Suwon Korean buffet with an 11am opening run and rice puffs: Boriook

This is a fantastic value restaurant near Mangpo Station. The menu is simple — just mackerel and pork bulgogi (gochujang or soy sauce) — but the spread on the table is anything but simple.

Boriook's menu: mackerel or pork bulgogi, and that's it

A Mangpo Station favorite for mackerel barley rice, Boriook is an all-you-can-eat Korean set meal restaurant in Suwon. It's at 99 Yeongtong-ro 200beon-gil, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, 1st floor.

The mackerel comes as half a fish per person, and the pork bulgogi portion is quite generous.

Banchan is self-serve; only rice and doenjang soup come to the table

At Boriook, only rice and doenjang (soybean paste) soup are served to you — everything else comes from the self-serve bar. You pick whatever kinds and flavors you like, in whatever amount you want.

I carried a plate and loaded up banchan on it, but the regulars grab a rice bowl, add extra rice, and pile the vegetables straight into the same bowl to make instant bibimbap. Respect!

How did the pork bulgogi and mackerel taste?

The pork has a good mix of lean meat and fat — more lean meat, but juicy and delicious. From the moment it's served, the smoky char aroma wafts out of the bowl. It's not really sweet or spicy — more lightly salty — so it's even better wrapped in lettuce or mixed into rice.

The mackerel is only a half fish, but it's meaty and a good size. The flesh is packed and not too salty, so it's good to eat even without rice.

What's on the self-serve banchan bar at Boriook

More on the self-serve bar at this Mangpo barley rice spot, a Suwon favorite for mackerel with barley rice.

The self-serve bar gets refilled diligently. There are several kinds of namul (seasoned vegetables) perfect for bibimbap, plus japchae (glass noodle stir-fry), braised tofu, and fritters — plenty of variety.

The japchae and braised tofu are kept moist and warm. The tofu is slightly spicy, but not overwhelmingly so — about as tasty as what you'd get from a good banchan shop.

There's sweet pumpkin, sweet potato, and chili pepper fritters, freshly fried and warm, so they're crispy and not too greasy. If you're not thinking about your diet, this is the kind of tasty you could eat a ton of.

The self-serve bar also has steamed cabbage, perilla leaves, green chili peppers, and acorn jelly, so you can eat it wrap-style too — healthy and tasty.

The rice served to you is on the small side, but barley rice and white rice can be refilled — they're at the self-serve bar.

The dessert rice puffs are seriously crispy

Coffee, plum tea, and rice puffs are set up for dessert. The dessert at this Mangpo barley rice restaurant is genuinely delicious. It's the kind of barley snack people go out of their way to buy, and it's better here than the ones sold at the supermarket.

Not a hint of sogginess — super, super crispy. And not too sweet, either.

Inside Boriook: seating and how to order

More on the interior of this Yeongtong favorite for barley rice and great-value dining.

The interior is very spacious. Most seats are for four, and groups can be accommodated too.

Baby chairs and disposable aprons are available. You order via tablet at the table, and pay at the counter.

What time does the wait start at Boriook?

Around 11am, right after opening, there were only a few customers, but from 11:30am onward, people poured in nonstop. There's a Catch Table waiting system at the entrance.

Dessert on Boriook's outdoor terrace

After finishing your meal, you can enjoy your dessert drink and treat at the table, but there's also an outdoor terrace. The view opens up wide in front, so on a cool day like this, enjoying dessert at an outdoor table rivals any café.

Parking at Boriook Main Branch

More on parking at this Suwon favorite for mackerel and all-you-can-eat barley rice.

Boriook's storefront sits set back a bit, so there's a small amount of space near the entrance. About six cars can park at the entrance. During peak hours, people sometimes double-park.

There's an ongoing event where you get free neobiani (Korean grilled beef) for writing a Naver review.

I heard the neobiani is tasty too, so give the review a try^^