Korean BBQ in Ansan: salt jjokgalbi and retro lunchbox at Suamgol

My husband and I decided it had been a while since we had jjokgalbi (grilled pork ribs), and I remembered enjoying a great meal at this Ansan jjokgalbi spot before, so we went back. Even on a weekday, the place was packed — shall we go dig into some delicious jjokgalbi together at Suamgol Jjokgalbi Maeul Ansan Hanyang University Station Branch, a genuinely popular restaurant?

Where is Suamgol Jjokgalbi Maeul in Ansan, and when is it open?

Location: 370 Gwangdeok 1-ro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do, Koros Plaza / Hours: Daily 16:00–24:00, closed every Monday / Parking: Free underground parking in the building

The restaurant has a bright feel with pub-style tables, and even on a weekday evening it was nearly full with people already eating — a natural sign of a proven local favorite.

Outdoor deck seating at Suamgol Jjokgalbi Maeul

Suamgol Jjokgalbi Maeul Ansan Hanyang University Station Branch also has outdoor seating — not tables plopped right on the sidewalk, but ones set up on the store's own deck with a fence around it, so it felt like an outdoor dining experience while still being tidy. It was already full though, so we couldn't sit there!!!

The jjokgalbi aging in the fridge — the sheer volume was satisfying just to look at, haha.

Menu and how to order your jjokgalbi

The menu was neatly organized into grilled dishes, meals, and drinks — I liked how focused it was on jjokgalbi!!!

You order via a kiosk at the table, and pay at the counter on your way out. We ordered 3 servings of salt jjokgalbi and the nostalgic lunchbox.

Self-bar side dishes and the free sundubu-jjigae

After we ordered, they set out banchan (side dishes), and there was also a self-bar to check out — besides the served banchan, there were garlic scape salad and baek-kimchi (white kimchi), so I grabbed some.

When you order jjokgalbi, they give you free sundubu-jjigae (soft tofu stew) — it was spicy and refreshing, and delicious.

The retro lunchbox you shake before eating

Old-school lunchboxes are best shaken, so I asked my husband to shake it for me — while saying "gotta be careful shaking this one," he spilled kimchi juice all over his pants, and while he was wiping it off with a wet wipe, the owner thoughtfully handed him stain remover so he could clean it right up.

After mixing it well with a spoon and taking a bite, the sweet-and-sour stir-fried kimchi gave it a moist kimchi fried rice flavor — it was delicious.

How did 3 servings of salt jjokgalbi taste?

The 3 servings of jjokgalbi were really generous — no gamey smell at all, just a savory aroma rising up, which made it clear why the place was so popular.

They even set up a folding side table so we could eat comfortably — the staff were so kind that it put us in a great mood. Thanks to them, we had a really pleasant meal!!!

Since it comes already cooked, you can eat it right away, or just reheat it briefly on the grill if it's cooled off — that's what they told us, so we put a little bit of jjokgalbi on the grill at a time.

I took a bite — the pork ribs had no gamey smell at all, chewy and savory and delicious.

Best side dish pairings with salt jjokgalbi

Eating it together with the pickled garlic scapes gave it a tangy, slightly sharp kick that was the flavor highlight — it left my mouth feeling refreshingly clean, which I liked.

The crunchy, salty pickled onions had a cool, cleansing taste that I also enjoyed.

The membrane part attached to the rib bone is quietly delicious and savory, so I'd definitely recommend scraping it off carefully and eating it too.

The green onion kimchi had a nice tangy, refreshing flavor, so I tried wrapping some jjokgalbi in it — sure enough, it boosted the savory depth and paired really well.

Eating it together with the old-school lunchbox was like a delicious kimchi fried rice loaded with pork — the savory flavor exploded and filled my mouth wonderfully.

The nicely browned garae-tteok (rice cake) was chewy yet soft and delicious — looks like you get one rice cake per serving of jjokgalbi. Cute, haha.

Service at Suamgol Jjokgalbi Maeul and the ice cream on the way out

As the sundubu was reducing down, a staff member thoughtfully poured in more broth. When I accidentally dropped my chopsticks, they noticed right away and brought over a fresh pair — that touched me.

The garlic scapes had a lovely sharp garlicky aroma with a nice crunch — eating them together with jjokgalbi felt like eating pork belly with garlic, a great combination.

This piece of jjokgalbi looked just like an arrow shape — this one's my soulmate, haha.

For the last bite, I ate it together with the soft tofu from the reduced-down sundubu-jjigae — the spicy, savory tofu wrapped around the meat in a soft, savory way that I loved.

A fun touch to the end — as we left, they gave each of us an ice cream. We walked out sucking on a Screwbar and ended the meal on a refreshing note. If you're looking for a great jjokgalbi restaurant, I recommend Suamgol Jjokgalbi Maeul Ansan Hanyang University Station Branch!!!