Gangnam Station beef grill with 7 sauces for jingalbisal: Yuklab

I was craving beef near Gangnam Station today, so I headed to Yuklab Gangnam. I'd heard you can enjoy top-tier meat quality here along with an upscale atmosphere. It's been a while since I had good, fresh beef, so I went in with high expectations. If you're looking for a great beef restaurant, I'd recommend this one.

How to get to Yuklab Gangnam, and where to park

Yuklab Gangnam is about a 5-minute walk from Exit 11 of Gangnam Station on Line 2/Sinbundang Line. It's open daily from 15:00 to 23:00, last order is at 22:00, and reservations are available.

I drove there myself, but given how packed Gangnam Station always is, I'd honestly recommend public transit over driving. There's no parking at the building itself, but there's a public lot — Yeoksam Culture Park No. 1 — right above the restaurant, so I used that. It's ₩300 per 5 minutes.

What does Yuklab Gangnam look like from the street?

Here's the exterior. It's located above Yeokjeon Halmaek, and the sign is decorated with a cute, boxy design.

Since it's on the second floor, I climbed the stairs inside the building. It says 'Yuklab Meat Research Institute' on the way up.

Partitioned tables: why Yuklab suits a Gangnam team dinner

Here's the interior. Right as you walk in, there's a long solo-dining-style table, and further inside there are group tables scattered around. Each area is divided by partitions, which made it feel private, almost like a room.

Sure enough, there were a lot of people there for work dinners or catching up with friends over beef and drinks after work. There are also tables without partitions, so it seems like it could easily handle larger groups too.

What's on the menu at Yuklab Gangnam?

Here's the menu. Fitting the trendy vibe, you can order via table-order tablets. On the beef side, they have jingalbisal (thick rib meat), seasoned beef short ribs, Korean beef two-piece tenderloin, sirloin, and toshisal (chuck flap), plus premium beef tongue. Since it's only available in limited quantities, it might be good to call ahead and reserve it. They also serve lamb, so you can order to your taste.

The seven sauces and the side dishes

Here are the basic side dishes: cabbage salad, jangajji (pickles), sautéed zucchini, napa cabbage kimchi, and myeongi namul (mountain garlic leaves). Yuklab offers as many as seven different sauces to pair with the beef. Even with the same cut of meat, it was great being able to try new combinations each time.

The sauces include pink salt, curry powder, lamb sauce, wasabi, whole grain mustard, and more. My picks were the whole grain mustard and pink salt. I think meat pairs best with salt, and that truly good meat should be tasted in its purest form.

Jingalbisal for two: how good is the beef?

Here's the jingalbisal for two. Can you see how good the quality of the beef looks? I can confidently say this is the best-quality beef I've had recently. It came with zucchini, asparagus, and eggplant to grill alongside the beef.

Here's the jingalbisal getting nicely browned. Even though the heat wasn't that strong, it cooked pretty quickly. Beef gets tough and loses flavor if overcooked, so I kept a close eye on it while grilling.

Still browning nicely here. The smell of grilling meat is just the best!

I ate a well-grilled piece of jingalbisal with various sauces and side dishes. With whole grain mustard, myeongi namul, curry powder, and wasabi, there were so many combinations to try, and the beef quality was so good that everything tasted great no matter what I paired it with. It was nicely marbled with plenty of juice — very satisfying.

Final verdict on Yuklab Gangnam

• A great place to enjoy quality meat near Gangnam Station — the freshness of the beef and the clean atmosphere left a strong impression.
• The samgyeopsal (pork belly) was juicy with a chewy texture that stayed true to the basics, and it paired well with the side dishes.
• The menu really highlights the natural flavor of the meat, making for a satisfying, no-fuss meal.
• The interior is clean and comfortable, making it a good option for meals with friends as well as work dinners or group gatherings.
• If you're looking for good samgyeopsal and beef near Gangnam Station, this is a Gangnam Station restaurant worth checking out.