Gangnam Korean BBQ with pa-yukjang dip for two: Sansol Sinnonhyeon

Where Sansol Sinnonhyeon is, plus hours and reservations

Sansol Sinnonhyeon Open daily 12:00–23:00 Break time 15:00–16:00 Naver Reservations available Catch Table reservations available Paid parking

Sansol is a tableside-grilled Korean BBQ restaurant in Gangnam near Sinnonhyeon Station. My friend Judeng and I had a wedding-invitation get-together here once before, and this time I came with my boyfriend. Reservations are essential on weekends, but visiting around 5pm on a weekday meant it wasn't crowded, which made for a really comfortable meal.

They're also running a lunch event — order a meat set menu between 11:30 and 14:30 and you get doenjang stew plus rice included.

Sansol Sinnonhyeon menu and prices

San Modeum (2–3 people) ₩56,000 Sol Modeum (3–4 people) ₩72,000 Aged pork belly, aged pork collar, aged kkodeulsal (chewy cut) — a combo platter where you can try various cuts. Last time we came with four people we ordered the Sol Modeum, and it was plenty for four.

For à la carte: Sansol aged pork belly ₩17,000 Sansol aged pork collar ₩17,000 Sansol Hanwoo brisket ₩24,000 Jin flower short rib meat ₩28,000 Sansol aged giwatsal ₩18,000

Other sides include: Grilled wild deodeok (mountain bellflower root) ₩15,000 — apparently flavored with an omija (schisandra berry) sauce, I want to try it next time. Country-style steamed egg ₩6,000 Red crab ramyeon ₩8,000 Kimchi stew ₩9,000 Doenjang stew ₩9,000 Rice ₩2,000

Cave-motif interior, private rooms and partitioned seats

The interior is styled after a cave in the Gangwon-do mountains, so it feels really cozy, and with rooms and individual partitions you can dine quite privately.

Retro-style barley tea. It wasn't cold though! Places that still serve barley tea are rare these days.

Pa-yukjang instead of scallion salad: the side dishes at Sansol Sinnonhyeon

Unusually, instead of the typical scallion salad they serve pa-yukjang (scallion soy sauce dip), and it's a real delicacy! Dipping the meat in it is heaven. Wasabi, herring roe, ssamjang, yuzu radish salad, aged kimchi, yeolmu (young radish) pickles, nabak kimchi, mixed vegetables — the side dishes have that healthy, homemade feel you'd expect in Gangwon-do, and each one is delicious and beautifully presented.

Spoons and wet wipes are kept under the table. The place is kept nicely clean.

My favorite is the yuzu radish salad. Eaten with the meat it's so refreshing, and it cuts through the richness even after eating a lot.

Is one portion of pork belly and one of pork collar enough for two?

We ordered one portion of pork collar and one of pork belly. It looks like a small amount, but with rice and stew it turned out to be just the right portion.

The country-style doenjang stew has no meat in it, so it feels really clean, and it has two big pieces of handmade tofu.

Rice made from Cheorwon Odae rice. The rice itself is delicious too.

Tableside grilling and the downdraft ventilation system

Sansol, a well-known Sinnonhyeon pork belly restaurant, grills the meat for you so you can eat comfortably — if you'd rather grill it yourself, just let them know. But honestly, meat grilled by someone else is the best.

Every table has its own grill, and the ventilation system is built into the bottom of the table, so meat smells don't rise up — your clothes barely absorb any smell, which is a great point for this Sinnonhyeon restaurant.

Personally I liked the pork belly more than the pork collar since it has fat and was so much tastier!

The pa-yukjang at Sansol, this Sinnonhyeon meat restaurant — dipping the meat in it is a total delicacy.

Partway through they grill up some aged kimchi too, and it's delicious eaten with the pork belly. Toward the back of the restaurant there are private rooms and group seating, making it a great spot for group gatherings or wedding-invitation meetups in Gangnam.

They grill the meat with so much care, and anything left on the grill is fine to eat as is!

It's also delicious dipped in the herring roe, and I actually barely reach for the ssamjang — wasabi and herring roe are more my style. The grill they cook on is a special cast-iron plate, so its heat retention is exceptional, browning the outside while keeping the inside moist and locking in the juices, which is a big reason meals here at this Gangnam pork belly favorite taste so good.

Everything is domestically sourced except the napa cabbage kimchi — good to know.

Does Sansol Sinnonhyeon work as a Gangnam group dinner spot?

There's a restroom inside the restaurant, which makes it a good spot for drinking, and the restroom itself is clean too. If you're looking for a great pork belly restaurant in Gangnam, I recommend Sansol — also a solid pick for a Gangnam gathering spot.