Jongno meat restaurant grilling beef and lamb together: Yukrab Jongno

I was craving meat near Jongno and went looking around, which led me to Yukrab Jongno — a place where you can enjoy both beef and lamb together. Since I wanted to try a variety of meats rather than stick to just one kind that day, I ordered the 2-person galbi set, which comes with jingalbisal, lamb ribs, and seasoned galbi. Trying it out, each type of meat had its own distinct flavor and texture, so it was a good spot to visit with a friend and sample several kinds of meat at once.

How close is Yukrab Jongno to Jonggak Station?

Yukrab Jongno is on Jonggak Station's Youth Street, so it was easy to find. The restaurant is on the 3rd floor — just head into the building and take the elevator up. It was also convenient for meeting up and eating near Jonggak Station.

Inside Yukrab Jongno and the space between tables

Walking in, the interior — decorated with liquor bottles right from the entrance — caught my eye. The overall look was clean, and the tables were spaced generously, so it didn't feel cramped. With decent spacing between tables, it seemed like a good spot for a meal with friends or a partner, and also a solid option when looking for a company dinner spot near Jonggak Station.

What comes in the 2-person galbi set at Yukrab Jongno?

At Yukrab, you can order meats individually, but there are also set menus for sampling several kinds together. Since I wanted to try a variety of meats that day, I ordered the 2-person galbi set.

The galbi set I ordered came with the following:

• Jingalbisal (beef rib finger meat) 120g
• Lamb ribs 230g
• Seasoned galbi 120g
• Doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew)
• Grillable cheese

Side dishes and dipping sauces at Yukrab Jongno

Before the meat arrived, the side dishes came out first. There was kimchi, pickled cabbage, pickled onion, myeong-i namul (marinated wild garlic leaves), eggplant namul, peppers, and more — a nice lineup to go along with the meat.

There was quite a variety of sauces too. Wasabi, pickled garlic, ssamjang, soy sauce, tzuran, curry powder, salt, and more, so I could dip each type of meat in different ways. Having so many sauce options was great since they worked well with both the beef and the lamb.

How generous is the meat spread?

After a short wait, the meat I ordered came out. From left, where the vegetables are placed: 120g seasoned galbi, 230g lamb ribs, and 120g jingalbisal. Along with the meat, grillable vegetables and cheese came out too, making it look pretty generous. Now that the meat's here, let's start grilling.

Jingalbisal beef that melted in the mouth

I grilled the jingalbisal first. Cooked to just the right point, I took a bite and it was truly tender. No chewiness at all going down — personally, of all the meats I had that day, the jingalbisal was the tastiest. It was good with a bit of wasabi on top, and also good dipped in salt to enjoy the meat's own flavor.

Lamb ribs: tender, with no gamey smell

Next, the lamb ribs! For the lamb, you grill the front and back first, then the staff will come and separate the bones and cut it into bite-size pieces for you. Lamb can be a bit hit or miss because of its distinct smell, but what I had wasn't gamey at all and was on the tender side, so I could eat it without hesitation. Dipping it in tzuran or curry powder especially brought out the lamb's savory flavor even more — really tasty.

Marinated galbi aged in garlic sauce

Last up was the seasoned galbi. Marinated in a garlic-based sauce, it's a flavor Koreans would love. If the jingalbisal was clean and mild, the seasoned galbi was sweet-savory with an added garlic aroma, offering yet another distinct flavor. Switching between the three meats meant each tasted different, so it didn't get boring the way I expected.

Eating just meat can get a bit much after a while, so it was nice that the grillable vegetables came along too. Tomato, pineapple, rice cake, eggplant, sweet pumpkin, and more grilled alongside the meat were great for switching things up in between. And I also grilled the cheese included in the set on top of the vegetables. Alternating grilled veggies and cheese between bites of meat kept things varied right to the end.

A spoonful of doenjang jjigae between bites of meat

While eating meat, there are moments when you crave some broth, and a spoonful of doenjang jjigae here and there hit the spot. It was a basic doenjang jjigae that paired well with the meat, nice to have alongside.

Finishing with mul naengmyeon

After meat, the finish has to be naengmyeon, haha. I ordered mul naengmyeon for dessert. With a sweet-and-tangy broth and thin noodles, it wasn't chewy and was easy to eat smoothly. After the meat, a bite of naengmyeon left my mouth feeling refreshed and clean — a fitting way to end the meal.

Is the Yukrab Jongno galbi set for two worth it?

Yukrab Jongno, which I visited while looking for a grill restaurant near Jongno! It's a good place to visit when you want to enjoy a variety of meats, since you can have both beef and lamb together in one spot. The 2-person galbi set I ordered let me try jingalbisal, lamb ribs, and seasoned galbi all at once, which was satisfying.

Personally, the melt-in-your-mouth jingalbisal was the tastiest, and the lamb ribs were also tender with no gamey smell, which I enjoyed with tzuran and curry powder. On top of that, the grillable vegetables and cheese, plus the doenjang jjigae, and finishing with mul naengmyeon made for a hearty, satisfying meal.

With fairly generous spacing between tables, it's also a good option for a meal with friends or a partner, and worth keeping in mind when looking for a get-together or company dinner spot near Jonggak Station. If you like both beef and lamb, or if eating just one kind of meat feels like a shame on a given day, I'd recommend Yukrab Jongno for enjoying a variety of meats all at once :)