Jongno BBQ: pork neck, kkakdugi fried rice at Jonggak-ap Nosang

Jonggak-ap Nosang Gongyeong Juchajang is a Korean BBQ restaurant specializing in beef and pork, located on the 5th floor of a building at 17 Samil-daero 17-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Open daily 12:00–23:00, last order 22:00.

I visited while looking for a place to eat meat in Jongno. This spot grills everything for you — beef and pork alike — so I could focus on eating and chatting instead of worrying about the fire. Staff trained specifically in grilling cooked each cut, which made things easy, and the side dishes were just as good as the meat, so overall I left satisfied.

How to reach Jonggak-ap Nosang from Jonggak Station, and the mood inside

Jonggak-ap Nosang Gongyeong Juchajang sits on the inner street of Jeongmeum-eui Geori near Jonggak Station, so it's easy to get to. It's on the 5th floor, reachable by elevator, and it's about a 4-minute walk from Jonggak Station Exit 4 — no trouble making plans in Jongno around this spot.

Inside, each table feels somewhat partitioned off, so you're moderately shielded from the next table's line of sight. It's not a fully private room, but within the usual bustle of a Korean BBQ place, it feels a bit more private than most.

Even on a weekday visit, the place was full with a wait, which told me it's a genuinely well-known spot for meat in Jongno. It seemed like a good fit for company dinners and group gatherings, but also fine for friends or a date.

Staff grilling: trained servers cook the meat for you

One of the biggest features of Jonggak-ap Nosang Gongyeong Juchajang is that staff grill the meat for you. Since they've been trained specifically in grilling, I didn't have to worry about timing at all and could just talk and eat comfortably.

Beef and pork cuts each need different levels of doneness, which can get stressful if you're grilling yourself — but here, staff handle it from the start. It was also nice with a group, since no one had to be stuck manning the grill the whole time.

How was the beef at Jonggak-ap Nosang?

I usually like my beef around medium-rare. What staff grilled for me here felt closer to medium-well, personally. Still, it wasn't dry at all — the tender texture held up nicely.

The right amount of fat gave it a savory richness, and there was a subtle meaty aroma that came through more with each bite. It was a touch more cooked than my usual preference, but it wasn't tough or dried out, so I could enjoy it without worry. With several beef options on the menu, from hanwoo (Korean beef) specialty cuts to set menus, there's plenty of choice for meat lovers too.

Top pick of the day: pork neck softer than the beef

Surprisingly, the most memorable dish of the day was the pork neck (mokssal). You'd expect a cut like that to have a bit of chew to it, but the pork neck I had was truly tender.

From the very first bite, it was so much softer than I expected — honestly, I thought it tasted better than the beef. Texture-wise, it was almost as tender as tenderloin, and I was genuinely impressed. It kept the clean, mild flavor pork neck is known for, while staying moist rather than dry, making it the clear top pick of the meal. If I come back, this is probably the first thing I'd order again.

Pork belly with a springy, chewy bite

The pork belly (samgyeopsal) had its own appeal, different from the pork neck. The fat-to-meat ratio was well balanced, so it wasn't overly greasy, and the signature savoriness of pork belly really came through. Where the pork neck was soft and easy to eat, the belly had more of a springy chew.

That chewy texture made it genuinely fun to eat. Going from beef to pork neck to belly, each cut had a distinct texture, so for a group, it might be worth ordering a pork combo set or a mixed beef-and-pork set to try several cuts rather than sticking to just one.

Banchan lineup and the myeoljeot anchovy dip

The banchan (side dishes) served alongside the meat were a clean, well-rounded set. Green onion kimchi, white kimchi, pickled gungchae, pickled onion, seasoned green onion, and lettuce wraps meant plenty of ways to pair with the meat.

• Banchan: green onion kimchi, white kimchi, pickled gungchae, pickled onion, seasoned green onion, lettuce wraps
• Sauces: salt, myeoljeot

For dipping sauces, we got salt and myeoljeot (fermented anchovy sauce) — personally, I think any pork place that serves myeoljeot knows what it's doing. Dip a piece of pork belly lightly into it, and the savory pork flavor gets a salty, umami boost that keeps you reaching for more. Paired with clean side dishes like white kimchi or green onion kimchi, it also cut the richness, making it easy to eat piece after piece.

Kkakdugi fried rice and half-and-half naengmyeon: are the sides worth it?

After the meat, the side dishes we ordered turned out better than expected. First, the kkakdugi (radish kimchi) fried rice — kimchi fried rice with radish kimchi cut into bite-sized pieces, and the umami was quite strong.

I usually go for more meat over carbs at a BBQ place, but this was good enough that I dug into the fried rice too. The crunchy texture of the radish kimchi popped up here and there, giving it a different bite than typical fried rice.

And the half-and-half naengmyeon (cold noodles) won me over just by name. It's a clever menu item for someone like me who wants both bibim (spicy mixed) and mul (broth) naengmyeon. The dongchimi (radish water kimchi)-based broth was cool and clean, and it was a great palate cleanser after the meat. If you can never decide between the two naengmyeon styles, ordering the half-and-half is a pretty satisfying choice.

Is Jonggak-ap Nosang a good spot for Korean BBQ in Jongno?

The biggest draw of Jonggak-ap Nosang Gongyeong Juchajang is that you can enjoy both beef and pork in one place, with staff grilling everything for you. On top of that, there's a wide range of options, from pork cuts like mokssal, ogyeopsal (thick-cut belly), hangjeongsal (pork jowl), and galmaegisal (skirt meat) to hanwoo specialty cuts.

It's also corkage-free, so if you like to drink, you can bring your own alcohol to pair with the meat. Given the weekday wait, it might be smart to visit outside peak hours or make a reservation. If you're looking for a place to eat near Jonggak Station and want to skip the hassle of grilling it yourself, this is worth a visit.

Star ratings and final verdict

• Meat quality ★★★★★
• Grilling service ★★★★★
• Side menu ★★★★★
• Atmosphere ★★★★☆
• Accessibility ★★★★★

My personal top pick of the day was the pork neck, softer than the beef. The kkakdugi fried rice and half-and-half naengmyeon were both delicious too, so overall, from the meat to the sides, this was a satisfying meal.

Hope this helps make your next meal a great one!