Blind-date Korean BBQ at Jonggak Station: 10-second cheese, Yukrab

What is Yukrab Jongno near Jonggak Station?

Yukrab Jongno is a BBQ place between Jonggak and Jongno 3-ga where you grill beef and lamb chops over charcoal. It was my partner's birthday and we decided on beef, so we headed here. (My partner is nicknamed "Urungi" — a little snail.)

I rarely get to eat beef except at company dinners, and with the weather getting hot, I figured it was a good excuse to treat ourselves! My office is close to Jonggak Station, so we've had lots of team dinners around here, and the BBQ places nearby are surprisingly not too pricey, with good quality. So I wanted to introduce Yukrab Jongno, where you can enjoy beef with great value.

• Location: 42 Ujeongguk-ro 2-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 3rd floor
• Hours: Mon–Sun 16:00–23:00, last order 22:00
• Parking: Gwancheol-dong public parking lot (paid)
• Groups welcome, reservations, Wi-Fi, separate men's/women's restrooms

How far is Yukrab Jongno from Jonggak Station?

Yukrab Jongno is a 5-minute walk from Exit 4 of Jonggak Station, so it's pretty close. BBQ places are usually on the ground floor, but oddly, this one is on the 3rd floor.

Take the elevator up to the 3rd floor and you'll find "Yukrab Meat Lab" (육랩 고기연구소).

As soon as you step inside, you see rows and rows of liquor straight ahead. The country-of-origin sign is right by the entrance too. The beef, their main item, is domestic hanwoo (Korean beef) and yuwoo (domestic dairy-breed beef), plus American and Australian beef, and all the lamb is from Australia. They say Australian and American wagyu is on par with hanwoo, with good value and flavor for the marbling.

Rooms or hall at Yukrab Jongno: which suits company dinners and blind dates?

Private rooms: less self-conscious for company dinners

Yukrab Jongno has separate rooms where you can dine in private. Company dinners get loud, and you worry about accidentally bothering the people around you, so a room means less stress. Maybe that's why, even though we went on a weekday, the rooms were full of office workers having team dinners.

The hall is on the opposite side from the rooms, and I liked that the two are clearly separated.

Hall: the best pick for 2 or 3 people

Just my personal opinion, but if you come as 2 or 3 people, I'd absolutely recommend the hall❗️ It's open, airy and has a hip feel. The atmosphere is classy too, so I'd recommend it as a Jonggak first-date spot⭐️

Since we'd reserved ahead, the side dishes and tableware were already set.

As a BBQ place should, it has as many as 7 dipping sauces, and 6 side dishes, each neat and tasty and a good match for beef.

What should two people order at Yukrab Jongno?

The menu has à la carte beef and lamb chops. If there are two of you, the 2-person set is definitely the better deal⭐️ Order it and doenjang stew (soybean paste stew) and 10-second cheese (3 pieces) come automatically.

I debated between the galbi set and the Yukrab set for two, and since I prefer toshisal (beef skirt-like cut) to marinated galbi, I went with the Yukrab set👍 It was hot out, so I wanted a cold draft beer, but Yukrab Jongno doesn't serve draft beer, which was a bummer 😭😭😭

Beer (5,500 won)

Leaving the draft beer disappointment behind, we ordered one bottle each of soju and beer. The glasses are smaller than regular beer glasses, so one glass goes quick, and since I don't drink much, I like small cups like this. A cold one-shot before the meat arrives🍺

What comes in the 2-person Yukrab set (67,000 won)?

The Yukrab set is made up of jingalbisal (prime beef rib meat), toshisal and lamb chops, arranged from the front as jingalbisal ➡️ toshisal ➡️ lamb chops, and that's also the order for grilling and eating. It arrived right on time ❤️

• Jingalbisal: Yukrab Jongno's signature item. It's the top part of the beef rib, so the meat is tender and the marbling blooms like a flower, which is why it's also called kkotgalbisal (flower rib meat), they say.
• Toshisal: A special cut from the inside of the beef rib. Close to the organs, it has a rich flavor, and it's low in fat, so it's known for a clean, mild taste, they say.
• Lamb chops: Young lamb under 12 months, aged with seasoning, so the meat is tender with little gamey smell, they say.

Do you grill the meat yourself at Yukrab Jongno?

At Yukrab Jongno, staff don't grill for you; guests grill it themselves. The charcoal arrived just in time, so we started grilling the beef in earnest.

On a first date, having staff grill beside you the whole time can make conversation a bit awkward, but grilling on our own was more comfortable, and we could chat softly while cooking. Besides, Urungi grills beef amazingly well.

Doenjang stew and a bowl of rice (1,500 won)

Doenjang stew is the thing you'd miss if it weren't there with BBQ! It's included in the Yukrab set, so no need to order separately.

We added one steamed rice (₩1,500), and I've never seen a place give this much rice.. Even after I scooped out a spoonful, it was a generous full bowl💛 Mixed into the spicy, deep-flavored doenjang stew, it's seriously delicious👍

How were the jingalbisal and the 10-second cheese?

We started with jingalbisal, one of Yukrab Jongno's signature items. Mushrooms, pineapple, sweet pumpkin, rice cake, zucchini, asparagus and more came along to grill with it.

For the 10-second cheese, you put it on the meat, wait 10 seconds for it to melt, then eat it together with the meat. I wish it were 4 pieces instead of 3 so we could share 2 each nicely.. 😭

Since it's flower rib meat, the jingalbisal is definitely tender and melts the moment it hits your mouth. It's nicely fatty, so it's best with salt or wasabi ❤️

Was the toshisal clean-tasting, with no blood smell?

Next up, toshisal🔥 It's a special cut from the inside of the beef rib, hard to eat on a normal day, and this time I got to try it properly at Yukrab Jongno.

The toshisal has less fat than the jingalbisal we had first, so its clean, mild taste is outstanding. And it was really good with cheese on top ❤️

Usually, the closer special cuts are to the cow's heart, the stronger the bloody smell, but the toshisal had none at all. I hear Yukrab owns and runs its own distribution company, and maybe that's why the meat quality control and value felt so solid.

Do the lamb chops at Yukrab Jongno taste gamey?

Finally, the lamb chops to finish⭐️ Yukrab Jongno says it uses only young lamb that went through an ethical slaughter process and has "halal certification."

Grill the lamb chops until golden on both sides, then call a staff member and they'll separate the bone from the meat for you.

They provide just the service you need without being overbearing, and I liked grilling piece by piece to my own preferred doneness.

With the lamb chops, I first cooked them only lightly, like beef, and there was no gamey or off smell at all; the texture was tender and chewy. Dipped in zira (cumin) and curry powder, it feels like eating foreign food, and with the soy sauce dip it's sweet and salty.

Who should go to Yukrab Jongno?

I enjoyed a pleasant meal in a comfortable atmosphere at Yukrab Jongno. If you're visiting Jonggak Station for an anniversary, a first date or a company dinner, it's a place worth recommending👍