Maetan-dong Korean BBQ with a weekday wait at 6pm: Sogogi Twist

I heard a beef restaurant had opened in the central shopping strip near Yeongtong District Office in Maetan-dong, so I went to check it out. I'd been to Sogogi Twist's Ingye-dong location before, but this time a new branch opened right near my place by Yeongtong District Office, so I gave it a try. This is Sogogi Twist Yeongtong District Office Branch, a beef restaurant near Yeongtong District Office.

Sogogi Twist Yeongtong District Office Branch: hours and parking

Sogogi Twist Yeongtong District Office Branch is open daily from 15:00 to 24:00. You can use the restaurant's basement parking, and if it's full, there's a parking lot at Yeongtong District Office just a 3-minute walk away.

Part of why Sogogi Twist has built such a good reputation is that you can get quality beef at a relatively reasonable price. With this Yeongtong branch joining the Ingye-dong one, it's now a lot easier to get good beef near Maetan-dong.

Why 6pm on a weekday already means reserved tables only

Sogogi Twist Yeongtong District Office Branch has plenty of tables with generous spacing, so there was no trouble at all eating comfortably.

I visited on a weekday at 6pm, and walking in, a lot of tables were already reserved. By the time we finished eating and left, there wasn't an empty seat left, and a wait had actually formed — that's how much of a go-to beef spot this is near Yeongtong District Office.

Sogogi Twist menu and the side dishes that come with it

They had everything from platters where you can try multiple cuts together, to à la carte options if you want to order just one specific cut, to full meal dishes.

The basic side dishes were also put together nicely, the kind that go well alongside grilled meat.

Kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), myeongi-namul (wild garlic leaves), pa-jeori (scallion salad), kimchi, and sauces all came out, which felt satisfying.

What's in the 1kg beef platter for 88,000 won

We ordered the beef platter for ₩88,000 (kkotsaeu-sal + salchi-sal + jebichuri). We went with the platter so we could try three cuts at once! With kkotsaeu-sal, salchi-sal, and jebichuri all together, it was a lot more fun comparing the cuts than just sticking to one.

The beef platter is 1kg for ₩88,000 — solid value for how filling it is.

Grilling the jebichuri (rectus abdominis) first

We started with jebichuri first! Rather than throwing everything on the grill at once, we grilled and tasted each cut one at a time.

We had a friend at our table who was really good at grilling, so I basically got to sit back and eat without lifting a finger.

Beef really does taste best when someone's grilling it for you.

At first we just tried the meat plain, and it was cooked well, nicely clean and light in flavor.

It's great dipped in salt, and it also goes well with pa-jeori — really, beef pairs with just about anything.

Kkotsaeu-sal and salchi-sal on the grill

After working through most of the jebichuri, it was time for salchi-sal and kkotsaeu-sal.

Kkotsaeu-sal went on the grill first — doesn't it look fresh just from looking at it?

Salchi-sal got grilled alongside it too.

The kkotsaeu-sal was grilled to just the right point and eaten one piece at a time. Tender texture, plenty of juice, nutty flavor — I couldn't stop eating it.

And finally, salchi-sal too~ Trying all three cuts, I think the platter really is the way to go if you want to enjoy a variety of cuts rather than sticking with just one.

Ending the meal with doenjang sulbap

Doenjang sulbap (soybean paste rice). After eating our fill of meat, we ordered doenjang sulbap as our meal dish.

Usually after BBQ I order doenjang-jjigae (soybean paste stew) with a bowl of rice on the side, but doenjang sulbap felt like a completely different thing.

There were plenty of hearty ingredients mixed in, making it a satisfying way to finish the meal after all that meat.

Is Sogogi Twist in Maetan-dong worth it?

Sogogi Twist Yeongtong District Office Branch, newly opened in the central shopping strip near Yeongtong District Office in Maetan-dong. There was a wait even on a weekday evening, so booking ahead is a good idea during dinner peak hours. If you're looking for a beef restaurant around Maetan-dong or Yeongtong District Office, this one's worth a visit. Sogogi Twist Yeongtong District Office Branch — a beef restaurant near Yeongtong District Office, Suwon!