Hapjeong rib BBQ for two at opening: smoky chicken feet, Champpoppo

Champpoppo Jjokgalbi in Hapjeong: can an opening rush get you straight in?

My friend and I showed up right at opening time at Champpoppo Jjokgalbi Hapjeong Branch (참뽀뽀쪽갈비 합정점), and we were the third party in, haha! I'd walked past this area in Hapjeong before and saw so many people that I got curious. It was so crowded then that I told myself I had to come back. So this time I went all out with an opening rush! Popular places really do make you get up early, don't they? Here's my honest review of the soy ribs, seasoned ribs, pork skirt meat and chicken feet.

If you like pork ribs, this is a place you'll probably be curious about at some point. I'd seen it packed last time and came with high hopes, so this time I timed it for opening.

When we arrived there were only about three parties ahead of us, so we got a seat fairly comfortably, haha. It's a nice spot in Hapjeong for chatting with a friend over meat. And ribs are fun because you pick them up and gnaw on them by hand. I came with an empty stomach, determined to eat properly!

Even for two, the first order starts at 3 portions

At Champpoppo Hapjeong, the first order has to be at least 3 portions. We were just two, but there were several things we wanted, so we ordered 2 portions of soy ribs and 1 portion of seasoned ribs. It actually worked out well because we got to try both soy and seasoned, haha.

What side dishes come with the meal?

The basic sides were corn, sliced potato, salad, water kimchi (mild chilled kimchi in broth), coleslaw, onion and three sauces. While we waited after ordering, the sides were set out one by one. I thought it would be just ribs, but there was more to go with them than I expected. The corn caught my eye first! When you eat meat, a corn-cheese-style side makes your hand keep going back to it, haha. Three slices of potato also came out, which looked good for grilling alongside the meat.

Then there were the salad, water kimchi, coleslaw and onion.

Three sauces came out too. I liked that they give you a variety so you can dip the meat to your own taste.

Chicken porridge at a BBQ restaurant: how was it?

What stuck with me among the basics was the chicken porridge (dak-juk). It felt a little odd to get chicken porridge at a meat restaurant.

One bite and it was nutty and soft, easy to eat. It's not harsh and it's warm, so it soothes your stomach before you start grilling. I kept going back for spoonfuls while waiting for the ribs, haha. After tasting the sides one by one, it was finally time to grill the ribs!

Soy ribs first, sizzle sizzle!

We grilled the soy ribs first. Time to really dig in! For ribs, you have to put on the gloves first, haha. Gloves on, we started grilling the soy ribs.

Watching the ribs turn golden brown on the grill, I could hardly wait. I liked them from the start: the marinade had soaked in well and they looked delicious as they cooked. Mini pork skin also came out as a little taster alongside the ribs, and that was a treat too!

Finally, a bite of well-cooked soy rib! Oh, it was good, haha. The salty-sweet flavor of the soy marinade went really well with the meat, and the golden browned parts added a lightly charred taste. Part of the fun of ribs is holding the bone and tearing the meat off. With gloves on, picking them up one by one, it really felt like eating ribs.

Soy ribs vs seasoned ribs: if you could only pick one?

Both soy and seasoned were tasty, but if I have to pick just one, I recommend the soy ribs! Now that I'd enjoyed the soy ribs, it was the seasoned ribs' turn! I was curious which flavor I'd like more, so I ordered both from the start. The seasoned ribs were good too, haha.

If the soy ribs had a salty-sweet charm, the seasoned ribs were better for enjoying a stronger marinade flavor. Even with the same ribs, the feel changes with the sauce, so alternating was fun. If we'd ordered only one flavor I'd have wondered about the other, so I was glad we split the order. Both are good, but if I must choose one, I recommend soy!

Adding pork skirt meat and chicken feet

It felt like a shame to stop at ribs, so we also ordered pork skirt meat (galmaegisal) and chicken feet. I'd planned to focus on ribs, but as we ate I got curious about the other dishes, haha.

Sweet pork skirt meat

First, the skirt meat! The texture is different from the ribs, so it was nice for switching things up midway.

It had a sweet marinade flavor and the meat itself was good too, haha. It has a different charm from the ribs, so it was great to alternate. The gentle sweetness suited my taste, so I enjoyed the skirt meat a lot!

Chicken feet with a strong fire flavor

And we ordered chicken feet too! The moment I ate them there was a strong smoky fire flavor, and they were delicious, haha. Thanks to that smokiness the flavor was great, with a different charm from the ribs. I was glad we tried skirt meat and chicken feet too. Getting to enjoy several dishes together made it even more satisfying!

We tried a bit of everything, from ribs to skirt meat to chicken feet, and overall we ate well. Ordering several dishes instead of just one made it fun to compare tastes with my friend, haha.

Honest review of Champpoppo Jjokgalbi Hapjeong Branch

I'd been curious about Champpoppo Hapjeong because it was so crowded last time, and this time I went for the opening rush and ate happily, haha. We were the third party in, so you really feel how popular it is. We tried both soy and seasoned ribs, and it was nice to enjoy so much variety, from mini pork skin to skirt meat and chicken feet.

Personally, the soy ribs and the pork skin stayed with me, and the seasoned ribs were good too, so I was glad we ordered both. I also liked getting chicken porridge, several side dishes and sauces. If I visit again, I'd happily reorder what we had this time.

If you're looking for a good BBQ spot near Hapjeong Station, put Champpoppo Hapjeong Branch on your list! It's a fun place for gnawing ribs by hand and enjoying several meat dishes together, and a good pick for a day when you want tasty meat with a friend :)

Champpoppo Jjokgalbi Hapjeong Branch: info

• Address: 77 Yanghwa-ro 6-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea (1st floor)
• Hours: Mon–Thu 17:00–24:00, Fri–Sun 17:00–01:00 (next day)
• Last order: Mon–Thu 23:00, Fri–Sun 00:00
• Amenities: Groups welcome, Wi-Fi, reservations available
• Ordering tip: First order must be at least 3 portions