Gijang BBQ restaurant couple lunch with galmaegisal: The Barbecue 051

The Barbecue 051 near Gongsu Harbor in Gijang: a couple's lunch stop

I went for lunch with my boyfriend at The Barbecue 051, a Gijang restaurant known for that real barbecue feeling. I first heard about this Gongsu Harbor spot from my mom, and finally made it out.

It's close to Gijang's Gongsu Harbor, so it's a great spot to hit after swimming or snorkeling.

The vibe is perfect for a family meal out or a date.

What the dining hall looks like: open windows and a mountain-lodge mood

It's surprising how the hall at The Barbecue 051 has windows completely open, just like actually grilling barbecue while camping. Kind of like visiting a mountain lodge.

True to being a restaurant in Songjeong, Busan's famous surfing spot, there's even a surfboard hanging up.

The woody interior really gives off that homemade barbecue feeling. Smoke from grilling meat rises up everywhere.

Since The Barbecue 051 is close to Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, IKEA, Lotte World, and Dongbusan Outlet, it's an easy lunch or dinner spot to fit into a weekend outing or date.

One pet is allowed on the outdoor terrace, so it's also a good option for anyone looking for a dog-friendly Korean BBQ spot.

Side dishes and the self-serve wrap vegetable bar

The banchan (side dishes) that come set by default.

You can grab extra side dishes from the self-serve bar.

For wrap vegetables like onion, lettuce, pepper, and red cabbage, you just take as much as you'll eat. I especially loved that they had red cabbage, one of my favorites.

The 2-person set: 440g of pre-grilled pork belly and pork neck

At The Barbecue 051, a well-known restaurant near Gijang's Oshiria, the menu includes aged pre-grilled pork, smoked pork skin, house-made sausage, brisket doenjang stew, pork kimchi stew, and Gijang seaweed ramen. As a couple, we started with the "2-person set" (choice of pork belly & pork neck).

This place only uses aged domestic female pork, so it can't really go wrong. The charcoal pre-grilling plus seasoning gives it incredible savory depth.

You get pork belly and pork neck, plus a taster of pork skin pre-grilled on one side over charcoal.

Since it comes lightly pre-grilled, you need to finish grilling it golden brown at your table.

Both the pork belly and pork neck had a strong charcoal aroma and great savoriness, but personally I found the pork belly tastier. The ratio of fat to lean meat was just right.

They also provide breadcrumbs and peanut sauce, so you can mix and match to your taste.

With the windows wide open, it got a little warm while grilling, but even that made it feel more like being at a campsite, which actually put me in a good mood.

The 2-person set includes 440g of pre-grilled meat plus 5 kinds of skewers, which is just the right amount for a couple.

With fresh wrap vegetables like lettuce and red cabbage provided, The Barbecue 051 is a great Oshiria-area restaurant for eating healthy wraps too.

Personally, since the meat itself is already full of charcoal aroma, I found it most satisfying dipped lightly in just salt.

Each of the 5 skewers has its own charm, so it was fun trying each one.

Rather than just grilling meat, picking up a skewer and tearing into it made the camping feeling even stronger, which was exciting.

Skewers with a look you don't usually see at a regular Korean BBQ place.

Adding galmaegisal (pork skirt meat) and mul naengmyeon cold noodles

Since it had been a while since our last barbecue, we wanted to eat until full, so we added an order of galmaegisal (skirt meat) and mul naengmyeon.

The seasoning was rich enough that you didn't even need extra sauce — the smoky char and clean pork flavor spread through your mouth right away. Delicious galmaegisal at The Barbecue 051.

It paired really well with the cool mul naengmyeon, which cut through the heat.

Parking at The Barbecue 051, and why it's worth a second visit

The Barbecue 051, a well-known Songjeong, Busan restaurant, only uses high-quality domestic female pork, so you can enjoy the meat without any doubts about quality.

Known as a Korean-style barbecue restaurant, this is exactly the spot for anyone who wants that barbecue feeling without actually going camping.

The Barbecue 051 has its own private parking lot, plus there's free parking nearby at Gongsu Harbor, so it's very convenient to drive there. Next time, I'd love to bring my parents along to this Oshiria-area restaurant.