Yongsan Korean BBQ for beef ribs with herb salt: Muttuk Sookdae

Muttuk Sookdae Main Branch (무뚝 숙대본점) is a delicious meat restaurant near Sookmyung Women’s University Station, with an easy route from Seoul Station too.

The beef ribs and every side dish at Muttuk Sookdae Main Branch were delicious!

Location and atmosphere at Muttuk Sookdae Main Branch

Storefront

Location

It is close to exits 10 and 9 of Sookmyung Women’s University Station.

Muttuk is a perfect fit for its description, “when you suddenly crave meat.” It is a great meat spot around Sookmyung Women’s University, and the menu is clearly introduced right on the exterior, which helps with choosing what to order.

Muttuk is also known for samgyeopsal (Korean pork belly) in Yongsan, but its nice atmosphere makes it ideal for anyone looking for a restaurant and drinks near Sookmyung Women’s University Station, or for a group dinner. There was actually a company dinner happening on the day I visited. Still, it was not overly loud—just pleasantly calm, haha. For group seating, Naver reservations are available for up to 8 people; for groups of 9 or more, please inquire separately!

A varied meat menu, from assorted cuts to signature matcha ribs

As befits a great meat restaurant near Sookmyung Women’s University, Muttuk offers everything from assorted Korean pork sets to premium flower-cut beef ribs. I loved having such a broad choice, from Korean pork to beef ribs.

Muttuk is a free-corkage restaurant, and its drinks lineup is seriously well stocked, with traditional IgGangJu 25°, Bohae Bokbunja, and wine. If you love both drinks and meat, keep Muttuk on your radar.

A colorful table spread that never gets boring

Even when the meat itself is delicious, eating only. meat. can get tiring quickly. But Muttuk, a Yongsan meat favorite, stood out from the basic table setting onward, letting you enjoy the meat in all kinds of combinations.

The seasoned shredded scallions were great, and the salt, wasabi, and garlic sauce were the best. Even the salted fermented squid that came with it had fantastic attention to detail. There were perfect elements for eating meat everywhere.

Which sauces went best with the flower-cut beef ribs?

The first flower-cut beef ribs I tried were most moving with just a light dip in salt for the first bite. Perhaps because the meat comes from the 6th to 8th ribs, its rich beef aroma filled my mouth. The texture itself was wonderful, and I got every flavor I hope for from grilled beef.

It was also so fun alternating between the garlic sauce and chamnamul (Korean parsley) sauce! With so many sauces, I never got tired of it, and they supported the meat’s naturally rich aroma beautifully to the very end. The owner grilled the meat at first, too, and it was cooked absolutely perfectly, haha.

A bite of wonderfully tasty flower-cut beef ribs grilled by the owner! I had been craving grilled beef so much lately and had very high expectations for these ribs, but I was completely satisfied.

My recommended sauce was the house salt. This was not just seasoned salt—it had a slight herbal aroma? For me, this combination suited the beef ribs best.

I had a drink with Kelly and Saero alongside it, and I almost ordered more meat, but barely held back because I thought I might leave some. The Kelly + Saero combination had this subtle floral note and was so good, you know? I ate really, really well that day.

Hearty side dishes

The Muttuk doenjang-jjigae (soybean paste stew) I ordered as a side was generously loaded with garlic, mushrooms, tofu, and garlic chives, making it perfect alongside the meat. It also had plenty of broth, which I loved—but a doenjang-jjigae with barely any ingredients is disappointing, right? This one had a lot of garlic chives, and that was a huge plus for me personally.

Lastly, the cheese-loaded steamed egg was a perfect special treat, packed with popping corn kernels and savory mozzarella. It was not one of those steamed eggs that looks good only on the outside but is weak within—it was substantial all the way through and seriously filling, so I left completely satisfied with the sides too!