Uijeongbu Korean BBQ with unlimited doenjang jjigae: Hanmaeum Butcher

With the weather so nice lately, my husband and I have been going out on little food dates, and this time we hit up a Korean BBQ spot in Uijeongbu. It's known for having a playroom and private rooms, so I was curious — and once I got there, I totally got why everyone raves about it. Here's the rundown.

Where is Hanmaeum Butcher Uijeongbu Gosan District, and what are the hours and parking?

Hanmaeum Butcher Restaurant Uijeongbu Gosan District Branch is on the 3rd floor of Poly Plaza 1, 20 Seseok-ro, 3rd Floor, Units 301–303, Uijeongbu-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, right in front of the rear gate of Daegwang Rosebian in Gosan-dong. It's open Sat–Sun 12:00–23:00 and Mon–Fri 16:00–23:00, with last order at 22:00.

• Address: 20 Seseok-ro, 3rd Floor, Units 301–303, Uijeongbu-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea (Poly Plaza 1, 3rd floor, in front of the rear gate of Daegwang Rosebian, Gosan-dong)
• Hours: Sun–Sat 12:00–23:00 (last order 22:00) / Mon–Fri 16:00–23:00 (last order 22:00)
• Parking: Building parking available, free for up to 3 hours

We visited on a Sunday afternoon and there was plenty of parking, so we pulled right in with no wait.

Inside Hanmaeum Butcher — right outside the 3rd-floor elevator

It's on the 3rd floor of Poly Plaza 1, near the rear gate of Daegwang Rosebian in Gosan-dong, so first-timers should keep an eye out for the sign as they head up. As soon as the elevator doors open on the 3rd floor, you're right at the entrance.

The interior was much more spacious than I expected — the tables have generous spacing, so it never felt cramped and we could sit comfortably.

Menu and prices: sets up 1,000 won, 180g à la carte unchanged

You can order pork as a full or half set, or à la carte in 180g portions, so it's easy to adjust to your group size and appetite. There were tons of side dishes too, but what really stood out was the dedicated kids' menu — kids' jjajang rice, kids' seaweed soup, even a Pororo drink. You can tell they thought about families with kids.

They also had grilled cheese (₩4,500). If we hadn't already been so full, I would've added it, haha... but we were stuffed, so we passed.

For reference, Naver Place lists the aged-pork full portion at ₩66,000 and the half portion at ₩38,000, but when we visited, the set prices were each ₩1,000 higher. That said, the 180g à la carte prices hadn't gone up, so if you're ordering a set, keep that in mind.

Aged pork half portion, 500g — four cuts on one plate

We ordered the aged pork half portion. It's made up of samgyeopsal, ogyeopsal-mokssal, hangjeongsal and gabrisal — 500g total — so the great thing was getting to try a variety of cuts on one plate.

The meat had a fresh color even just looking at it, and there was no off smell or residue rising off the grill as it cooked — you could tell it was fresh. Every cut, whether samgyeopsal, hangjeongsal or gabrisal, was delicious, which was honestly the most satisfying part.

Playroom and kids' zone at Hanmaeum Butcher, watchable on CCTV

We came without our kid this time, but looking around, the playroom facilities were really well done. If you have a child, this is a very convenient restaurant with a playroom. Plus, there's a CCTV screen outside so parents can check on the playroom in real time while the kids play — meaning you can actually focus on your meal at the table.

If you're a parent looking for a restaurant with a playroom in Uijeongbu, this is definitely worth noting.

Three private rooms — 8 seats each for group dinners

Hanmaeum Butcher Restaurant Uijeongbu Gosan District Branch has a total of three private rooms. Each one seats 8, so rather than the two of us, they're clearly better suited to larger groups coming for a company dinner or gathering.

The rooms are well set up for a private meal, and the atmosphere let us chat freely without worrying about neighboring tables. If you're looking for a restaurant with private rooms in Uijeongbu for a group dinner or gathering, it's worth reserving one of these.

Side dishes and the self-serve bar

The included side dishes were plentiful too — acorn jelly salad, stir-fried fish cake, seasoned lettuce, seasoned scallions, pickled radish, pickled cucumber, all nicely done. At the self-serve bar you could grab more kimchi, peppers, perilla leaves and lettuce wraps, so there was never a shortage.

Unlimited doenjang jjigae on a burner at every table

The most unusual thing about this place was that every table has its own separate burner just for the doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew). Separate from the grill, it keeps simmering away, so there's no worry about the soup going cold.

And best of all, the doenjang jjigae is all-you-can-eat! We asked the staff for a refill and they topped it right up — we ended up refilling once more and left completely full.

Finishing with bibim naengmyeon (cold spicy noodles)

After the meat, we wrapped up with bibim naengmyeon (spicy cold noodles). They gave us broth on the side, so we could cool off between spicy bites — a nice touch, and the flavor was clean and satisfying.

Final verdict: who Hanmaeum Butcher Uijeongbu suits

We came as a couple this time, but looking around, this is clearly a great Korean BBQ spot in Uijeongbu for coming with kids. With both a playroom and private rooms, it works for family meals with children, cozy dinners between adults like us, and group gatherings or company dinners alike.

It's also pet-friendly, apparently, so if you're looking for a place to eat out with your dog in Uijeongbu, this is worth checking out too. If you're deciding where to eat in Uijeongbu or Sangok-dong, give Hanmaeum Butcher Restaurant Uijeongbu Gosan District Branch a try!