Cheongju BBQ restaurant where staff grill whole pork: Anmin Yullyang

Hi, I'm Hami! My sister came to visit Cheongju after a long while, so all the women in our family went out to eat together! Rimi told me Anmin's Bongmyeong-dong branch is the best Korean BBQ place in Cheongju, and I'd always wanted to try it, so when I heard they'd opened a spot in Yullyang-dong, I had to check it out haha.

Where Anmin Yullyang is and first impressions

Anmin Yullyang sits in an alley just off the main commercial strip of the Yullyang 2-district. My mom said she thought it was an izakaya when it first opened, and I get why — the mood lighting and stone-house interior feel special, not like a typical Korean BBQ spot at all.

Hours, parking and how long is the wait?

Anmin serves raw pork cooked over charcoal. Hours are weekdays 16:30-23:00 and weekends 12:00-23:00, with a break time on weekends from 15:00-16:30. There's a public parking tower just a minute's walk away, so parking was easy too.

We visited on a Saturday evening and there was a wait, but you can check real-time waiting through the Tabling app and even join the queue remotely, so check before you go! We'd reserved ahead so we got seated right away.

Inside Anmin Yullyang and the private room

The inside was just as tasteful and upscale as the outside. Not a smoky BBQ joint at all — the space was clean and comfortable. I was glad I'd brought my mom along. It felt totally fine for a family gathering or even a date.

With the wood-tone interior and bamboo dotted around, it almost felt like being at a yakiniku place in Japan. The restaurant itself isn't loud or busy, with a reasonable number of tables and clear separation between them — a good spot to actually chat with your group while eating.

There were other guests inside so I couldn't get a photo, but there's also a separate room for private gatherings, sized to fit around 10 people.

Since we'd reserved, they had the table pre-set for us. I think I was their 4,846th guest or something...🙂

Side dishes and the sauce lineup

The basic table setting came out neat and tidy, with a good variety of side dishes to go with the meat.

Pine-flower salt, curry bean powder, cumin, shiitake wasabi, salted hairtail intestine sauce, fish soy sauce, cheese fondue, pickles, green onion kimchi, aged kimchi, yuzu ginger, pickled onion, and leafy greens for wrapping — the salted hairtail intestine sauce comes pre-boiled from the kitchen, so it's not fishy at all and has great depth of flavor right away. The cheese fondue sauce comes topped with breadcrumbs, which I'd never seen at a BBQ place before — such a fresh touch.

What we ordered at Anmin Yullyang

Every seat already had its own small plate, cup, wet wipes, and tissues, so we didn't have to keep calling the staff over. You order through the tablet on the table, and we went with whole pork neck, whole pork belly, and sundubu (soft tofu) stew! The kids' service, photo service, and birthday cocktail were all nice touches too, and corkage was free 🥂

The meat came out with mushrooms, tomato, asparagus, and a simple vegetable garnish. The color of the meat was vivid and it looked really fresh.

How the tableside grilling service works

The biggest reason I'd recommend Anmin as a Yullyang-dong BBQ spot is the grilling service — while the meat cooks, a staff member stays close to the grill, sort of marking their territory (haha), and delivers genuinely delicious charcoal-grilled meat ❤️ They also kindly explained the side dishes and the best way to eat everything.

Since it was whole pork neck and whole pork belly, they turned the meat evenly so nothing burned. Thanks to that, we could just relax and focus on eating.

There's a mini charcoal brazier set on the table separately, and once the meat is fully grilled they move it there, so you can keep eating it warm at a gentle temperature throughout the meal.

The meat comes out cooked to about 80%, so it's not tough at all and feels like the juices are still alive inside. If you want it more well-done, just ask.

Whole pork neck and belly: taste and best combos

As recommended, the first bite went into salt — even though the cut is thick, it's not dry at all, just juicy. The meat is good enough that it's delicious with just salt.

The combo I want to recommend is cheese fondue + shiitake wasabi — the nutty cheese fondue with the sharp kick of wasabi is the best... 🤍💚

The pork belly was thick and chewy too. They cut it into easy one-bite pieces, which made it easy to eat. I'd only ever tried cumin with lamb before, never with pork belly, but it actually goes surprisingly well.

There's so much to pair with, so try mixing and matching to find your own best combo haha.

Jar-style sundubu (soft tofu) stew

The jar-style sundubu (soft tofu) stew is packed with soft tofu and meat. It's spicy but not overwhelming, the kind of broth you keep spooning up. Since it's served in a jar, it stays hot the whole time.

Is Anmin Yullyang good for family meals and work dinners?

They even have mouthwash, so you can leave with fresh breath after the meal! I felt the owner's care the whole time we were there. Now that I've experienced quality meat in such a nice atmosphere at Anmin Yullyang, I finally get why Rimi recommended it so highly.

Most of all, at a BBQ place someone usually ends up sacrificing themselves at the grill, but here everyone gets to eat comfortably. Highly recommend — the meat never burns and it's just delicious to eat haha. Good for work dinners or family gatherings any time. The side dishes are varied and the sides are solid too. If you're looking for pork belly or a BBQ restaurant in Yullyang-dong, give this place a visit!