Jongno beef BBQ: grilling order for the ₩89,000 set for 3 at Yukrab

I had an after-work dinner in Jonggak with my younger sister and my husband. This time I went looking for a good beef place around Jongno 3-ga and ended up at Yukrab Jongno (육랩 종로점), close to Jonggak Station. There is a 3-person set that lets you try several cuts at once at a good price, so I thought it would suit first-timers too. It isn't a place where staff grill for you, so we grilled ourselves and chatted comfortably. Here is my review of trying the different cuts.

• Location: 42 Ujeongguk-ro 2-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 3rd floor, Yukrab
• Hours: weekdays 16:00-23:00 / weekends 15:00-23:00

What are the atmosphere and seating like at Yukrab Jongno?

Yukrab Jongno is decorated in black tones from the entrance all the way to the restroom, so it feels stylish. I had reserved ahead, and the first impression was a pass!

The seats are separated by partitions, so sound doesn't carry, and it felt moderately private without being stuffy.

Price and contents of the Yukrab 3-person mixed set

What we ordered at Yukrab Jongno was the mixed set for ₩89,000: 120g of jingalbisal (marinated short rib meat), 120g of sirloin, 120g of toshisal (skirt meat) and 230g of lamb chops. I had looked at the menu beforehand and decided on the 3-person set without any hesitation. Obviously a reserved table, haha.

Side dishes and small plates were already set out. You get kimchi, pickles and a variety of sauces for dipping the meat.

After we ordered, doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) came out too. It arrived bubbling, with zucchini, mushrooms and onion, a totally basic doenjang jjigae! It pairs perfectly with meat, of course. What we ordered was the ₩89,000 mixed set: 120g each of jingalbisal, sirloin and toshisal, plus 230g of lamb chops.

I thought the amount might be too small for three men, but it was fine for me.

Jongno 3-ga beef: in what order should you grill it?

At Yukrab Jongno, a staff member explains the order to eat the meat, and the meat came out already arranged by grilling order, starting from the inside with the lamb chops.

We started with the mild sirloin, enjoyed the jingalbisal and toshisal, and grilled the lamb chops last, savoring the flavor of each. It's so much fun!

Tips for grilling the vegetables, rice cake and cheese

The set comes with zucchini, sweet pumpkin, rice cake and grilled cheese, and getting the timing right for the cheese was harder than I expected. If you put it on the meat, the meat cooks faster, so in the end I set it on top of the vegetables and moved it around as I flipped them.

The best of the sides was the rice cake, of course! I loved the charcoal-grilled rice cake. The zucchini and sweet pumpkin were hard to time. Even sliced thin, they need longer than you'd think, and you have to keep the outside from burning. The stretchy cheese was rich and nutty even with the meat. Still, beef on its own was the best, haha.

Instead of a small plate, you can set the meat neatly on the mini stone plate to eat.

Eating one cut after another in order, the flavors seemed to flow together. Each cut cooks at a different speed, so good timing matters.

Is Yukrab Jongno a good company dinner spot near Jonggak Station?

Yukrab Jongno is a meat restaurant with plenty of after-work company dinner groups. The next table looked like coworkers out for a team dinner. Meat is the answer for a group dinner, after all. Grill the lamb chops on both sides, then call a staff member and they will remove the bones so it's easy to eat.

They told us lamb chops get tough if overcooked. We could compare the charm of each cut, which we would never have found had we ordered just one, and next time I think I'll order a lot of sirloin.

What was disappointing

The set is good value for the price, but the slightly disappointing part was the side dishes! If the seasoned dishes and pickles had been more fully ripened, I think they would have boosted the meat's flavor even more, haha.

For a second round, head to Jonggak's Youth Street

Since the meal was reasonably priced, we had carbs at a nearby beer place for round two, and it had been a while, so we had a proper date on Jonggak's Youth Street. At night, a cold beer at a street pub is romantic too, so if you plan your after-work route well, you get a full evening out!