Unjeong lamb skewers, mala tang with extra bean sprouts: Sannaemaeul

With the weather being so up and down lately, all I want on the way home from work is something spicy and greasy. So I finally made it to a lamb skewer restaurant I'd been eyeing for a while.

Where is Sannaemaeul Yang Kkochi & Qingdao, and when is it open?

Sannaemaeul Yang Kkochi & Qingdao (산내마을양꼬치&칭따오) is a lamb skewer restaurant on the 2nd floor, Unit 205, of World Tower 3 in Unjeong, Paju. It's open from 15:30 to 01:00 the next day, closed on Mondays.

• By public transit: from Unjeong Station Exit 1, take bus 80 → get off at Sannaemaeul Jungsim Sangga → 2nd floor, Unit 205, World Tower 3
• By car: use the World Tower 3 building parking lot
• Close to Homeplus Paju Unjeong and Hansol Park, a nice spot for a walk

If you're driving, parking is easy since you can just use the building's lot. Get off the elevator on the 2nd floor of World Tower 3 and Sannaemaeul Yang Kkochi & Qingdao is right there.

The menu at Sannaemaeul Yang Kkochi & Qingdao: lamb skewers to Chinese mains

As a lamb skewer specialist, they have a wide range of menu items beyond just skewers, including lamb ribs. True to a solid Unjeong meat restaurant, the menu is diverse. I heard their guobaorou (sweet and sour pork) recreates the authentic local flavor, but I'll save that for next time!!!

Tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork), jajangmyeon (black bean noodles), jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup), fried rice — all the classic Chinese restaurant staples were right there on the menu. Being able to enjoy lamb skewers and lamb ribs alongside Chinese food makes this a popular meat restaurant in Unjeong for families with kids too.

On one wall there's info about parking. It says no re-discount after the 5-hour max discount, and no re-entry within 1 hour of leaving — if you do re-enter, you'll have to pay. Conveniently, you can register your parking when you pay after enjoying your meal.

Why drivers should reach Sannaemaeul Yang Kkochi & Qingdao before 6pm

It was a bit before 6pm so things were still fairly relaxed, but after 6pm the place filled up with customers. If you're driving, I'd recommend arriving before 6. It seems like once the lot is full, you can't get in.

There's a self-serve side dish corner on one side where you can refill whatever sides you like.

Ordering two servings of lamb skewers and mild mala tang

At Sannaemaeul Yang Kkochi & Qingdao I ordered 2 servings of lamb skewers and mala tang in the mild flavor — I prefer things on the milder side over super spicy. The photo shows the basic side dishes.

I was going to order extra noodles, but they said the portion was already so big I didn't need to — though if you love noodles, adding extra might still be worth it. My household's noodle fanatic was really looking forward to the glass noodles in the mala tang. The portion of mala tang is seriously generous!

Skewer prices at Sannaemaeul Yang Kkochi & Qingdao

• Lamb skewers (1 serving) ₩15,000
• Mala lamb skewers ₩16,000
• Lamb rib meat ₩17,000
• Chicken wing skewers ₩13,000
• Premium lamb ribs (2 pcs) ₩33,000
• Shrimp skewers ₩12,000
• Garlic skewers ₩1,000
• Seasoned lamb skewers ₩16,000

There are really so many types of lamb skewers!!

Set menus for two or more

They also have set menus, which seem like a good option too. The Guobaorou, Jisamseon, Yushuangrousi, and Yulinyuk sets are all ₩50,000.

There's a mixed skewer set, a la carte dishes, a solo set, and a 2-person set — quite a variety, and ordering the solo or 2-person set looks like it'd be delicious too.

If they had a lunch special with the solo set, I'd probably come by often at lunchtime. Just keep in mind they open at 15:30.

How do the lamb skewers taste off the auto-rotating charcoal grill?

Our 2 servings of lamb skewers arrived.

The charcoal was set up with strong heat, and the skewers went right on to grill.

The mala tang is seriously generous! I thought about adding noodles but since they said the portion was already big enough, I added bean sprouts instead — turns out I didn't even need to. The amount of bean sprouts they gave me was massive.

The lamb skewers cooked up beautifully. The ratio of meat to fat was just right, so once grilled they had this glossy sheen. It was great catching up with a friend while cooking the skewers on the auto-rotating grill and eating mala tang together.

The mala tang is spicy and delicious. I was genuinely surprised by how generous the portion was. Dipping the lamb skewers in cumin powder and then having a bit of mala tang to cool down — such a perfect flavor pairing.

Who is Sannaemaeul Yang Kkochi & Qingdao best for?

We ate every last bite, satisfied to the end. Definitely confirmed as a solid meat restaurant in Unjeong. The combo of lamb skewers and mala tang feels like the ultimate everyday healing on a stressful day, when you want spicy, greasy food to reset your mood!

This would be a great pick for office workers wanting a casual drink after work, or families looking for something different from samgyeopsal. It's especially great for people who find grilling meat a hassle — the machine does the rotating and cooks everything evenly, making it a solid date spot too.