Yangju galbi restaurant for two siblings: 11 side dishes, Manpo Garden

Manpo Garden (만포가든), a galbi spot in Yangju, serves pork galbi made with 100% real galbi and a homemade marinade, and when you order it you get 11 banchan including yukjeon and yukhoe, plus Hamheung-style naengmyeon for every person. Total bargain place··♥

What are parking and the atmosphere like at Manpo Garden?

Manpo Garden has large parking areas both in front of and behind the restaurant, so parking was easy even at weekend lunchtime.

The interior is spacious and clean, and with its full-height windows it didn't feel stuffy even with lots of people.

There are also group tables where many people can sit together, and plenty of families and groups were visiting. There's a separated, room-like space inside too, so it seems fine for gatherings or company dinners.

Manpo Garden reservations, menu and prices

You can book Manpo Garden through Naver, but not on the same day, so reserve at least one day ahead. I booked on Naver and got in with no wait! I thought the table was really big, and there turned out to be a reason it has to be···

Besides handmade pork galbi, there's pork belly, pork neck, gabrisal, hangjeongsal and 2-tier hanwoo sirloin from agricultural cooperatives! On weekdays from 11:00 to 15:00 there's also a lunch special, the handmade galbi set of pork galbi + doenjang jjigae + naengmyeon, and if you save the place on Naver and write a receipt review, you get ₩2,000 off.

• Ordered: 3 servings of handmade hanwoo-pork galbi
• 250g per serving, ₩19,000
• Mul naengmyeon: free
• Bibim naengmyeon: free

What are the 11 side dishes at Manpo Garden?

We only ordered meat, yet a whole 11 banchan came out! That's when I understood why the table has to be big.

Lettuce geotjeori (fresh-tossed salad) · yukjeon (beef pan-fried in egg batter) · yukhoe (beef tartare) · iceberg lettuce salad

Plus white kimchi · pickled garlic stems and gungchae radish · doraji(?) muchim (seasoned bellflower root) · potato salad · seasoned radish strips · cucumber-pepper doenjang muchim · pickled onion. You could get full on the banchan alone,, The seasoning was mostly not sweet and kept the natural flavors, fine-dining hanjeongsik (Korean set meal) quality!!

Manpo Garden is the first BBQ place I've been to where yukhoe and yukjeon come as basic banchan even though we didn't order beef··· The yukhoe was fresh and delicious, and the yukjeon was clean-tasting and sooo good (crying)! Extra yukhoe and yukjeon cost ₩5,000, and the other banchan are refillable!

How does Manpo Garden's handmade pork galbi taste?

Manpo Garden's handmade galbi is said to use only 100% real galbi with a homemade marinade. So this is what real galbi is···

Each rib is pretty big, so two pieces filled the grill. You know the golden rule for two people is 3 servings,,? Enjoy 2 servings with the banchan first, and eat the last serving with the naengmyeon!

Keep flipping so the marinade doesn't burn, and grill hard. My sister grilled it golden and appetizing. I'm in charge of eating it happily···!

Normally you worry about finished meat burning if you leave it at the edge of the grill, but Manpo Garden's grill has a spot for finished meat, which I liked! The gentle heat of the charcoal rises up, so the meat stayed warm and didn't go cold.

A subtle sweetness that doesn't stand out, moderately salty seasoning, and a tender texture··· From banchan to meat I was satisfied with everything, and I could see why Manpo Garden is a famous galbi place in Yangju. Lots of people there were families or groups on a weekend lunch.

Wrap it in lettuce with garlic and chili, or eat it with white kimchi, pickled onion, lettuce geotjeori and seasoned radish. With so many sides, you can try lots of combinations🖤

How do you order the free naengmyeon at Manpo Garden?

The naengmyeon that comes free, one per person, at Manpo Garden can be ordered on the tablet on the table, so you can order whenever you want.

To share with my sister, I ordered one bibim naengmyeon and one mul naengmyeon! The noodles arrived just as the galbi I'd saved for them was finishing on the grill. Perfect timing···♥

Manpo Garden's bibim naengmyeon has thin, non-chewy noodles that slurp down easily, and it's not spicy but pleasantly sweet, definitely not a store-bought sauce taste (crying). You could call it a Hamheung naengmyeon specialist's flavor.

Of course it's a perfect partner for the meat, and wrapping it together with the radish inside tasted even better. And the mul naengmyeon broth, how is it so refreshing..? With a little mustard it was an umami explosion★

Manpo Garden dessert: puffed-rice ice cream and self-serve iced coffee

The dessert time I'd been waiting for! At Manpo Garden you can make ppeongseukrim (puffed-rice ice cream sandwich) by putting cold ice cream between thick puffed-rice crackers. It was insanely good so I had it twice★★★ There are also ice cups ready so you can make your own iced coffee. Full marks for thoughtfulness···

Verdict: is Manpo Garden good for family meals and gatherings in Yangju?

Manpo Garden is a galbi restaurant that gives you high-quality, varied banchan like a Korean set-meal place, plus naengmyeon like a Hamheung naengmyeon specialist. The ppeongseukrim I had for dessert especially stuck with us: back home my sister kept saying, "That ppeongseukrim was so good,,," haha

If you're looking for a family meal, gathering or company dinner spot in Yangju, give Manpo Garden a visit. I left really satisfied overall and recommend it for real★★★★★