Hapjeong Korean BBQ before the dinner wait, grilled mushrooms: Ijjok

Where is Ijjok Kimchi Samgyeopsal near Hapjeong Station?

Ijjok Kimchi Samgyeopsal is a staff-grilled Korean BBQ restaurant at 20 Dokmak-ro 3-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul (basement level), 200m from Exit 3 of Hapjeong Station. Hours are 11:30–23:00, with a break time from 15:00–17:00, and it's closed every Sunday.

A staff-grilled Korean BBQ spot known for kimchi pork belly and fried rice

I came here for a Hapjeong get-together after hearing it's a great staff-grilled kimchi samgyeopsal place. It's only 200m from Hapjeong Station Exit 3, making it a perfect meeting spot — lots of restaurants and foot traffic nearby, so apparently there can be a wait at dinnertime.

₩16,000 per serving for pork belly or pork neck in pricey Hapjeong, and that includes kimchi and veggies — feels like good value. There's a standing signboard out front, so even foreign visitors could walk in just by seeing the photos. Customers kept streaming in while we ate, which built my expectations.

Go early to skip the dinner wait: seating on the ground floor and basement

The restaurant was unusual in that it combines a ground floor and a semi-basement level. I heard there's a wait at dinnertime, so I went a bit early and found plenty of open seats — sat down in a nice cool spot and ordered.

There's also spacious seating prepared for groups or gatherings.

Naver receipt event

• Bibim guksu (mixed noodles) given at dinner
• One canned drink given
• Fabric deodorizer and restroom are also inside the restaurant

Ijjok Kimchi Samgyeopsal menu board and set prices

Special menu at this Hapjeong pork belly favorite

• ★2-3 person set★ Fresh pork belly x2 + whole pork jowl x1 + steamed egg + doenjang jjigae = ₩55,000
• ★3-4 person set★ Fresh pork belly x2 + pork neck x1 + whole pork jowl x1 + steamed egg + doenjang jjigae = ₩71,000

They also sell lunch specials — seasoned grilled pork, seared beef brisket, and a kimchi jjigae set meal. Good pricing and portions for the office workers nearby, I'd say (you can also add ramen noodles to the kimchi jjigae).

Staff grill everything on a stone plate, plus the side dishes

At Ijjok Kimchi Samgyeopsal, a staff member grills the meat directly on a stone plate. Since it's pork belly, a lot of oil splatters, but there's a splash guard to help block it — still, I'd recommend wearing an apron.

Shortly after, the side dishes came out — a well-chosen set that pairs nicely with pork belly. The vegetables were fresh and tasty.

Inside the 55,000 won 2-3 person set: pork belly x2 and whole pork jowl

We ordered fresh pork belly x2 and whole pork jowl x1. It's meant for 2-3 people, and the portion was generous — the color of the meat already looked delicious.

Kimchi refills are available — just ask a staff member if you run low. Since they grill the meat for you, it's a great place to chat comfortably with your group while eating! Seems like more and more Korean BBQ places have gone self-grill lately, but meat grilled by someone else is still the best. Meat grilled by a pro just tastes better.

They grilled the meat sensibly, at the pace we were eating, though I heard they can't always keep grilling when it's busy — so if things look like they're about to burn, just flip it yourself, haha.

The doenjang jjigae + steamed egg that come with the set. The set menu gives you a full, hearty meal — so I'd recommend going with the set.

Pork belly cooking to perfection — the finished pieces get moved aside separately, so you can eat without worrying about burning them.

Soft, fluffy steamed egg, good for scooping up bite by bite. Generous size too.

Pork jowl beats the belly, and the potatoes and mushrooms get grilled too

We started with the pork belly first. Maybe because it's fresh, unfrozen pork belly, it was savory, and paired great with kimchi — a can't-go-wrong combo, so I ate happily. They grilled a full plate for us, and even the leftovers were tasty.

As we were finishing the pork belly, they grilled the pork jowl in long-cut strips, full of juices — the pork belly had been great, but the pork jowl was on another level, the kind of taste that makes you want to order it again. Along the way, they also grilled the potatoes and mushrooms so well that I'd love to come back here for the next Hapjeong get-together.

Wrapping the pork jowl with green onion shreds and seasoned bean sprouts, the plate disappeared before I knew it. Ate great pork belly in a cool spot on a hot summer day and left satisfied. The floor wasn't slippery, the place was clean, and the staff were kind, so it was a pleasant meal overall. Good meat quality, great for a Hapjeong gathering. Good stuff.