Ikseon-dong alley BBQ with 22 teams in the walk-in line: Meongseokjip

Today I went back to Ikseon-dong with my sister after a long while. With the weather turning cooler, it's the perfect time to enjoy the outdoor seating vibe there, so I got a recommendation for a good spot. It's a Jongno 3-ga BBQ place that's just right for this breezy weather. The side dishes were plentiful and tasty too, so we left completely full alongside the meat. Let's get into my review of Meongseokjip in Ikseon-dong!

Meongseokjip hours, parking and how to get there

• ⏰ Hours: Daily 12:00 - 23:55
• Reservations: Walk-in waiting only
• 🚘 Parking: Use nearby paid lots (no on-site parking)
• 🚌 Transit: 5-min walk from Jongno 3-ga Station (Lines 1, 3, 5), exit 4

The restaurant is located not far from exit 4 of Jongno 3-ga Station! The moment I got off the subway, delicious smells were already drifting from all directions. It's a neighborhood full of good restaurants tucked between alleys, so you can find it easily just by following the paths between shops.

Weekday 7pm wait at Meongseokjip: 50-minute estimate vs 2 hours

The most important thing here is the waiting! When I visited there didn't seem to be a way to reserve ahead, so I registered for a walk-in wait — you just put your name into the machine right in front of the store once you arrive. On a weekday at 7pm, there were 22 teams ahead of me and the estimated wait was under 50 minutes. But the actual wait ended up being around 2 hours 😥 The estimate and the real wait can differ a lot, so please keep that in mind!

My sister wanted to eat outside, so we sat at one of the outdoor tables. It definitely had that street BBQ atmosphere and the mood was great.

What we ordered at Meongseokjip, and does the staff grill for you?

My sister said she was starving, so we ordered quite a lot!

• 🥩 Meongseokjip Set ₩55,000
• 🥘 Brisket doenjang stew ₩7,000
• 🍚 Kimchi fried rice ₩7,000

They say ordering the Meongseokjip Set comes with a grilling service, but on the day I visited they seemed busy and didn't grill it for us separately! We grilled it ourselves and enjoyed it happily-!

The side dishes were bean sprouts, kimchi, garlic, and lettuce wraps! Since it's a stone plate, grilling the bean sprouts and kimchi on it made them really delicious.

Meongseokjip self-serve bar: green onion kimchi and sesame oil dip

There's a self-serve bar inside the store, so those who need extras can use it in the back. There's green onion kimchi (pajimuchi) at the self-serve bar that isn't provided by default, so if you like it, make sure to grab some!

Salt and sesame oil were also set out, so you can make your own dipping sauce too!

Under the table there were tissues, a bottle opener, and the menu, so even the outdoor seats were easy to use comfortably!

What comes in the 55,000-won Meongseokjip Set, and which sides to add

This is the Meongseokjip Set! Aged pork belly x2 and pork collar x1, three servings total. They gave us five chunks, each about the size of an adult's palm.

Next, the kimchi fried rice came out right away. It arrived wrapped in foil and we placed it straight on the stone plate to keep it warm. Outdoor BBQ mood... at its finest.

Here's the brisket doenjang stew! It came in a hot stone bowl and was a perfect match with the fried rice. A can't-go-wrong doenjang stew for a BBQ restaurant!

Everything we ordered had arrived! We grilled away happily on the stone plate. Sizzle, sizzle, get delicious! The great thing about a stone plate is you can grill kimchi on it too...!

With the sides plus the set menu, my sister and I got more than full! I'd recommend ordering a bit more generously rather than exactly matching the number of people-!

Perfectly grilled meat and a happy time…

Is Meongseokjip in Ikseon-dong worth the wait?

If you're deciding on an outdoor Korean BBQ spot around Jongno 3-ga or Ikseon-dong, Meongseokjip is worth checking out! It's a great outdoor BBQ pick whether you're going on a date or with friends ♥️