Lamb skewers and guobaorou in Gwangju: Sinbaegok Lamb Skewers

I went to Sinbaegok Lamb Skewers Taejeon Branch in Taejeon-dong, Gwangju, Gyeonggi on a weekend evening, and there was a wait!! I think I waited about 25 minutes—just under 30 minutes—with five parties ahead of me.

How long was the weekend-evening wait?

Sadly, I was just short of 30 minutes, so I did not get the Chinese soda, haha. Since they have an event(?) like that, even while waiting I was like, “Could I get a soda!?” The wait had turned into excitement, haha. Still, I was sad not to get it~ The waiting area was nicely set up, and more importantly, the food was worth waiting for, so highly, highly recommended!! I recommend reserving in advance on weekends.

A value set with lamb skewers and Chinese dishes

While waiting, we made a strategy: “Let’s decide on the menu in advance and order as soon as we get in!!” Haha. I’m a P, but in moments like this, I’m a J. At a lamb-skewer place, you always wonder whether to order only lamb skewers or go for guobaorou too, right? Haha. I always deliberate, then order it anyway.

This place has a couple value set that lets you have lamb skewers and dishes together, so we ordered that! It is ₩58,000 and includes original lamb skewers, seasoned lamb skewers, small guobaorou (Chinese sweet-and-sour pork), and Chinese-style cucumber salad. If you want to try a bit of everything or cannot be bothered to deliberate over the menu, go for the set~!!

Alternating original and seasoned lamb skewers

At last, the lamb skewers arrived. Since the original and seasoned ones came together, it was nice to alternate according to our preferences. More than anything, the joy of lamb skewers is watching the skewers rotate at the table, is it not?

We lined them up over the charcoal and waited as they turned and cooked on both sides. The seasoned skewers looked more intense from the start, while the original ones had that classic lamb-skewer feel, so I liked having both rather than just one kind. Dip them in spices if that is your preference.

Set guobaorou and Chinese-style cucumber salad

And then there was the small guobaorou included in the set. Even if you came for lamb skewers, you cannot resist guobaorou!! It arrived with plenty of sauce and shredded vegetables on top.

After continuously eating lamb skewers, picking up a piece of guobaorou in between was great because it completely changed things up. The black-vinegar guobaorou had a less vinegary flavor, one I think Koreans would like :) I am team black vinegar, while Gyeongmin is team original! Lamb skewers + guobaorou is, as expected, “so nice~~,” haha.

Personally, one thing that is great to have alongside meat dishes like this is tangy Chinese-style cucumber salad. The portion was more generous than expected; even after three of us ate plenty, there was some left! With crunchy cucumber and chili peppers, it was perfect for taking a bite between lamb skewers or guobaorou.

If you keep eating only meat, it can get a little tiring, but the cucumber salad resets your palate every now and then. I can see why it is included in the couple set. Since the cucumber is tangy (sour?), it could be polarizing, but for us it was two likes and one dislike! Still, everyone agreed that the cucumber resets a palate full of bold flavors!!

Adding Taiwanese sausage and egg fried rice

We also tried the special-flavor Taiwanese sausage as an extra. It costs ₩3,000.

It is an easy price point to add one alongside the lamb skewers, so it is worth ordering together if you are curious.

I love Taiwanese sausage so, so much—to the point that sausage is what I think of when I think of Taiwan!! Honestly!! It was not as moving as the sausages I had in Taiwan, but!! I still enjoyed it~

And because a meal feels incomplete without carbs, we added egg fried rice for ₩8,000. Going from lamb skewers → guobaorou → cucumber salad → fried rice makes for a pretty filling meal.

Overall, rather than having lamb skewers à la carte, the couple value set was a good option for anyone who wants several dishes together—original lamb skewers + seasoned lamb skewers + guobaorou + cucumber salad. Especially when visiting as a pair, it is convenient because you can try the signature dishes all at once without each choosing a separate menu item.

On weekdays and Saturdays, the restaurant is open until 1 a.m., so it seemed like a good spot for a late dinner or late-night lamb skewers. Sunday hours end at 22:00, though, and it is regularly closed on Mondays, so check before visiting!

Events, dessert, and parking

There were a little over 10 tables in the restaurant. I loved the bustling atmosphere :) There are all kinds of events, so give them a try! We got Chinese iced tea through the Karrot review event. It was an iced tea with a mild tea flavor? I liked it better than the iced tea I usually have in Korea, haha. Recommended!!

For the prize-draw event, ㅠ.ㅠ we got fifth place and received Kkoedori. A little disappointing, but I like Kkoedori...🤎 There was also a Starbucks coffee machine for dessert~ We were too full, so we passed on coffee!!

Be sure to validate parking before paying!! It is a great place that accepts Toss Pay, haha. These days, Face Pay is so convenient~ As we were paying and about to leave, I noticed they had ice cream too!! You want ice cream even when you are full, right~~

Then I turned around and saw old-school snacks too, haha. They are super sweet, but super delicious, right? Haha. I headed home happily with ice cream in one hand and snacks in the other.