Sindorim bossam restaurant: third visit at the counter, Sambaekga

I was hunting for a good place near Sindorim Station and ended up at Sambaekga. Sindorim Sambaekga (신도림삼백가), near Exit 1 of Sindorim Station on Gyeongin-ro in Guro, is famous for jokbal (braised pig's trotters) and bossam (boiled pork wraps), and every time I go there's a line out the door. Here's my honest review of what I ate. Actually, this is my third visit ^^

Where is Sindorim Sambaekga, and where can you park?

Sindorim Sambaekga is a 5-minute walk from Sindorim Station Exit 1. The exact address is 661 Gyeongin-ro, Unit 118 on the 1st floor, Guro-gu, Seoul, South Korea, and you go into the Sindorim Purugio Complex 1 building. Get off at Sindorim Station, come out of Exit 1, and you'll find it quickly.

For parking, use the underground car park of Sindorim Purugio Complex 1, the building the restaurant is in. The good news is that parking is basically free: fees are covered for up to 2 hours, so parking is easy. If you're driving over to Sindorim, that's really convenient.

Be ready to wait, though. There's a wait every time I go, which shows how famous it is, and I'd say that also means the taste is guaranteed.

Sindorim Sambaekga hours and reservations

Sindorim Sambaekga is open Monday to Friday 11:00–21:40, with a break time between 15:00 and 16:00. It's also open 11:00–21:40 on Saturday and Sunday, so weekends are fine too. You can reserve through Naver Reservation, so booking ahead seems like a good idea.

Sindorim Sambaekga menu and prices

Jokbal and bossam are the main dishes. Busan-style cold jokbal (Busan naengchae jokbal) is ₩34,000, Sambaek Jokbal (front leg only) is ₩46,000, and Sambaek Bossam is ₩37,000. If you really want to feast, I recommend the Sambaek Jin Set at ₩59,000.

Bossam is the headliner, but there are separate meal dishes like kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) and a bossam set meal, so there's plenty to choose from.

What side dishes and Naver booking freebies do you get?

The basic sides are wrapping greens, garlic, chili peppers, salted shrimp, ssamjang (seasoned soybean paste) and garlic sauce, plus chive salad, dried radish strips and kimchi. That's a lot! And if you book through Naver, the event gives you a fresh-fruit handmade tray makguksu (cold buckwheat noodles) and a taster of cold jokbal for free.

The cold jokbal came out as the freebie, and it was really good. I love places that give you this kind of extra.

We also had one bottle of soju and one bottle of beer each. The beer tasted so sweet ^^

Are the counter seats at Sindorim Sambaekga comfortable?

What surprised me most at Sindorim Sambaekga was the atmosphere. There were no tables left when we arrived, so we sat at the counter seats (dajji-seok), and they were unexpectedly pleasant. I actually had more room than at a table for two, and it felt separated so other customers didn't bother us. I recommend this seat.

Group seating for company dinners

Sindorim Sambaekga has separate group seating, and I hear it's a popular spot for company dinners (hoesik) among Sindorim restaurants. Next to us there were several groups that looked like coworkers, and everyone was happily eating. If you're planning a get-together or a company dinner in Sindorim, I really recommend Sambaekga.

How was the bossam at Sindorim Sambaekga?

I tried the bossam at Sindorim Sambaekga, and I totally get why it's so crowded. First, there's no gamey smell in the meat. And it's really tender.

The bossam keeps coming out warm and doesn't go cold, so I could enjoy it to the end. That matters more than you'd think, because cold meat loses its flavor, right? At Sindorim Sambaekga you don't have to worry about that and can enjoy warm meat to the last bite.

The meat is tender, and the bossam here is heavenly when you wrap it with greens, dried radish strips and chive salad. The side dishes are really well put together, the ssamjang is tasty, and the garlic sauce goes perfectly with the meat. The cold jokbal that came as a freebie also woke up my appetite. Eating bossam and jokbal together was the best combination.

Kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup)

The kalguksu at Sindorim Sambaekga was really good too, with chewy noodles and a clean, mild broth. The portion is big, but I totally inhaled it :)

Verdict: a Sindorim jokbal and bossam restaurant worth the wait

If you're looking for jokbal and bossam in Sindorim, Sindorim Sambaekga is a place I can really recommend. Even with a wait it's worth it, and since group reservations are possible, it suits anyone planning a company dinner or a get-together in Sindorim.

The prices are reasonable, the side dishes are generous, and above all the flavor is honest. The counter seats are more comfortable than I expected, so it's good for two people, and with a group the atmosphere still feels lively. Definitely add it to your Sindorim Station restaurant list.