Gangnam Seoul Korean BBQ charcoal pork ribs: Yeontan Gongjang

I visited Yeontan Gongjang (연탄공장), known as a great place for pork ribs around Apgujeong Rodeo, with my boyfriend. The weather had turned cool that day, so I wanted to sit outdoors—and wow, Yeontan Gongjang was such an amazing outdoor-table spot.

You could feel the vibe of this atmosphere-packed place right from the entrance..! I went in with such high expectations.

Yeontan Gongjang Basic Information

• Hours: 16:00–24:00
• Location: 8-minute walk from Exit 5 of Apgujeong Rodeo Station
• Parking: Not available

What Is the Old-School Outdoor Seating Like?

I fell for the old-school atmosphere the moment I walked inㅠㅠ Ah, it was so nice~ Such a great outdoor-seating vibe.

It was already famous for its outdoor seating, so even though we arrived before 6 p.m., there were lots of people. After 6, it was almost completely full~

Luckily, there was a table, so we were seated here~ The people on both sides were already getting pleasantly tipsy.

These are indoor seats, so you can visit even if you do not want outdoor seating, but this place is definitely all about the outdoor atmosphere. I think sitting outside would be better.

The roof can be closed if it rains, so sitting outside seemed totally fine. In the middle of our meal, they suddenly closed and reopened it—maybe it was part of the performance?

Meat and Bar Snack Menu

The menu is divided into meat, meals, and drinks. The meat options include pork king ribs, beef rib meat, pork neck, pork belly, pork jowl, and pork skin. Most of the meal items were soups and whelks that would be great as drinking snacks. They also have non-alcoholic drinks, so it seems like a nice place even if you only want the outdoor vibe.

There is a menu posted on the wall like this, and they also give you a menu when you sit down. Does not that posted menu already feel wonderfully old-school?!

Ordering Beef Rib Meat and Pork King Ribs

• 1 serving beef rib meat
• 2 servings pork king ribs
• 2 beers and 1 soju

Once you sit down, the owner puts on a fire show for you hahaha. He does it while saying, “Disinfecting~,” and I think it is kind of this place’s own little performance.

As befits a charcoal factory, charcoal goes underneath the grill haha. It had been such a long time since I had seen charcoal!

These are the complimentary kimchi, bean sprouts, and dongchimi (radish water kimchi). The bean sprouts were spicier than I expected, and they were delicious with the meat.

Hehe, the drinks we ordered right away~ Drinks are self-service, so you can grab them directly from the drink fridge. Beer is ₩7,000 and soju is ₩6,000..!

Charcoal-Grilled Beef Rib Meat

First up was the beef rib meat~ At ₩29,000 per serving, it is not cheap, but I ordered it because I wanted beef ribs.

Ta-da, maybe because it was charcoal, it browned up so quickly.

Was it the charcoal? Or was the meat just that good? The beef rib meat was delicious and full of juices. Beef really is so good haha.

The drinks went down so easily too~ It had been a while since I had somaek (soju-and-beer mix), and as expected, adding soju got me tipsy fast haha.

Sweet Pork King Ribs

Next came the pork king ribs~~ It seems like this place is known for them, so I ordered them right away.

It had been such a long time since I had eaten pork ribs, and the sweet marinade was perfect with beer.

The meat was tender, and it was delicious both with the sauce they gave us and wrapped with ssam (leaf wraps) and bean sprouts!

My boyfriend worked hard grilling it~ He said the atmosphere was so good that if he came with friends, they would probably end up completely drunk hahaha.

Why I Recommend It for Outdoor Seating Around Apgujeong Rodeo

For anyone looking for outdoor seating and an old-school restaurant around Apgujeong or Apgujeong Rodeo, this place has an incredible atmosphere!! The meat is good and there is a wide range of drinking snacks, so I think it is just right for a date or a visit with friends.