Yeoido pork jowl and beer before Han River Park: Smile Samgyeop

The weather's been so nice lately that I went to Han River Park in Yeoido~ Before heading over, I stopped by 'Smile Samgyeop' nearby and had pork belly with a beer! It's not just a place to grill meat plain — they grill kimchi and minari (water dropwort) together with the meat, so it tasted even better! Here's my review of 'Smile Samgyeop Main Branch'~

Smile Samgyeop hours and location in Yeoido

Smile Samgyeop Main Branch is on the 1st floor of 34 Gukjegeumyung-ro 8-gil, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, a 5-minute walk from Saetgang Station Exit 1. It's open Mon–Fri 12:00–02:00 and Sat–Sun 12:00–24:00, with reservations and takeout available.

• 📍 Location: 34 Gukjegeumyung-ro 8-gil, 1st floor, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul
• ⏰ Hours: Mon–Fri 12:00–02:00 / Sat, Sun 12:00–24:00
• ✅ Reservations available / Takeout available
• ✅ Pets allowed
• ✅ Free corkage
• ✅ Baby chairs ⭕

This Korean BBQ spot near Saetgang Station, 'Smile Samgyeop Main Branch,' sits right inside Yeoido's office district, so it's a great location for a team dinner or meal after work!

What's the inside of Smile Samgyeop Main Branch like?

Smile Samgyeop Main Branch has two floors. There are quite a lot of tables on both the 1st and 2nd floors, so it looked good for visiting with a group!

Since Yeoido has so many offices, the vibe felt just right for a work dinner or gathering!

There's also outdoor patio seating, so it'd be great to eat outside on a nice day!

Smile Samgyeop Main Branch menu and prices

At 'Smile Samgyeop,' a pork belly spot in Yeoido, they sell not just pork — pork belly, samgyeopsal, pork neck — but also Korean beef! On this visit, we ordered kimchi minari pork belly 17,000 won, pork jowl 20,000 won, rice 1,500 won, and beer 6,000 won.

• Kimchi minari pork belly ₩17,000
• Pork jowl ₩20,000
• Rice ₩1,500
• Beer ₩6,000

By the way, free corkage is available too, so if you want to bring your own drinks not sold in-store, I'd recommend this Korean BBQ spot near Yeouido Station, 'Smile Samgyeop'!

Basic side dishes plus a kimchi stew

At Smile Samgyeop Main Branch, once you order, they set the table with shredded scallions, lettuce, peppers, garlic, and other basic sides that go well with the meat!

And a kimchi stew (kimchi jjigae) comes along too — good to eat while grilling in between bites of pork belly! It's nice with rice before the meat arrives, and just as good for sipping the broth while drinking beer!

How is the kimchi minari pork belly served?

For Smile Samgyeop Main Branch's kimchi minari pork belly, they first put kimchi and pork belly on the grill, and just as the meat's nearly cooked, they pile on a heap of minari!

First I tried the pork belly on its own with a light dip in sesame oil salt, and it was chewy and savory — delicious!

Then eating it together with the minari, the fragrant minari and pork belly combo was such a great match!

I wrapped it up neatly in lettuce too~ Meat + kimchi + minari is honestly a combo that's hard to mess up!

We also ordered pork jowl

After the pork belly, we added an order of Smile Samgyeop Main Branch's pork jowl for 20,000 won! I love this cut for its distinctively chewy, savory texture~

It had a totally different feel from the kimchi minari pork belly, so I was glad we ordered both! If the pork belly is fun for pairing with kimchi and minari, the pork jowl was great for enjoying the meat's texture on its own! With beer alongside, it was the perfect after-work dinner!

Overall thoughts on Smile Samgyeop Main Branch in Yeoido

• ✔ A Yeoido Korean BBQ spot that's an easy walk from Saetgang Station
• ✔ 1st and 2nd floor seating makes it good for group dinners or gatherings
• ✔ The kimchi + minari + pork belly combo is the best

Grilling the meat with kimchi and minari together made for a great combo and a satisfying dinner! If you're in Yeoido looking for a place to have pork belly and a drink after work, or if you love minari pork belly, give Smile Samgyeop Main Branch a try!