Gangnam Korean BBQ with grilled kimchi and fried rice: Onggijip

While on a date in Apgujeong with my husband, we ate such amazing pork belly and kimchi at Onggijip that it stayed with me for a long time—so we went back again :)

• Address: 3 Nonhyeon-ro 152-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea (590-21 Sinsa-dong)
• Hours: 16:00–23:00 (last order 22:30 / closed every Sunday)
• Highlights: 100% kitchen-grilled cooking, a comfortable duct-free interior, and space for group reservations and gatherings

A reserved Korean BBQ restaurant in Apgujeong

We reserved ahead on Naver, so we were able to walk straight in without waiting! From the outside, it feels more like a stylish bar than a Korean BBQ restaurant, right? Haha.

There are none of those ceiling ventilation ducts you usually see hanging over every table at a barbecue restaurant, so the space feels wonderfully open! I was amazed by the gallery-like interior on my first visit too, and it was so pretty again that day that I took photos, haha.

The professionals grill everything over high-heat grills in the kitchen, so the air inside is incredibly pleasant! The tables are generously spaced too, making it ideal for wedding-invitation get-togethers, dates, and work dinners 💛💛

The reservation set and staff-grilled pork

When making our Naver reservation, we ordered the pre-grilled set in advance. That means this beautifully set table is waiting for you as soon as you arrive 🤩👍

There are lots of menu options, so you can always order more as you eat! Honestly, I think every cut of meat at Onggijip is delicious! Haha.

Once you sit down, the staff immediately cook the pre-grilled meat on the tabletop grill! There is absolutely no need to pick up the tongs, so you do not have to worry about conversation being interrupted while grilling or about burning anything, haha. You just wait after ordering and eat—it is so convenient 🤤

Best of all, you do not have to worry about the smell of grease clinging to your clothes or hair!

A neat spread and grilled napa cabbage kimchi

The side dishes include fresh lettuce and perilla leaves, plus pa-muchim, a spicy-tangy seasoned scallion salad that really wakes up your appetite. Coarse salt and Onggijip's special ssamjang (savory soybean dipping paste) are also provided, so you can enjoy different flavor combinations with each cut 🤩

One of Onggijip's proudest features is the generously piled-on, nicely fermented napa cabbage kimchi that grills right alongside the meat!

It was so delicious that I knew I would be thinking about it once I got home, so we immediately ordered more, haha.

The first bite with coarse salt

For the first bite, definitely just a little coarse salt! Finished over the kitchen's powerful heat, the outside is crisp while the juices stay sealed inside. Dip it lightly in coarse salt with no other seasoning, and the rich pork flavor and savory juices burst across your mouth 🤤

Add grilled kimchi to a lettuce wrap

On one fresh, crisp lettuce leaf, you have to pile on a juicy piece of pork and a big helping of spicy-tangy grilled kimchi, sizzling away in pork fat, haha.

Kimchi fried rice rich with pork fat

The cheat-code combination of pork fat plus well-fermented grilled kimchi is a must! As you are finishing the meat, there is one K-dessert you absolutely cannot skip: fried rice. They stir-fry the rice on the grill with kimchi that has soaked up plenty of pork fat :)

Savory seaweed flakes and cheddar cheese go over the spicy-tangy fried rice, and even the smell gets your appetite going all over again, haha.

How could it not be delicious when they make it this carefully?! When the bottom turns golden and crisp, scrape it up with a spoon for maximum texture and savory flavor. Top it with a little piece of the pork you saved, or eat it with a piece of grilled kimchi, and it is a clean-plate moment! 🤤😂

They say you can receive flying fish roe cheese fried rice free by taking part in the Naver review event, so it might be worth joining :)