Wedding invitation dinner at a Jongno 3-ga Korean BBQ: Meongseokjip

A Korean BBQ spot in Jongno 3-ga for an engagement dinner: Meongseokjip

I went to Meongseokjip, a BBQ restaurant in Ikseon-dong, Jongno 3-ga, for an engagement party dinner with my former coworkers. There's really nothing like Korean BBQ for that kind of gathering hahaha

Meongseokjip is a BBQ restaurant in Ikseon-dong, Jongno 3-ga, and it even has outdoor street seating (yajang), so it's super popular in this kind of weather haha

Getting to Meongseokjip and the weekday evening atmosphere

Meongseokjip is close to the station, just a 2–3 minute walk from Jongno 3-ga Station Exit 4. It's tucked in the Insadong alleyways so it feels a bit maze-like, but that's proof of how popular it is haha. I visited on a weekday evening and even the outdoor seating was completely packed!!

Meongseokjip waiting: pick 'no preference' to get in faster

You can register for the wait at Meongseokjip using the Catchtable machine outside the restaurant. There's outdoor seating, indoor seating, and a 'no preference' option too.

There were 17 teams waiting, so I figured we'd be waiting over 30 minutes… but when I selected 'no preference,' we got called in just 15 minutes!! If you want to eat quickly, I recommend choosing 'no preference.' The outdoor seats are popular so they can take a while ㅠㅠ

Does the indoor seating at Meongseokjip still feel like street BBQ?

The indoor seating at Meongseokjip doesn't feel cramped at all — you can still enjoy that street-BBQ vibe. The interior is lively overall, giving off that bustling yajang feel, and it's split into indoor and outdoor sections.

The ceiling has an open structure, so it doesn't feel stuffy, and looking up you can see the sky, which adds to that outdoor feeling haha. With its cozy hanok-reminiscent atmosphere, it's popular with tourists too.

It's not your typical BBQ restaurant vibe — you get to enjoy that alley-specific street-BBQ charm too. Overall it's a BBQ spot that blends hanok and old-school tavern feel with a street-BBQ atmosphere, and it felt really warm and nostalgic.

Meongseokjip's menu and basic side dishes

The Meongseokjip menu is posted right next to the table. There's a wide variety including pork belly, skirt meat, pork jowl, pork neck, beef short rib meat, and beef chuck flap, plus sets made up of the main dishes!! Beyond the meat, there are sides too — steamed egg, doenjang stew, and kimchi fried rice, so keep that in mind haha

The basic side dishes are napa cabbage kimchi, seasoned bean sprouts, garlic, ssamjang, lettuce and chili peppers. Served on the round table, the basic banchan (side dishes) felt rustic yet warm.

The Meongseokjip set at ₩55,000 and skirt meat at ₩18,000

• Meongseokjip set ₩55,000: pork belly x2 servings + flower pork neck x1 serving + grilling service
• Skirt meat (galmaegisal) ₩18,000 per serving

At Meongseokjip, the meat you order comes out in a jar. They put the pork belly and pork neck onto the well-heated grill for you. The pork belly is aged 80 hours, and the color really shows it.

Looks delicious, right haha. Meat is always tasty no matter when you eat it, but with the street-BBQ vibe and great atmosphere, grilling it was really fun.

Gotta cheers with soft drinks since we have work the next day!!

Look at that golden-brown grilled meat!!

One of my friends is great at grilling, so thanks to her I got to comfortably take photos haha

Let me cut up the well-cooked meat. From here on you need to keep flipping it so it doesn't burn!!

Flipping away busily with two pairs of tongs haha

How was the pork belly and pork neck at Meongseokjip?

The pork belly at Meongseokjip had a great ratio of lean meat to fat. Thanks to its just-right thickness, the juices really came through!! Dipped in ssamjang or wrapped with grilled kimchi, it's absolutely delicious haha

The pork neck at Meongseokjip was as tender as steak. My friends took a bite and gave it a thumbs up, saying it was so juicy 👍

Once you've eaten a fair bit, it's time for a wrap haha. Meat with garlic and ssamjang on top, yum. Writing this is making me crave it again ㅠㅠ

The pork jowl meat we ordered out of curiosity

We ordered the pork jowl meat (gabrisal) at Meongseokjip out of curiosity, and it had a clean, slightly chewy texture that we liked.

Pork jowl meat has a stronger meaty aroma compared to other cuts, so it's a cut that people either love or don't. If you're craving something savory with texture, I recommend giving it a try.

We debated between pork belly, pork neck, and pork jowl meat for our next order, and went with pork neck. Look at that color!! There's no way it wouldn't be delicious haha

Grilled it up nicely and it disappeared in no time lol

Is the kimchi fried rice a must-order at Meongseokjip?

There's a menu item you absolutely must order at Meongseokjip — the kimchi fried rice!! It comes topped with seaweed flakes and an egg, and there's a reason every other table orders it without fail.

Well-fried rice, a soft moist fried egg, and salty seaweed flakes — it's perfect haha. It finishes the meal off with carbs and it's so satisfying haha. My friends and I scraped the pot clean. You have to try the kimchi fried rice, no question!!

Looking for a street-BBQ restaurant in Ikseon-dong, Jongno 3-ga? Try Meongseokjip

If you're looking for a Korean BBQ restaurant with street-BBQ vibes in Ikseon-dong, Jongno 3-ga, I recommend Meongseokjip. The atmosphere was great and the meat quality was too, so next time — outdoor seating, here I come!!

• Hours: Daily 12:00 PM – 11:55 PM
• Parking: None