Munjeong-dong Korean BBQ after a Jamsil ballgame: Minari Naengsam

My sister and I caught a baseball game at Jamsil Stadium and had a celebratory drink afterward, and it felt way too soon to just head home. So we stopped by a Korean BBQ restaurant near our neighborhood in Munjeong-dong — Minari Naengsam, which gives you all-you-can-eat minari (water celery)!

Minari Naengsam hours and parking in Munjeong-dong

• OPEN 15:00 / CLOSE 24:00
• Closed every Sunday
• Parking available – free for 2.5 hours inside the M-State building

This Munjeong-dong BBQ spot offers all-you-can-eat minari, and its frozen pork belly is a great value too.

It had been a while since my last visit to Minari Naengsam. They used to run an outdoor seating area too, but apparently that's not happening anymore. No worries though! They keep the restaurant doors fully open, which gives it that same open-air feel. Parking was also easy, with 2.5 hours free inside the building, and it's not far from Munjeong Station either, so it's pretty accessible.

A retro indoor pojangmacha atmosphere

This Munjeong-dong BBQ place has that indoor street-tent (pojangmacha) feel — hip but also seriously retro! I don't know why I love retro vibes so much these days haha. It just feels so familiar and comfortable that I find myself wanting to come back for meals here.

The prices are nice too, and here's the thing — order any meat and the minari is unlimited. The frozen pork belly is famous for being delicious, but the jaw cheek and pork jowl cut is also amazing, so I recommend it!

What we ordered at Minari Naengsam and what it cost

• Minari jaw cheek and pork jowl, 1 serving ₩13,900 x2
• Minari frozen pork belly, 1 serving ₩13,900
• Country-style cheonggukjang ₩5,900
• Rice ₩1,000
• Tteokbokki ₩17,900

The basic side dishes here are solid. They put grillable kimchi and minari right on the grill for you, and you also get gat-kimchi (mustard leaf kimchi), pa-kimchi (green onion kimchi), shredded green onion salad, lettuce wraps, and various sauces.

I mostly ordered my favorite, jaw cheek and pork jowl. Two servings of that plus one serving of frozen pork belly — three servings total turned out to be quite a lot! It was the perfect amount for two women. Last time we ordered the same and added sides, and it was plenty filling.

How thick is one serving of minari frozen pork belly?

The lean meat to fat ratio was just right, and the cut came noticeably thicker than the flower-cut frozen pork belly you see elsewhere.

Still, frozen pork belly is frozen pork belly! It cooks fast, so there's not much waiting around, which I really appreciate. You all know the drill with frozen pork belly, right? A sprinkle of pepper while it grills is what makes it taste right 👍🏻

Everyone's got their own preference, but personally I think frozen pork belly tastes best cooked until nicely browned! Minari on its own is fragrant enough to cut through the richness, but adding pa-kimchi on top makes it even better.

The country-style cheonggukjang I order every visit

I always order the country-style cheonggukjang whenever I come here — that earthy flavor... once you try it, you really can't forget it! The signature pungent smell of cheonggukjang isn't overpowering here, and it's nutty and rich, perfect mixed into rice! Highly recommend ✨

Why pork jowl and cheek beats the frozen pork belly

Next up is the jaw cheek and pork jowl, my favorite cut. It's the part where the cheek meat and jowl meat connect, and apparently you only get about 200g of it per pig...!

The more you chew it, the nuttier and chewier it gets, with a springy texture that's really appealing!! The juices burst out every time you bite in, so good. Personally, I'd recommend this cut over the frozen pork belly.

Finishing with tteokbokki and a victory drink

After finishing all the meat, we still wanted a little more, so we ordered tteokbokki too — spicy and salty, absolutely perfect with drinks!! Thanks to that, I properly enjoyed my celebratory drinks haha.

This is the kind of Munjeong-dong BBQ place that makes you want to come back again — the meat is fresh, and the basic side dishes are solid too! The minari is unlimited, and eating it with pa-kimchi is just so good. If you're looking for a great frozen pork belly spot near Munjeong Station, or just a good-value BBQ place, I'd recommend this one.