Nowon Korean BBQ lunch with unlimited makgeolli: Junggye Gogi Party

A Junggye-dong Korean BBQ restaurant with unlimited makgeolli at weekday lunch

I visited Junggye Gogi Party Nowon Branch (중계고기파티 노원본점), a popular Korean BBQ spot in Junggye-dong, for its unlimited Kooksoondang makgeolli. I visited with a discounted meal voucher, and paid for any food beyond what was provided myself.

📍 Address: 6 Junggye-ro 12-gil, Nowon-gu, Seoul ✔️ Hours: 11:30 AM–10 PM ✔️ Break time: 3 PM–4:30 PM ✔️ Closed on Chuseok day, September 25 ✔️ Lunch special: choose one of charcoal-marinated steak pork neck (200 g), beef doenjang-jjigae (soybean paste stew), Pyongyang naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles), or steamed egg

🅿️ This Junggye-dong Korean BBQ restaurant has parking available. It looked as though around six cars could park out front.

There is even a puffed-rice snack machine at the entrance, and diners can have one after their meal. They do not run the machine on rainy days.

The interior was spacious with lots of tables, and it was fairly busy at lunchtime.

Along with the puffed-rice machine, they had homemade sikhye (sweet rice punch), too. I found it interesting that there was always something else to eat—literally, a place where various desserts welcome you. The sikhye was refreshing with ice floating in it.

They bring the basic side dishes first, then you can use the self-service corner. Its sanitizing system also looked thorough, so I got the impression that hygiene is taken seriously. At the entrance, I saw that it had been selected as a Nowon-gu exemplary restaurant, and seeing this level of care, I could understand why.

Kooksoondang makgeolli with a lunch meat order

Junggye Gogi Party Nowon Branch has run its unlimited makgeolli event since August 17. Those who order a lunch special, beef, or pork can enjoy it on weekdays from 11:30 AM to 3 PM. With a kettle and drinking cups set beside it, this was a great Junggye-dong spot for daytime makgeolli drinks.

My dad, a makgeolli enthusiast, was very satisfied with this unlimited refill event. When we opened the bottle to check, ice was floating inside, making it easy to drink. (It would be nice to hike Buramsan and then come for daytime drinks, too.)

Beef rib meat, Iberico pork jowl, and yukgaejang too

Let's look at the menu. Iberico black pork—pork jowl and pork neck—and beef were the main offerings. Prime sirloin (150 g) is available in a limited quantity each day. The lunch menu included tripe soup, yukgaejang (spicy beef soup), doenjang-jjigae, Korean beef gukbap, and naengmyeon.

A variety of basic side dishes came out, including seasoned bean sprouts, myeongi namul (pickled wild garlic leaves), ssam vegetables, and king oyster mushrooms. If you need more, you can use the self-service corner.

The premium set arrived, and I brought over some sikhye in paper cups, too.

The beef rib meat was just right grilled over charcoal. It was juicy and pleasantly chewy.

The bokbunja (Korean black raspberry) highball stood out for its nicely balanced sweetness and pretty color.

I enjoyed the bokbunja highball with chuck flap tail, which had a savory nuttiness.

I dipped the chuck flap tail in perilla-leaf salt and Himalayan pink salt.

My mom said she liked the butcher-shop restaurant atmosphere, and that you simply have to order yukgaejang at places like this, so she ordered a bowl.

The yukgaejang was mild rather than intensely seasoned, which was a surprising charm. It had plenty of glass noodles and bracken fern, and mixing rice into the broth left me feeling nicely full.

We added one serving of unmarinated beef rib meat and one serving of Iberico pork jowl.

The Iberico pork jowl was notable for its excellent marbling. It was so tender it felt as though it melted in the mouth. When the pork jowl fat drips onto the charcoal, the flame can suddenly flare up, so take care; once it is cooked to a good point, it seems best to move it to the side of the grill. If you are looking for a good Junggye-dong Korean BBQ restaurant for a family meal, give Junggye Gogi Party a visit!