Cheonan Terminal Korean BBQ and Earl Grey highball: Sampyeong Sikdang

I was trying to decide on dinner in Sinbu-dong, Cheonan, and ended up at Sampyeong Sikdang (삼평식당), which has a reputation as a great-value frozen pork belly spot. It's close to Cheonan Terminal, so the location is great, and the retro vibe makes it perfect for a date or a group dinner. Here's my honest review, from the signature dishes to the side dishes!!

Sampyeong Sikdang Cheonan Sinbu Branch opening hours and parking

Sampyeong Sikdang Cheonan Sinbu Branch opens at 3 PM on weekdays and 1 PM on weekends, and stays open until midnight, with last order at 11 PM. For parking, you use the nearby Sinbu No. 5 Public Parking Lot, which is paid.

• ⏰ Hours: Mon–Fri 15:00–24:00 / Sat–Sun 13:00–24:00 (last order 23:00)
• 🚘 Paid parking at Sinbu No. 5 Public Parking Lot
• 🚻 Restroom is outside
• 👫 Group seating available

What is the atmosphere like at Sampyeong Sikdang near Cheonan Terminal?

As a well-known restaurant near Cheonan Terminal, it was easy to find. From the entrance on, Sampyeong Sikdang in Sinbu-dong, Cheonan, gives off a strong old-school retro BBQ house feel!

There are all kinds of events and menu items written up!!

There are lots of clean, stylish BBQ places these days, but for grilled meat, I think it tastes better in a warm, nostalgic, retro setting like this. Don't you agree??

Inside, from the chairs to the interior, everything has a cozy retro feel. The dining room is also bigger than I expected, so it would be a perfect spot for a group dinner near Cheonan Terminal.

There are retro props in every corner, from a wall clock like the ones at grandma's house to an Lee Sun-hee LP record.

What is on the Sampyeong Sikdang menu, and which sides to order?

The meat menu is pork belly and pork neck. There are a huge number of sides, and at Sampyeong Sikdang the sides really aren't just sides, they're main-dish level cooking.

If you come with several people, the set menus look like the better deal.

If you come to Sampyeong Sikdang and don't eat the dirty egg custard (더티계란찜), that's honestly... such a shame... I'd tell you to come back and try it next time. They also grill minari (water dropwort) together with the meat, which is unusual and a real treat, and you can order extra if you want!!

There's also a menu item called Sampyeong Samhap (삼평삼합)!! It reportedly comes with octopus and shrimp, so it looks perfect as a drinking snack.

How does the Sampyeong Sikdang review event work?

They also run a review event: you can pick 1 item worth ❗️₩6,000❗️ from small steamed egg / perilla oil makguksu (cold buckwheat noodles) / Sampyeong naengmyeon (cold noodles) / doenjang stew / doenjang sul-bap!! Write a review and be sure to eat one. Sampyeong Sikdang is a side-dish paradise, haha 👍👍👍

Frozen pork belly for two: 3 servings, beer and an Earl Grey highball

When you order at Sampyeong Sikdang, they first set out a generous spread of banchan (side dishes). This silver tray adds to the retro feel too.

We started with the basic 3 servings of frozen pork belly (₩11,500 x 3), haha. After you order, they set out the side dishes first, then put the minari, kimchi and even garlic on the grill for you.

All set to grill!!

You can't have meat without drinks, so my boyfriend ordered 🍺beer (₩5,000) and I got the 🍹Earl Grey highball (₩7,500).

Do you grill the frozen pork belly yourself, and how does it taste?

At Sampyeong Sikdang, you grill the meat yourself! My boyfriend worked hard on the grilling 🙇🏻‍♀️ Still, since it's frozen pork belly, it cooks fast as soon as it hits the grill, so there's no waiting.

My boyfriend is also seriously good at grilling meat. See how great it looks?? Honestly, since it's frozen pork belly, once it's golden brown you can just gulp it down. And grilled together with that kimchi, the savory flavor doubled.

The frozen pork belly at Sampyeong Sikdang is thinly sliced, so the crispy texture and nutty flavor were so good. The clean, mild taste typical of frozen pork belly really comes through, so it was delicious with lettuce wraps and also with pajeori (scallion salad)!! My personal favorite was dipping the meat in the salt dip to eat it plain and original, then eating pajeori right after, haha.

Eaten together with minari like this, the aroma of the minari and the nuttiness of the meat made me want to keep eating. And with the grilled kimchi and garlic, the savory flavor doubles and it tastes even better.

How was the doenjang sul-bap from the review event?

Through the Naver review event at Sampyeong Sikdang, I also got to eat doenjang sul-bap (된장술밥, soybean paste rice, ₩5,900). I wanted to try the famous dirty egg custard too, but I felt like having rice, so I ordered the sul-bap.

It's like doenjang stew with rice mixed in, but the flavor is much richer than that!! The deep doenjang aroma and savory taste are perfect to finish the meal. After grilling pork belly, you need a doenjang stew like this, right? I highly recommend doenjang sul-bap as a side 👍👍👍

If you're looking for a great frozen pork belly spot or BBQ restaurant in Sinbu-dong, Cheonan, Sampyeong Sikdang is a very satisfying choice 🥩❤️ With its retro atmosphere and easy-on-the-wallet prices, it really let me enjoy the charm of frozen pork belly, and I'd love to visit again.