Solo dining Korean BBQ in Hapjeong, single-serving pork neck: Ijjok

Drinking alone in Hapjeong, I stumbled on a pork restaurant that might be the best of my life. Ijjok Kimchi Samgyeopsal.

Hapjeong Station Korean BBQ, Seogyo-dong Korean BBQ

Ijjok Kimchi Samgyeopsal: address, hours and closing day

• Name: Ijjok Kimchi Samgyeopsal
• Address: 20 Dokmak-ro 3-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: 11:30–23:00 (varies by day)
• Closed: Every Sunday

How easy is solo drinking at this Hapjeong Korean BBQ?

Ijjok Kimchi Samgyeopsal rates 'low' on the solo-drinking difficulty scale. (A solo-drinking veteran's strong recommendation.)

I found this place by chance, walking alone on my way home from work, and it was full of old-school charm. Today I want to share my review of Ijjok Kimchi Samgyeopsal as a Korean BBQ spot near Hapjeong Station.

I was just passing by, but the atmosphere pulled me in like a spell.

Finding the basement entrance near Hapjeong Station

Ijjok Kimchi Samgyeopsal is down a flight of stairs to the basement, but the sign at the entrance is big enough that it wasn't hard to find.

Going in alone, I felt a little self-conscious and hesitant at first, but once inside I saw several tables of company dinner groups.

What I ordered at Ijjok Kimchi Samgyeopsal

• Pork neck
• Pork jowl
• Doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew)
• Rice
• Soju, beer

Can one person order a single serving at Ijjok?

Ijjok Kimchi Samgyeopsal lets solo diners order just one serving. The owner kindly let me know upfront that a single serving was fine even alone, which put me at ease.

I was already fairly full, so I started with just one serving, but it was so good I immediately ordered another. If you're visiting, I'd recommend just ordering two servings from the start.

The basic side dishes came out first, and after mixing soju and beer for a drink, I could feel the day's fatigue melting away.

The owner grills the pork neck for you

The owner grilled the pork neck at Ijjok Kimchi Samgyeopsal personally, and even though it's pork neck, it wasn't dry at all — soft, with juices bursting out.

I recently visited a place in Jeju Island famous for its pork, but I'd rank the pork neck here among the best pork I've eaten all year.

Pork jowl with grilled kimchi

The pork neck was so good I ordered pork jowl too — every bite burst with juice and a deep savory flavor. Wrapping it with grilled kimchi was a perfect match, clean and never greasy.

Finishing with doenjang jjigae and doenjang sul-bap

The doenjang jjigae had a comforting, homemade taste that I loved even more, and mixing rice into the leftover broth as doenjang sul-bap felt like it cleared away even the hangover.

Works for eating alone and for group dinners

If you're looking for a company-dinner spot near Hapjeong Station, Ijjok Kimchi Samgyeopsal is worth a visit.

It felt equally comfortable for a quick solo meal or for a group dinner with several people.

Ijjok Kimchi Samgyeopsal: the verdict

I recommend this to everyone from solo diners to dinner groups — both the pork neck and pork jowl were good enough to rank among the best pork of my life, and I say that with confidence. On top of that, the owner's kindness made it perfect.