Gangnam bar-seat Korean BBQ date and lamb chops to the bone: Yuklab

I had a date in Gangnam with my boyfriend after a long while. He's on a diet, so I went looking for a BBQ place near Gangnam Station and found a really good beef and lamb spot. It turns out it's a chain with lots of branches. The one we visited is "Yuklab Gangnam" (육랩 강남본점).

Yuklab Gangnam location, opening hours and parking

Yuklab Gangnam is at 28-6 Teheran-ro 1-gil, 2nd floor, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, a 3-minute walk from Exit 11 of Gangnam Station. It's open Mon–Fri 16:00–23:00 and Sat–Sun 15:00–23:00.

• Address: 28-6 Teheran-ro 1-gil, 2nd floor, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (3-minute walk from Exit 11 of Gangnam Station)
• Hours: Mon–Fri 16:00–23:00 / Sat, Sun 15:00–23:00
• No parking: park at Yeoksam Cultural Park Public Parking Lot No. 1, leave through the back gate, and it's a 3-minute walk

Both Gangnam Station and Sinnonhyeon Station are close, so it's easy to get to! Going by the reviews, a lot of people come here for group gatherings.

Yuklab Gangnam interior and bar seats: good for a date?

Yuklab Gangnam has black-toned bar seating and a stylish look that doesn't feel like a BBQ restaurant. You just go up one floor from the entrance and you'll see it right away!

When you open the door, you think, "Wait, is this really a BBQ place? Isn't this a dining bar?" It's black-toned, stylish and hip, nothing like a typical BBQ joint. Bar-style at a BBQ restaurant?? It felt really different and upscale.

If you turn past the entrance and go further in, there are the BBQ tables we're all familiar with. But even the table seats are partitioned to some degree, so the space felt private. It isn't the loud, rowdy atmosphere of a BBQ place, so it's easy to talk and I'd recommend it as a date spot too.

Finally, there was an even more private area at the back. It's separated off as its own room, so it looked like a good fit for a wedding-invitation get-together or a company dinner in Gangnam.

What we ordered at Yuklab Gangnam: the 2-person rib set

At Yuklab Gangnam we ordered the "2-person rib set" and "steamed rice." The 2-person rib set comes with 120g of jingalbisal (beef short rib meat), 230g of lamb chops, 120g of marinated ribs, doenjang stew (soybean paste stew) and 3 pieces of 10-second cheese.

This is the menu at Yuklab near Gangnam Station. There were all kinds of beef and lamb side dishes, but the set menus here are well put together and well priced!! If you come, I'd definitely recommend ordering a set!

Table setup and side dishes at Yuklab Gangnam

Once you order, the grill comes out right away,

and then the basic setup is prepared. There were lots of kinds of seasoning, served individually, which was neat and nice. The side dishes were pickles (jangajji) and kimchi, and the kimchi seemed to be the kind made for foreigners? A little sweet? It was still tasty.

The doenjang stew that comes with the set! Doenjang stew is a must with meat~ It was packed with tofu and mushrooms.

The "rib set" arrived. Look at that color, right?? The marbling and the vivid color were so gorgeous~

The "rib set" includes both beef and lamb chops, so you get to taste both!

Which sauce goes best with Yuklab's jingalbisal?

The jingalbisal at Yuklab Gangnam is good quality and cooked in no time, and personally I liked it best dipped in salt. We grilled the "jingalbisal" first! Honestly, this is a place where you can grill slowly and chat, but we were hungry, so we threw it all on at once. It's such good-quality beef that it cooked in an instant.

There were lots of sauces, so I tried it on wasabi and with the garlic seasoning too, but personally the jingalbisal tasted best dipped in salt.

Yuklab lamb chops: is there a gamey smell?

The lamb chops at Yuklab Gangnam had almost no gamey smell and the meat was tender, so they were our top pick of the day. The second thing we ate was the "lamb chops," and wow~ this is truly a lamb chop place!!! They were our top pick~~!!

Lots of people dislike lamb because of the smell, but the lamb chops here are different! You barely notice any gamey smell and the meat is just so tender. I'm even the type who doesn't eat the bone, but the meat on the bone was so tender that I picked off every bit! I really recommend the lamb here!!!!

Marinated ribs and 10-second cheese at Yuklab

And the last thing we ate, the "marinated ribs"! What can I even say, what can I s-say-say

They're tasty with myeongi namul (pickled wild garlic-like leaves) and went really well with the garlic seasoning. Ribs especially are the best with rice!! It made a really filling meal.

Oh, and the 10-second cheese they give as a service! It melts in no time, so you have to grill it quickly!

Yuklab Gangnam verdict: worth going back for a date?

Yuklab Gangnam was popular enough that the staff were busy even on a weekday evening, and we were happy with the meat, especially the lamb chops. We visited on a weekday evening and the staff were still really busy because it's so popular~ A proper hit!! My boyfriend even said he'd want to come back whenever he's craving meat, he was that satisfied~ Especially the lamb chops~~~ If you want to enjoy good-quality meat in a private space, definitely give it a visit~

Right now Yuklab near Gangnam Station is also running a receipt event. It's not some random menu item, it's a straight price discount! If you visit, be sure to join in~