Korean BBQ near Mapo Station, naengsam with minari: Mapo Gui Madang

Now that the weather is getting cooler, I was craving sizzling naengsam, so I went to Mapo Gui Madang Yonggang Direct Branch (마포구이마당 용강직영점), a well-known spot near Mapo Station.

It's good value, the naengsam is delicious, and there are lots of side dishes, so it's a great place near Mapo Station to fill up on naengsam and a proper meal at a reasonable price. Here's my review of Mapo Gui Madang Yonggang Direct Branch.

Mapo Gui Madang Yonggang Direct Branch: location and opening hours

Mapo Gui Madang Yonggang Direct Branch is at 284-1 Tojeong-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, about 534m from Exit 1 of Mapo Station. It's open daily 16:00–22:30, with last order at 22:00.

I strolled along the Gyeongui Line Forest Park and headed to Mapo Food Culture Street! It's a street packed with good restaurants, and this one is big, so it was easy to find.

What is Mapo Gui Madang like on a weekend evening?

Mapo Gui Madang is an old-school BBQ joint with about 10 tables. I went after 7 p.m. on a weekend evening, and there were lots of families and company dinner groups.

Mapo Gui Madang menu and prices

Naengsam is ₩9,900 for 200g, and whole pork belly is ₩13,900 for 200g, so the prices are reasonable.

Butter soy sauce rice is ₩5,000, doenjang stew ₩3,000, bibim noodles ₩5,000, and bibim jjolmyeon and green onion naengmyeon ₩9,000. Lots of meal options, and the prices are so kind!

Good price, and the basic side dishes and ssam (wrap) vegetables make for a generous spread :)

Signature Jeolla-style green onion kimchi, grilled on the griddle

Of the side dishes, this green onion kimchi is Jeolla-style and Gui Madang's signature. They even sell it separately, and it's tasty on its own, but grilled on the grill plate it went so well with the pork belly.

3 servings of naengsam with extra minari: how big is the portion?

We ordered 3 servings of naengsam, plus doenjang stew, bibim noodles and minari. Extra minari is ₩3,000, and the portion is generous! If you like minari, I totally recommend adding it!

Naengsam is ₩9,900 a serving and they give you 200g, so even 3 servings was really plentiful. Naengsam is thinly sliced pork belly, so it's fun to grill until golden, and since it cooks quickly it's easy to grill. It's one of my favorites!

How to grill naengsam: kimchi and garlic on top, finished with black pepper

Lay the naengsam down, then add green onion kimchi, napa cabbage kimchi, white kimchi and garlic. You know naengsam needs soonhoochu (pure pepper), right? It has salt mixed in too, so just sprinkling it on seasons the meat perfectly.

When the meat is getting golden, add the fragrant minari and stir-fry it together in the pork fat.

As the meat cooks, a nutty smell wafts up~ Naengsam tastes better when the outside is grilled a little crispy~~

The pork belly was chewy and delicious, and I love minari, so I was happy they gave us a whole heap. Eaten with the pork belly, the crunchy texture and fragrant minari aroma were so good.

Be sure to put the green onion kimchi on the grill and eat it with the pork belly.

Eating the well-fermented green onion kimchi and napa cabbage kimchi with the naengsam, there was no greasiness, just great savory depth.

Is the ₩3,000 doenjang stew and bibim noodles worth ordering?

The doenjang stew at Mapo Gui Madang is ₩3,000. Is ₩3,000 for a stew really right?

The stew was packed with tofu, mushrooms, onion and zucchini, and it was even better with rice!

The ₩5,000 bibim noodles also come in a generous portion, and taste just like that famous brand of bibim noodles :) It's my favorite bibim noodles, and I really enjoyed having them again after a while, this time with nutty sesame oil.

You know bibim noodles go perfectly with naengsam, right? When you're eating meat and start craving something spicy and tangy, they hit the spot. Totally recommend!

Verdict: Mapo Gui Madang for a budget group BBQ in Mapo

Mapo Gui Madang Yonggang Direct Branch has tasty frozen pork belly, a variety of good-value meal dishes and friendly staff, so I was really happy with it as a Mapo Station restaurant. I recommend it if you're looking for a Mapo spot for a group dinner, naengsam or pork belly BBQ.