Mapo Korean BBQ after work: thick beef ribs at Mapo Mokjang

After work today, I suddenly wanted galbi so badly that I headed to Mapo Mokjang (마포목장) 🥩

The hours are Monday through Saturday, 17:00–22:00.

How were the complimentary side dishes?

Complimentary side dishes

A variety of side dishes come out, and this scallion salad was seriously delicious, haha. It was spicy and really cut through the richness of the ribs, so I kept reaching for it while eating the meat.

This kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew) was made with really well-fermented kimchi, so it had that wonderfully sharp, spicy kick and went so well with the meat. When you are eating galbi, having a hearty kimchi stew like this to cut the richness is just the best, haha.

450g of Emperor galbi-sal: I loved how thick it was

Galbi-sal

I ordered the 450g Emperor galbi-sal for ₩50,000. It looked like a pretty decent portion, so I thought, let’s have a proper meat dinner after work, haha.

I put it straight on the grill, haha. I am not really a fan of cutting galbi into tiny pieces, so I loved that the meat here came thick. There is something so good about grilling and eating it in big pieces.

The ribs were wonderfully nutty and full of juices 🤤 The meat itself was clean-tasting yet savory, so it was delicious even on its own.

It was also great dipped in the salt sauce, and wrapping up a big bite and eating it—heaven, seriously, hahaha. Beef after work really is the best...

The galbi-sal and bibim naengmyeon pairing

Bibim naengmyeon

I ordered bibim naengmyeon (spicy mixed cold noodles), ₩6,000!

Even at ₩6,000, it was quite a large serving compared with a typical after-meal naengmyeon. It even came with an egg, haha.

Putting meat on top of naengmyeon is basically the rule, right..!! The spicy-tangy bibim naengmyeon with the savory galbi-sal was such a good combination. You really cannot resist cold noodles after meat... 😋

Finishing with complimentary patbingsu

Patbingsu — complimentary

The patbingsu (shaved ice with sweet red beans) was complimentary. I had actually been wondering which café to go to while eating the meat. I am totally a dessert-after-meal person, so going to a café after eating is practically a rule for me, hahaha.

Thanks to that... I saved café money, haha. But the patbingsu was way more delicious than I expectedㅠㅠ Why was it so sweet and good? Having shaved ice to finish after the meat made the whole meal completely satisfying 🥹

They bring side dishes over when you ask

Self-service bar

It is labeled a self-service bar, but they brought everything over for us, haha. It was convenient because there was no need to keep getting up; if you asked for any side dish, they brought it right away. The side dishes were all fresh too, with lots of really tasty ones!!

The menu and the Korean beef yukhoe I want to try next time

Menu

The menu is basically two main choices: Emperor galbi-sal or the Korean beef yukhoe set. Looking at another table, the yukhoe (seasoned raw beef) looked wonderfully chewy, savory, and so deliciousㅠ I wanted to try it next time.

Korean beef yukhoe and beef together are just beyond words, hahaha. If you love beef, ordering the yukhoe as well could be a great idea 🫶

A cozy interior with a mountain lodge feel

The interior had a bit of a mountain lodge feel! The overall atmosphere was comfortable and cozy, making it a nice place to come for meat after work.

Aprons were provided too.

Maybe because it is right by Mapo Station, lots of famous people seem to visit, haha. The place was full of autographs.

They also accept Seoul Pay and Naver Pay. That might be useful to know when you pay, haha.

It was nice that the restroom was inside too! It was convenient not having to go outside.

Overall

I found Mapo Mokjang, a great restaurant near Mapo Station, because I was craving galbi so badly after work. Since I love thick Emperor galbi-sal, I liked the thickness of the meat from the start, and it was full of juices and delicious 🥩 The galbi-sal with bibim naengmyeon was, as expected, the best combination, and ending with the complimentary patbingsu made me happy right through to the end, haha. If you are looking for a meat restaurant near Mapo Station, Mapo Mokjang is worth a visit for its tasty beef ribs. Next time, I want to try the Korean beef yukhoe too 😋