After-work Korean BBQ near Janghanpyeong: small beef set at Ilbeonji

Isn't figuring out what to eat after work the biggest daily struggle? This particular day I wanted something proper, so the second I clocked out I went straight for beef haha. Beef after work — who could resist? This time I visited a Janghanpyeong favorite, Ilbeonji Jeongyuk Sikdang Janghanpyeong Branch!

Ilbeonji Jeongyuk Sikdang Janghanpyeong Branch

Where is Ilbeonji Janghanpyeong Branch, and what is the opening event at the door?

Ilbeonji Jeongyuk Sikdang Janghanpyeong Branch is a beef butcher restaurant at 18 Janghan-ro, 1st floor, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, near Janghanpyeong Station. I took some shots of the business hours sign and the exterior first.

But even before stepping inside, there was a sign at the entrance that caught my eye. Order one beef set, get one beef set free..? Wait what??? Haha, apparently it's part of an opening event — order one beef set and get another one free, wild. Something like that is impossible to just walk past... as someone who loves beef, my eyes went straight to that sign haha.

What is the atmosphere like inside Ilbeonji?

The inside of Ilbeonji Jeongyuk Sikdang Janghanpyeong Branch was way bigger and more comfortable than I expected!! Plenty of tables and the space itself didn't feel cramped at all. And there were a lot of middle-aged men inside haha. When you see that, you kind of think — oh, this might actually be a good spot? Lots of ajusshis = probably a hidden gem, isn't that basically an unwritten rule haha. The moment I walked in, it gave off serious Janghanpyeong local-favorite vibes.

Ordering the small beef set at Ilbeonji, sides on hold

We went ahead and ordered the small beef set first!! We had no idea how much food that would actually be, so we decided to try the meat first and figure out later whether to order naengmyeon (cold noodles) or other sides haha. It would've been such a waste to order extra stuff and then leave meat behind, right. Also the small beef set itself looked like a decent amount, so we figured we'd focus on eating the meat properly first, hehe.

Is the 2,000 won table charge and self-serve bar worth it?

Ilbeonji Jeongyuk Sikdang Janghanpyeong Branch charges a 2,000 won table fee, and I honestly didn't mind it at all. Why? Because the self-serve bar quality was pretty great. Can you tell from the photos?! Vegetables and various sides were all neatly set out and looked really fresh. They apparently bring in ingredients from the dawn market every single day, and I think that's why the vegetables looked so good. It's also convenient being able to grab whatever sides you need yourself when eating the meat. I really like butcher restaurants that have a solid self-serve bar haha.

Unlimited doenjang jjigae simmering in the center of the grill

And when I looked at the grill, there was doenjang jjigae simmering right in the center, unlimited refills. This is so great... I love eating doenjang jjigae alongside grilled meat, and being able to have it bubbling away right in the middle of the table is amazing!! They also set out sliced green onions and pickles beforehand. Everything was perfectly prepped and ready for us to dig in haha.

Woo-samgyeop first, plus the owner's doenjang jjigae tip

Finally, the meat arrives ~~ 🥹🥹 Ugh... I'm obsessed with beef... I was genuinely so happy. A full plate of meat coming out is already a win visually haha. Since there was one of each cut, I paused for a second wondering what to grill first. But honestly... with beef you just grill it all, hehe.

We started with the woo-samgyeop since it cooks fast, hehe. The moment it hit the grill, it was sizzling... the color looked so vivid... just watching beef cook is enough to make me happy haha. Woo-samgyeop is thin so it cooks quickly, which made it the MVP dish for our hungry selves. Grabbed it the second it was done. Nice and juicy with a soft chew, so good.

And here's the tip the owner gave us!! While grilling the woo-samgyeop, once the doenjang jjigae starts bubbling away, drop a few pieces of woo-samgyeop into it!! Tried it right away. Added a few slices and let it simmer a bit longer... with the fatty meat added in, the jjigae takes on a slightly different feel. This is amazing...

Ah, woo-samgyeop doenjang jjigae is complete; I'm losing my mind haha. This is genuinely delicious. The savory fat rendering out of the woo-samgyeop soaks slightly into the jjigae, making the broth richer and more savory. Eat some meat, take a spoonful of jjigae, back to the meat... I kept reaching for this combo.

How do the sirloin, galbi and bucheotsal taste?

Okay, now that we've got some grease going, let's get serious. Time to grill the real cuts, not just the thin woo-samgyeop, hehe.

Sirloin, galbi, and bucheotsal!! All genuinely delicious. Beef is such a shame when overcooked, right. Grilled just enough, it was tender and soft. Each cut had a slightly different texture, which made it fun to try one after another haha. I usually flip the meat constantly because I want to eat it fast the moment it comes out haha, but this day I actually kept my composure and cooked everything to the right doneness before eating properly.

Sesame oil green onion salad, tossed by the owner

And the owner said this was the tasty way to eat green onion salad haha, cut the green onions himself and even tossed them with sesame oil for us. Wait, you'll go this far for us..? Haha. Cutting it fresh and tossing it in sesame oil himself really made the green onion salad pair perfectly with the meat. The owner was so kind too haha, showing us delicious ways to eat things along the way made trying it all out even more fun.

Eating a proper plate of beef after work made all the day's fatigue melt away... meat after work really is the truth. I ended up so full from the meat that I couldn't even get to the naengmyeon this time haha, so next time I'll have to make sure to properly try the naengmyeon too.