Cheongyeopsal vs pork neck at Suwon Station BBQ spot Ssosam 208

There are so many BBQ restaurants around Suwon Station that picking one can be a real dilemma, but this time I wanted something a bit different, so I headed to Ssosam 208 Suwon Station Branch, a top pick among Suwon Station BBQ restaurants.

I went in expecting a solid Suwon samgyeopsal (pork belly) spot, and sure enough, on the way out I was already adding it to my revisit list. In this review, I'll walk through my honest impressions of the cheongyeopsal and pork neck, how to get there, business hours, and a few perks worth knowing about.

How to walk to Ssosam 208 from Suwon Station, and where to park

Ssosam 208 Suwon Station Branch is 283m — about a 2-minute walk — from Exit 7 of Suwon Station on the Suin-Bundang Line. The address is 1F, 11 Deogyeong-daero 895beon-gil, so it's easy enough to find with a map app.

Coming out of Exit 13, walk 90m straight along the main road, then turn into the alley by WCT Language Institute and go another 40m — you'll see the orange sign. From Exit 12, walk straight 180m down the Hyanggyoro 1-gil alley, about 2 minutes 30 seconds on foot.

If you're driving, park at Hwanggeum Parking behind the restaurant for 2 hours free — just be sure to register your car number at the counter when you pay. The alley also has other grill-it-yourself BBQ places and pretty cafés nearby, so it's convenient for a second stop after dinner too. It's an easy pick for group gatherings as a Suwon Station BBQ restaurant.

Why a Korean BBQ restaurant serves rice noodles as the free starter

At Ssosam 208 Suwon Station Branch, the first thing that arrives after you sit down is rice noodles as a starter dish. Rice noodles at a BBQ place felt a little unusual.

The broth was spicy and sharp, which felt like it woke up my appetite before diving into the meat, and it tasted pretty good too. That opening really set a strong first impression for a Suwon samgyeopsal restaurant.

Cheongyeopsal vs pork neck on the volcano stone plate: which cut wins?

What I ordered that day was cheongyeopsal and pork neck. Since they grill it for you on the volcano stone plate, I didn't have to worry about the grilling and could just focus on the conversation.

The cheongyeopsal came out packed with juice — hands down the best thing I ate that day. If I had to pick just one dish at a Suwon Station BBQ restaurant, I wouldn't hesitate to say cheongyeopsal. Ordering pork neck alongside it also made it fun comparing the flavors of each cut.

Minari kimchi grilled on the same stone plate

Minari (water dropwort) kimchi is also grilled together with the meat on the volcano stone plate, saving you the trouble of grilling it separately — and putting a piece of the grilled kimchi on top of a bite of meat worked really well together.

Adding it in between bites of the fattier cuts kept my palate from getting overwhelmed, so I could keep enjoying the meal all the way through. If you're on the hunt for a Suwon samgyeopsal restaurant, don't skip this combo.

Free cheese fondue for a receipt review, and the order to try the sauces

Ssosam 208 Suwon Station Branch gives you free cheese fondue if you leave a receipt review, and dipping the meat in the fondue made it even tastier. Try the cheongyeopsal plain with just salt first to really feel the juiciness,

then move on to the basic dipping sauce that comes with the meal, and finish with the cheese fondue.

Even though it's the same meat, each sauce gives it a different flavor, so my chopsticks kept reaching back for more. When picking a Suwon samgyeopsal restaurant, I think what comes alongside the meat matters just as much as the meat itself — and this place delivered pretty well on that front.

Ssosam 208 opening hours and reservation perks

Ssosam 208 Suwon Station Branch is open Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 PM to 2:00 AM the next day, and Monday through Wednesday it opens at 3:30 PM. Last order is at 1:00 AM, so there's plenty of time for a late-night drinking session too.

There's also a separate reservation coupon perk, so it's worth checking Naver Reservations before your visit. They mentioned they'll also be open from noon to 2:00 AM during this Chuseok holiday, so it's worth keeping in mind for family or friend gatherings.

Who Ssosam 208 Suwon Station Branch is best for

• Anyone near Suwon Station looking for a spot for after-work team dinners
• Anyone who needs a Suwon Station BBQ restaurant for hanging out late with friends
• Anyone driving who's worried about parking

Being just a 2-minute walk from the station made it easy both to set a meeting time and to head home afterward.

If you're weighing your options for a Suwon Station BBQ restaurant or a Suwon samgyeopsal spot, give the cheongyeopsal at Ssosam 208 Suwon Station Branch a try. Between the meat grilled on the volcano stone plate, the spicy rice noodles, and the cheese fondue, the whole spread felt well put together — next time I'm bringing more people along to order plenty of cheongyeopsal. I'd definitely go back.