Bar-vibe Korean BBQ room in Jonggak: which cut to grill first, Yukrab

Yukrab Jongno, a Jonggak Station BBQ place known as a clean, atmospheric room-style restaurant, serves beef and lamb together, so I went to try the Yukrab set for 2.

Yukrab Jongno hours, location and parking

Yukrab Jongno is open daily from 16:00 to 23:00, with last order at 22:00. The address is 3F, 42 Ujeongguk-ro 2-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, and for parking you can use the nearby Gwancheol-dong public lot (₩300 per 5 minutes).

It's a 3-minute walk from Exit 4 of Jonggak Station, so it's easy to reach by public transport without a car.

It sits in the middle of Jongno's Youth Street (Jeolmeum-ui Georri), with plenty of bars around for a second round after the meat, so it seems handy for group meetups or company dinners too.

Yukrab Jongno is on the 3rd floor of the building, and an elevator makes the ride up easy.

What's the bar-like atmosphere at Yukrab Jongno like?

The inside has low lighting and a black interior, closer to a bar or dining space than a typical BBQ joint. There are several private rooms on the other side, handy when you want some privacy.

When I opened the door, the mood was quite different from the usual BBQ restaurant. Instead of that bright, bustling feel, it had a bar or dining-room vibe that made the meal feel more special.

Soft warm-toned lights shine on every table, which feels upscale and cozy. The tables are well spaced and there are partitions, so it was easy to focus on talking with my companion.

The private rooms are good for family meals, company dinners or gatherings where you want privacy.

Yukrab Jongno menu and drinks

Yukrab Jongno specializes in beef and lamb, and most people seem to order set menus. There are various sets: galbi set for 2, Yukrab set for 2, Chateau set for 2, value set for 3 and mixed set for 3.

Maybe because it's a classy room-style BBQ place, the drinks range from wine and distilled spirits that set the mood to easy ones like soju, beer and highballs. Right now, for Yukrab Jongno's 2nd anniversary, they're also running an event selling soju and beer for ₩3,000.

What comes in the Yukrab set for 2

The Yukrab set for 2 costs ₩67,000 and comes with 120g of jingalbisal (premium galbi meat), 230g of lamb chops, 120g of toshisal (beef skirt meat), 3 pieces of 10-second cheese and doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew). The lamb chops can be swapped for toshisal, and steamed rice (₩1,500) must be ordered separately.

We made a reservation in advance, and the table was all set up for our reservation time.

6 side dishes and 8 sauces at Yukrab Jongno

You get 6 side dishes: cucumber kimchi, jangajji (pickled vegetables), seasoned lettuce, bok choy namul, myeongi namul (wild garlic-leaf pickles) and cabbage salad. The sauces come in a shared sauce bowl and individual sauce plates.

• Shared sauce bowl: whole-grain mustard, wasabi, ssamjang (seasoned soybean paste), garlic sauce
• Individual sauce plate: salt, curry powder, cumin (zira), sriracha sauce

You can keep the individual sauce plate in front of you and dip freely.

I ordered the Yukrab set for 2 (₩67,000). It comes with 120g of jingalbisal, 230g of lamb chops, 120g of toshisal, 3 pieces of 10-second cheese and doenjang jjigae. Rice isn't included in the set, so I ordered it separately.

How does the doenjang stew in the Yukrab set taste?

The doenjang jjigae in the set wasn't heavy or thick and salty, but clear and clean-tasting. It was packed with tofu and vegetables that kept a nice crunch, and the broth was savory, good for sipping between bites of meat.

Which cut do you grill first in the Yukrab set?

The staff at Yukrab Jongno told us to grill in this order: jingalbisal → toshisal → lamb chops. On the set plate, jingalbisal is top left, toshisal is top right and lamb chops are at the bottom.

The staff lit the charcoal-style grill and left, and we grilled in the room by ourselves. Grilled meat tastes best when you cook it piece by piece rather than putting a lot on at once, so grilling it yourself lets you control your pace, which I liked.

Jingalbisal (beef rib meat): a light touch of salt

Jingalbisal is the top-grade cut among galbi meats, known for its marbling and tender texture. It was juicy and rich, and a light dip in salt let me taste its natural flavor best.

Jingalbisal is fatty, so if it gets a little greasy, eat it with jangajji and myeongi namul to reset your mouth. The jangajji at Yukrab Jongno is especially good, honestly.

Toshisal (hanger steak) with wasabi

Toshisal is a specialty cut that comes only in small amounts from one cow, with a fine grain and appealing chewy texture. It's close to the organs, so the deeper meaty flavor came through the more I chewed, and adding wasabi brought out its clean taste and flavor even more.

Lamb chops trimmed by staff, then dipped in cumin

At Yukrab Jongno, once the outside of the lamb chops is somewhat cooked, you can call a staff member to cut them into bite-size pieces. Meat on the bone is hard to cut yourself, so it was convenient that the staff trimmed it for us.

The lamb chops are attached along the bone, so they were juicy with an impressively tender texture. They had that lamb flavor without being overwhelming, and dipped in cumin, the spice aroma made them the most delicious way to eat them.

Final verdict on Yukrab Jongno

I went to Yukrab Jongno near Jonggak Station and had the Yukrab set for 2, with beef and lamb together. Grilling tasty meat in such a classy, comfortable atmosphere was really great. If you're looking for BBQ in Jonggak, definitely give it a try.