Icheon Korean BBQ: pork ribs and pot rice at Neul Gogi Jip

From Yeoju to Icheon, dinner at Neul Gogi Jip Icheon Main Branch

After having a great time in Yeoju, we weren't quite ready to head home, so we went shopping at Icheon Outlet—and before we knew it, it was already getting dark. We were hungry, so we stopped by Neul Gogi Jip Icheon Main Branch for dinner. We'd visited before, and it was delicious again this time, so here begins another very satisfying meal post!!!

Neul Gogi Jip Icheon Main Branch is conveniently located near central Icheon and major roads, and its large parking lot out front makes it easy to visit without worrying about parking, even on weekends or during peak hours. That makes it excellent for family gatherings and company group dinners too!!

There are all kinds of seating options, from tables for four to large tables for groups, and the tables are spaced generously for easy movement. There are partitions too, so you can have a more private meal.

Neul Gogi Jip Icheon Main Branch menu and our order

The signature menu includes beef ribs, marinated beef ribs, marinated pork ribs, and pork neck. If you visit at lunch, you can have the ssam-bap set meal: choose marinated crab or spicy pork, then you get beef tendon doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew), wrap vegetables, side dishes, and sotbap (pot-cooked rice). Keep that in mind for a good-value lunch!

We ordered three portions of marinated pork ribs and pork neck, beef tendon soybean paste stew, and two pots of rice. We were actually going to order regular steamed rice, but it was sold out!!!

Salad bar and provisions for children

As you enter the center of the restaurant, the neatly maintained salad bar catches your eye. The fresh wrap-vegetable section is full of varied, healthy vegetables, including not only lettuce and perilla leaves but crisp cabbage and sweet cabbage. Spicy Cheongyang peppers, kimchi, garlic, and ssamjang (Korean dipping paste for wraps) are also set out neatly, so you can refill comfortably whenever you need to during the meal!

The water comes in new sealed bottles, so it feels hygienic!!!! High chairs, cutlery, and dishes are available too.

Side dishes laid out like a Korean set meal

We only ordered meat, so why did it feel like we'd come for a full Korean set meal? It wasn't just a spread padded out with lots of items—the clean, lightly seasoned selection felt as though each dish had been carefully prepared by hand. The seasoning wasn't overpowering, and the varied combinations cut through the richness of the meat, so we could enjoy every last bite without getting tired of it!!!!

The marinated raw crab was especially amazing!! My son really liked the sweet-and-sour fried tofu, and I absolutely loved the broccoli with black sesame sauce haha.

Nuruk-aged marinated pork ribs and pork neck

Ta-da, three portions of marinated pork ribs and pork neck. Rather than an artificial, intense sweetness, the meat was steeped through with the savory flavor and gentle sweetness characteristic of nuruk (Korean fermentation starter) aging.

A staff member grilled it for us, so we could just relax and wait~ Once it was browned over the charcoal, it was tender and full of juices, never dry! My mouth is watering!!!! The charcoal aroma coated the outside of the meat, and with every chew, that toasty flavor and meaty aroma swept through my mouth~~~~

It was delicious even in one bite with no sauce at all~

It was delicious with lettuce too, but the pickled onions—with crisp onions and shredded perilla leaves in a special soy sauce—cleanly cut through the rich, nutty fattiness of the meat. Those pickled onions were totally my style~~

Beef tendon soybean paste stew and pot-cooked rice

Beef tendon soybean paste stew! It was even tastier than last time!!!!!!!!!!! It had tofu, onion, chives, and tendon with a pleasantly chewy texture.

Koreans run on rice, don't we? The deep, savory broth drawn from the beef was wonderfully rich, and I mixed it into the rice and polished it off in no time~~

The regular rice was sold out, so we ordered the pot-cooked rice! Since it is cooked to order, the moment we opened the lid, a warm nutty rice aroma rose up and the grains glistened. We scooped the rice into bowls and ate it with the soybean paste stew, then poured hot water into the pot for sungnyung (scorched-rice tea) and had it with kimchi. Ordering the pot rice was definitely the right call!!!!

The dessert ice cream refreshed our rich, greasy mouths with something cool and sweet after the meat and meal. Such a thoughtful service that lets everyone, young and old, finish their meal out on a happy note!!!

Recommended for family gatherings and group dinners

I think Neul Gogi Jip Icheon Main Branch is a place for a hearty meal, with a large parking lot, an accessible location, neat Korean set-meal-style side dishes, and delicious ribs. Recommended for family gatherings and company group dinners!