Yeongdeungpo Korean BBQ with grilled fresh ribs: Choryang Saenggalbi

A Yeongdeungpo-gu Office Station Korean BBQ restaurant that needed a reservation even on a weekday evening

I visited Choryang Saenggalbi (초량생갈비) near Yeongdeungpo-gu Office Station on a weekday evening. Doesn’t the name alone just sound like a fresh-rib specialist? 😆 And the result!! I was completely satisfied!

Exterior

The sign and exterior were so clean and neat~ Even on a weekday evening, it was seriously packed! I had reserved in advance, so I could sit down right away, but without a reservation I’m sure I would have had to wait. You all know it: reservations are everything 😉

An interior full of diners

Inside, the drum stools and stainless-steel tables gave it a cool, hip feel. It was full at dinner time, and seeing everyone happily grilling meat made me want to eat right away too, haha.

Set A and the brisket doenjang sulbap swap

Menu

I looked carefully at the menu! I ordered Set A. Fresh ribs (200g) + flower pork jowl (100g) + emperor cut (100g) + kimchi stew + cheesy steamed egg came to ₩50,000, and here’s a little tip: you can swap the kimchi stew for brisket doenjang sulbap (fermented soybean-paste rice soup) for two. For only an extra ₩10,000! Of course I made the swap. It really was the best decision later on!

The charcoal grill set with the meal laid out

The grill here was really unusual. They use a custom-made cast-iron grill! It sits over charcoal, and the gentle glow of the red coals already made it a visual feast.

House-made side dishes💕

They said the side dishes that go so well with the meat are made in-house, and the green-onion kimchi was so, so delicious that I nearly scraped the bowl clean, haha.

Fresh ribs, flower pork jowl, and emperor cut grilled by the staff

Set A: fresh ribs, flower pork jowl, and emperor cut

This was our meat spread! From the fresh ribs to the flower pork jowl and emperor cut, it looked fresh from the color alone. Mushrooms and Cheongyang chili peppers came with it too, perfect for grilling alongside.

Here’s the point I absolutely loved! The staff grill the meat for you. I didn’t have to worry about grilling at all. I could just sit and chat, and they cooked everything perfectly and deliciously. Isn’t that service the best? I think places like this are so convenient and nice for dates or get-togethers 👍

Look at it browning so beautifully! Just seeing all those juices made my mouth water already. The mushrooms and peppers were getting nicely browned too.

The meat cooked this perfectly! The set included fresh ribs, flower pork jowl, and emperor cut, and personally, I thought the fresh ribs were unbelievably good. There was a reason the restaurant is called Choryang Saenggalbi! They were tender, full of juices, and totally lived up to it.

Here was another round of grilled meat, all set out. The garlic and meat aromas together were incredible from the smell alone ㅜㅠㅠ

The house-made side dishes went so well with the meat too! Among the dishes they make themselves, the green-onion kimchi was especially delicious. It was tangy and savory, and with the meat it cut through the richness right away.

Wrapping meat, ssamjang (seasoned soybean paste), and green-onion kimchi in a perilla leaf and eating it in one bite was such a perfect combination! This kind of fun is what makes a real BBQ restaurant, haha.

The pork jowl had the perfect fat and chew💕

Brisket doenjang sulbap that I truly want to recommend

Now comes the menu item I really, really want to recommend: brisket doenjang sulbap! I’d been craving doenjang jjigae since the day before, and when I spotted this on the menu, I ordered it immediately. 🥹 It was piled high with enoki mushrooms, Cheongyang chili peppers, and sliced beef brisket! Doesn’t it make your mouth water just looking at it? The appearance alone was honestly amazing.

As it boiled, the color deepened, and you can probably tell just from this photo how rich and deep the flavor would be, right? The rice and alcohol came together as it turned into a thick, hearty dish.

We ladled it into individual bowls like this, and the taste was truly impressive too! It was a rich doenjang sulbap that no Korean could refuse, yet never felt greasy. It was the kind of flavor that kept pulling you back for another bite. It was so good that a drink with it would feel like an instant hangover cure, so I sincerely recommend the brisket doenjang sulbap! I actually couldn’t drink that day and only sipped soda, but if I could have, I think I would have knocked back a few somaek (soju-and-beer) drinks without hesitation. The atmosphere and food were both so good that not being able to drink was a real shame 😂

Cheesy steamed egg and table-specific tongs service

Lastly, the cheesy steamed egg! It arrived filled to the brim in a ttukbaegi (earthenware pot); look at that visual. The top was browned like brûlée, while the inside was full of fluffy steamed egg.

When I scooped it with a spoon, the cheese stretched like this, and it was so soft, nutty, and delicious! It was also perfect for clearing the palate between bites of meat.

This is a different point, but at BBQ restaurants where staff grill for you, they sometimes carry one pair of tongs around from table to table, and I find that a little uncomfortable ㅠㅠ At Choryang Saenggalbi, though, they use the tongs and scissors assigned to each table, which I loved 🫶 They are truly thoughtful, and the service is great!!