Uijeongbu pork galbi restaurant with hexagonal side-dish tray: Manpo

Manpo Galbi in Yangju was so good that I decided to go on a Manpo Galbi pilgrimage. Off to Uijeongbu to find the Manpo Galbi main branch, a well-known spot for Uijeongbu restaurants — go!

Manpo Galbi is one of those Uijeongbu pork galbi spots people rave about, but it also had a menu I hadn't seen in Yangju: a ₩11,000 lunch special of galbi hot-pot rice served with neat little side dishes, and it was genuinely great.

And the biggest perk of Manpo Galbi — if you order meat, you get delicious water or spicy mixed naengmyeon as dessert. I left completely full.

Where is Manpo Galbi Uijeongbu Main Branch, and where do you park?

Manpo Galbi Uijeongbu Main Branch is on the 1st floor at 11 Beomgol-ro 145beon-gil, Uijeongbu-si, open daily from 11:00 to 23:00. It's walkable from both Uijeongbu Light Rail Station and Uijeongbu Station, so it's a solid choice if you're searching for restaurants near Uijeongbu Station. About 3 minutes from the light rail station, about 5 minutes from Uijeongbu Station.

Parking spaces set up on both sides of the restaurant

We drove there, and while there's no dedicated lot, there are parking spaces on both sides of the restaurant.

Inside Manpo Galbi Uijeongbu Main Branch, 17 years in one spot

Manpo Galbi Uijeongbu Main Branch has held its spot in Uijeongbu since 2009 — a longtime Uijeongbu galbi restaurant now in its 17th year at the same location.

Even though it's been around a long time, it's clearly well maintained — everything looked clean, and the interior was bigger than I expected.

There's also a private room on one side, which looked great for group gatherings.

The hexagonal wooden tray of side dishes, yukhoe included

What caught my eye first wasn't the meat but this! Isn't this so cute? A hexagonal tray I wanted to take home.

Instead of putting each side dish down separately, Manpo Galbi Uijeongbu Main Branch brings them all out together on a small hexagonal wooden tray, like a mini banquet table.

Why is this so pretty... The moment I saw it I thought, 'Oh, I want this!' haha. All the dishes are visible at a glance and it feels a bit special — an impressive first impression before the meal even started. I need to go shopping for a hexagonal tray. I love that retro vibe. Haha.

Japchae (stir-fried glass noodles), salad, pickles, and even yukhoe — the side dish lineup is neat and well put together. I especially love that Manpo Galbi includes yukhoe as a standard side dish.

Maybe that's why, even though it was a weekday lunch, a lot of tables were already having a drink with their yukhoe before the main food even arrived, haha. I came for Uijeongbu pork galbi and my mouth was already happy from the start.

What we ordered at Manpo Galbi

Our main order was 2 servings of handmade marinated galbi.

We ordered marinated pork galbi, the galbi hot-pot rice set, and pudding egg custard. Manpo Galbi Uijeongbu uses 100% galbi (rib meat).

Handmade marinated galbi: sweet sauce with charcoal smoke

Instead of just being sweet, the marinade had a nice balance with the aroma that comes from grilling over charcoal. I could see why this place keeps coming up when you search for pork galbi restaurants in Uijeongbu.

The 11,000-won galbi sotbap lunch set

But what really surprised me was the ₩11,000 lunch special! Available weekdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., it comes with galbi hot-pot rice, doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew), and side dishes.

When I opened the lid, I was surprised by how much galbi was packed in — way more than I expected.

The rice itself is cooked with various ingredients, almost like a nutrient rice bowl, and piled high with galbi on top, so this alone was pretty filling. Add the chadol (beef brisket) doenjang jjigae on the side and the satisfaction level shoots way up.

These days even an ordinary home-style meal runs around ₩10,000, so getting this much for ₩11,000 means I'd happily come just for this on a lunch visit. Especially if you're eating alone, or don't feel like grilling meat but still want something simple and filling, this is a solid lunch option near Uijeongbu Station.

Pudding-soft steamed egg

I also ordered the pudding egg custard I'd been wanting to try. Scoop it with a spoon and it's wonderfully soft and jiggly! Eating a bite here and there between pork galbi made for a great pairing.

Finishing with the free Hamhung-style naengmyeon

And that's not even the end. When you order meat at Manpo Galbi, you get free handmade Hamhung-style naengmyeon, with a choice of water or spicy mixed.

I hadn't found a good spicy mixed naengmyeon lately and was considering switching over to water naengmyeon for good, haha. But the spicy mixed one here was genuinely good!

Since it's a free dessert-style noodle dish, there was no egg or extra toppings, but I put a piece of pork galbi on top and ate it like yukssam naengmyeon (wrapped-meat noodles). The sweet flavor of the galbi with the spicy mixed noodles was a perfect combination. You can also order the water naengmyeon alongside, so if you're visiting with someone, picking one each to share is a great idea.

I went to the main branch after loving Manpo Galbi in Yangju, and this time the ₩11,000 galbi hot-pot rice set was the unexpected discovery. It's great whether you want to properly enjoy Uijeongbu pork galbi or just want a light, easy lunch. With pork galbi plus your choice of water or spicy mixed naengmyeon on top, if you're looking for Uijeongbu restaurants or restaurants near Uijeongbu Station, give this place a visit.