Cheongju lamb skewer restaurant with curry flavor: Gukje Yangyukgwan

Today, I visited “Gukje Yangyukgwan” (국제양육관), where you can enjoy lamb skewers in a range of seasonings in Bokdae-dong, Cheongju!

Hours: Daily 17:00–02:00 Groups and reservations welcome

A retro lamb skewer restaurant in Bokdae-dong’s food alley

This is Gukje Yangyukgwan in Bokdae-dong’s food alley in Cheongju! Its retro sign had caught my eye for ages, so I had wanted to visit—and I finally made it 🙌🏻

The moment I walked in, it felt as though I had stepped into a Hong Kong movie from the ’80s or ’90s! Vintage Chinese-style posters and exotic ornaments created a cool, atmospheric feeling, almost like being at a local restaurant abroad ✨

Gukje Yangyukgwan menu and our order

The menu was neatly stocked with everything from their signature lamb skewers to premium fresh lamb ribs grilled on a wire rack, lamb spare ribs, and generous set menus! There was also a varied selection of upscale Chinese dishes, including guobaorou (sweet-and-sour fried pork), fried eggplant, yuringi (fried chicken with soy-citrus sauce), and mala xiang guo (dry pot with mala spices), plus plenty of meal options such as ttukbaegi mala tang (mala soup in an earthenware pot), corn noodles, and egg fried rice.

What I especially liked was that the lamb skewers came in five flavors: plain, original seasoning, mala, teriyaki, and curry ✨ We ordered 20 skewers in total—10 original-seasoned, 5 curry, and 5 plain—then added egg fried rice, too!

Gukje Yangyukgwan says it uses five-layer lamb skewers made by layering belly-rib and shoulder meat from lamb less than a year old! Since no chemical tenderizers are used, you can really taste the fresh, tender lamb itself without any gaminess 👏🏻

The complimentary sides included pickled onions to cut through the richness, crunchy zha cai (pickled mustard stem), and savory roasted peanuts! Each table had salt, crushed pepper, lamb-skewer seasoning, and cumin, so it was easy to make your own combination on the plate.

Grilling curry, original-seasoned, and plain lamb skewers over charcoal

Today’s star, the lamb skewers, arrived beautifully arranged! From left to right were the original seasoning, curry with its yellowish seasoning, and the light, fresh plain lamb skewers ✨

The skewers slowly turning golden over the hot charcoal on the automatic rotating grill were a work of art! 🔥 The charcoal aroma soaked right into the meat while the excess fat rendered away.

All three flavors had their own distinct appeal! The plain lamb skewers highlighted the meat’s savory juices, while the original seasoning had a wonderful umami richness. My number-one pick, without question, was the curry flavor: its subtle curry aroma paired unbelievably well with the lamb 👍🏻 Add crisp pickled onions, and they cut through the richness so nicely that you can enjoy every last bite!

The fluffy, separate grains of egg fried rice were wonderfully nutty and light, delicious even on their own. Topping it with a perfectly cooked piece of lamb skewer made for such a great combination 👏🏻

We rounded things out with golden grilled garlic and bouncy grilled sausage, enjoying everything properly until the end ✨ The nutty charcoal-grilled garlic and sausage, crisp outside and tender inside, really did their job as special extras!

Pineapple sherbet review event

✔️ Join the receipt review event and you will receive refreshing, icy pineapple sherbet on the house! I recommend making sure to get it as a palate-cleansing dessert after your lamb skewers 👏🏻

Gukje Yangyukgwan was a place where I could properly enjoy tender lamb skewers without any gaminess amid a hip, retro Hong Kong atmosphere! If you are looking for somewhere in Bokdae-dong to enjoy delicious lamb skewers with a pleasant drink, I definitely recommend visiting at least once ✨