a bit more atmospheric than a casual lamb skewer joint. If you want a nice dinner with good lamb ribs around Magok or Balsan, I recommend Nokji Magok Main Branch! 🐑🥩🤍