Ansan pork rib restaurant with sweet potato chip topping: Suamgol

Today's spot is a seriously hot meat restaurant near Hanyang University Station: Suamgol Jjokgalbi Maeul (수암골 쪽갈비마을).

Every time I walked past Suamgol Jjokgalbi Maeul, it was packed, so I'd always been curious. Now that I've actually been, I totally get why the wait is so long. For anyone planning a visit, let me give you the location and parking info first!

Where is Suamgol Jjokgalbi Maeul Hanyang University Station Branch, and where do you park?

The Ansan Hanyang University Station branch is at 370 Gwangdeok 1-ro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan, Gyeonggi, and the building has an underground car park. It sits near the Hanyang University Station rodeo street and shopping complex, so it's very easy to reach by public transport too!

That said, evenings get busy with cars and long waits, so I'd recommend taking public transport or using a nearby public car park if you can!

The wait and the atmosphere at this Hanyang University Station rib restaurant

As expected, there were a ton of people the moment I arrived! Luckily there's a separate tented waiting area in front of the restaurant, so waiting was comfortable.

The tented waiting space in front lets customers wait for their turn comfortably. Just seeing the row of red waiting chairs, you can feel the famous-restaurant vibe.

Inside, everything from the terrace-style seats to the tables in the back was full. It's lively yet homey, perfect for meat and a drink with friends, family or coworkers. (I snuck in a few photos of the restaurant once some customers had left!)

What are the basic side dishes and the self-bar like?

When you sit down, the basic spread is set on a round table, and you can fetch any extra side dishes from the self-bar.

Before the meat arrives, you get warm broth to settle your stomach, plus macaroni salad, pickled onions, scallion salad, radish wraps and other sides that go nicely with the ribs.

A self-bar with lids on: how hygienic is it?

Every dish at the self-bar had a lid on, which felt really hygienic. You can freely take more of whatever you run out of. Disposable gloves were well stocked, and the self-bar was kept very clean, so I used it without worry. Like the clever sign that says "Just don't leave leftovers," I took only as much as I could eat!

Seeing the meat in the aging fridge on one side, I could tell they care a lot about meat quality.

How do the sweet potato chip pork ribs taste?

The signature jjokgalbi (pork ribs) comes topped with crunchy, nutty sweet potato chips, so it passed on looks alone. When the ribs I'd been waiting for finally arrived, they were golden, seasoned and grilled, glossy and shiny enough to make my mouth water just looking.

I picked one up with the tongs and took a bite: crispy outside, still juicy inside, and really delicious. The seasoning isn't too heavy or sweet, it just clings to your mouth in a good way, so I never got tired of it and kept going.

There's the fun of tearing the meat off the bone, plus a subtle charcoal aroma, so the wait was definitely worth it.

The side dishes were all perfectly seasoned, flavorful and neat, and went really well with the main ribs.

Free ice cream after the meal

Suamgol Jjokgalbi Maeul gives each customer leaving one ice cream as dessert. On my way out, happy after the meal, I found they even had an ice cream service ready for guests! Finishing with cold ice cream kept me satisfied right to the end. I suspect thoughtful touches like this are why customers keep coming back.

Is this Hanyang University Station meat restaurant worth going back to?

If you're looking for a proper meat restaurant near Hanyang University Station, definitely stop by Suamgol Jjokgalbi Maeul! There's a bit of a wait, but the location is good and I was happy with both the food and the service. I'm 100% coming back!