Cheonan Korean BBQ with ribs grilled for you: Suamgol Jjokgalbi Maeul

A new jjokgalbi restaurant near Lotte Mart in Cheonan's Seongjeong-dong

Found a new jjokgalbi (short pork rib) place near Lotte Mart in Seongjeong-dong, Cheonan!! 'Suamgol Jjokgalbi Maeul'

I'd passed by it a lot since it opened near Lotte Mart, and it always seemed packed in the evenings, so I wanted to try it. Finally made it there on a weekend!!

Inside Suamgol Jjokgalbi Maeul and its terrace

The inside of Suamgol Jjokgalbi Maeul Cheonan Seongjeong Branch was bigger than I expected, and there were tables on the terrace too. Once the weather cools down and they open up the terrace a bit, I bet the vibe would be amazing hahahahahahaha

The pork ribs arrive already grilled, 15 minutes after ordering

Just so you know, when you order the jjokgalbi it takes 15 minutes to grill, so it's ready to eat the moment it arrives. If you hate waiting, order generously up front, or place your next order while you're still eating!

By the way, since the jjokgalbi is aged before grilling, the meat is incredibly soft. Seriously so tender, not chewy at all, which I loved.

Can you order two flavors half and half?

There are so many sauce options for the jjokgalbi that it's perfect for picking and choosing! Since you can order one serving at a time, you can split it half-and-half between flavors. We went with garlic jjokgalbi and spicy jjokgalbi, but I really want to try the jjolan (cumin-spiced) flavor too — next time I'll get the jjolan and the plain salt one hahahahahahahaha

Kiosk ordering at the table, and the side menu

You order through the kiosk at each table. Besides the jjokgalbi, there are lots of sides too — doenjang sulbap (soybean paste rice), lunchbox, rice balls, extra cheese — perfect for picking whatever you like. We'd already eaten something before coming, so unfortunately we only ordered steamed egg and the jjokgalbi.

Basic side dishes and the self-serve bar

A variety of side dishes to eat with the jjokgalbi come standard, and they were all delicious.

For anything more, you can freely help yourself at the self-serve bar!! I personally went back for a ton of pickled onions hahahahahahahaha

The sundubu jjigae that comes free with every order

Before the jjokgalbi arrived, a basic sundubu jjigae (soft tofu stew) came out. This sundubu jjigae was really spicy and tasty. Ah... if I hadn't been driving, I would've cracked open a soju right there.

How spicy is the spicy jjokgalbi? About Shin Ramyun level

After about 10-15 minutes, the jjokgalbi arrived. FYI, they said the spicy jjokgalbi's heat level is about the same as Shin Ramyun!! I didn't find it spicy at all, more like a sweet-spicy balance, but my mom said it wasn't spicy at first and then gradually started sweating hahahahahahahahahaha

Whoa... the visuals alone were amazing. And being able to eat right away without waiting was so nice.

The grill plate is only for keeping the ribs warm

They put the already-grilled jjokgalbi back on the grill plate and turn on the heat, which warms the plate up and keeps everything warm. So from start to finish you can eat it hot!! And that includes keeping the sundubu jjigae warm too.

And steamed egg is a must-order. When you're eating jjokgalbi, you have to press it down with some steamed egg — it's just common sense.

Garlic jjokgalbi vs spicy jjokgalbi: how they taste

Seriously, you have no idea how tender the meat is.... please try it. The meat is genuinely so soft and delicate, it's ridiculous. It just crumbles apart in your mouth.

Seriously perfect as a drinking snack. FYI, the garlic jjokgalbi has a seasoning like garlic fried chicken so you can eat it lightly, while the spicy jjokgalbi is sweet-and-spicy so it's tasty without being overwhelming! I kind of wish it were spicier, but I guess then other people couldn't handle it... haha. Anyway I was really curious about the jjolan flavor too but I was way too full, so that's it for today.

Still searching for the best way to eat it happily. If you're craving jjokgalbi, give Suamgol Jjokgalbi a try!!