Yangju Korean BBQ after maternity photos: Manpo Galbi ribs

A Yangju rib restaurant after our maternity photoshoot

At last, my beloved wife and I safely finished our exciting maternity photoshoot, haha. My wife's all-time favorite, the menu she enjoys most, is marinated pork ribs, you know?? To treat her after all her hard work since the morning, we went to Manpo Galbi Yangju Main Branch, a great restaurant in Yangju!!

What does “Manpo” mean?? It means “to give generously in abundance!”

Manpo Galbi Yangju Main Branch information and parking

Before getting into this Yangju restaurant story, let me neatly share some useful basics for your visit first, haha. The restaurant’s exact name is Manpo Galbi Yangju Main Branch.

The address is 65 Songrang-ro, 1F, Yangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea (경기도 양주시 송랑로 65 1층, 만포갈비).

It opens at 11 a.m. daily and stays open until 10 p.m., so feel free to visit whenever. We drove there, and I was surprised to find such a spacious dedicated parking lot right on the grounds in front of the building.

Even new drivers will have absolutely no parking stress, haha.

A spacious setting, from the first floor to second-floor group rooms

We happily stepped inside and had a look around. It was quite a large restaurant, divided between the first and second floors.

I really loved how clean and modern the overall interior and atmosphere felt. The window-side tables on the first floor all had divider screens, giving them a private feel, while the second floor had lots of table seating and well-equipped group rooms. Whenever I find such a spacious, pleasant restaurant in Yangju, I want to recommend it to everyone around me, haha. You could feel the owner’s thoughtful consideration for guests everywhere.

At Manpo Galbi, first of all,,,, this is how the cutlery is provided.

It’s one of the details my pregnant wife really loved because it was so clean! And then...

Handmade marinated ribs and beef brisket doenjang stew

Settling into our cushy seats, we ordered the main dishes: handmade marinated ribs and beef brisket doenjang stew. Before the meat was ready, a variety of banchan (Korean side dishes) was neatly laid out on the table.

Every side dish was nicely savory, and the selection was excellent for pairing with the main meat. At last, the handmade marinated ribs made their entrance on the red-hot charcoal grillㅠㅠ

The special marinade had soaked deeply into the meat, making it shine with gloss—it was already a total winner before grilling. The charcoal heat was seriously powerful, so the meat started sizzling deliciously the moment it hit the grill.

A handy tip for grilling marinated ribs deliciously

Here’s a handy tip for you all! It’s a secret for grilling meat deliciously that I learned directly from a close senior.

• Lightly pre-grill the ribs on the grill.
• Coat them generously again with the remaining marinade, then grill them carefully one more time, haha.

When you cook them with that care, the marinade seeps right into the meat and the sweet flavor really comes aliveㅠㅠ

I picked up a golden-brown piece of rib with my chopsticks and popped it into my mouth. The meat wasn’t tough at all; it had such a tender, soft texture. That sweet-and-salty marinade flavor lingered in every corner of my mouth, making me keep reaching for more. It was so delicious even on its own, but my top pairing was wrapping up a big bite with crisp pickled onions.

As we diligently gnawed on the ribs, I suddenly craved a spicy, warming broth. So I scooped up the beef brisket doenjang stew we had ordered earlier. With plenty of thinly sliced beef brisket in its spicy, nutty broth, it was a real rice thief, haha.

The stew refreshingly cuts through the ribs’ subtly sweet flavor.

Hamheung naengmyeon provided with a meat order

Why didn’t we order naengmyeon (cold noodles), which you can’t leave out when eating meat? Here’s the amazing point about this Yangju restaurant! When you order meat, you get one bowl of Hamheung naengmyeon for free.

Such amazing value with prices these days, right? Ask for it midway through your meat feast, haha. Be sure to try the mul naengmyeon (cold noodles in chilled broth), with thin yet chewy noodles and plenty of refreshing semi-frozen broth. It isn’t just a little bit in a small bowl either—the portion is quite large, so light eaters should definitely take note!

Puffed-rice ice cream and coffee after the meal

After finishing our meal completely stuffed, we headed outside to pay and spotted a puffed-rice ice cream machine at the entrance.

Don’t forget the sweet dessertㅠㅠ They also have iced coffee ready to pour into a cup of ice. We visited in the evening, so we couldn’t have the coffeeㅠ

This Yangju restaurant we visited today truly satisfied us 200%! The food is generous and tastes excellent. With such a roomy, pleasant space, it is perfect for dining out with family, and I strongly want to recommend it for group gatherings with friends! On a day when I’m craving delicious meat, I’ll happily come back to this Yangju restaurant without hesitation, haha.