Paju lamb skewer restaurant with guobaorou: Sannaemaeul Yang Kkochi

There is a place my daughter recommended after visiting before, saying the lamb skewers were delicious. It is Sannaemaeul Yang Kkochi in Unjeong's Sannaemaeul neighborhood. I kept thinking I should try it someday, then finally stopped by when I had business in Paju this time.

When we arrived, there were already quite a few guests inside. We could not get in right away, so we waited briefly before getting a table. It was an ordinary dinner hour, but guests kept coming in, so I thought this might already be a well-known lamb skewer spot in the neighborhood.

Once inside, the restaurant was spacious and had more tables than I expected. There really were a lot of guests, too.

Sannaemaeul Yang Kkochi signature dishes and our order

• Lamb skewers ₩15,000
• Lamb rib meat skewers ₩17,000
• Mala lamb skewers ₩16,000
• Premium lamb ribs ₩33,000
• Guobaorou ₩22,000
• Malatang ₩15,000
• Mala xiang guo ₩25,000
• Stir-fried lamb rib meat ₩25,000

We ordered the two-person lamb skewer set.

Lamb skewers grilled right over charcoal

The first thing that caught my eye inside was the charcoal brazier installed at every table. It definitely felt different from an ordinary barbecue restaurant; you place the lamb skewers over the charcoal and grill them yourself, so it is fun to watch as well.

As soon as the lamb skewers arrived, the portion seemed decent and the meat looked to be in good condition.

Once we put the lamb skewers and the other cut of skewers over the charcoal, they quickly began to sizzle and cook. Lamb skewers really are best grilled right over charcoal. The outside browned nicely while the inside stayed juicy and tender. The distinctive smell is what I pay the most attention to when eating lamb, but the skewers we had that day had almost no gamy odor, so they were easy to enjoy.

The peanuts, zhacai (pickled mustard stem), and shredded radish served as side dishes went well with the lamb skewers. Several kinds of seasoning were set out on the table, too, so we could dip them however we liked. The zhacai was especially good, so I went and got more from the self-service bar.

It is hard to leave out a glass of Tsingtao or soju with lamb skewers. That day too, we pulled off a skewer whenever the meat cooked and raised a glass. I was drinking water, but I was jealous of the people drinking, haha. The drinks would go down so smoothly.

The rib meat skewers, freshly threaded, were fresh too.

Cheers to lamb skewers!!

Guobaorou was as memorable as the lamb skewers

And the guobaorou was just as memorable as the lamb skewers that day. Thick pieces of meat had a crisp coating, all brought together with a sweet-and-sour sauce. The coating was not soggy at all and kept its crunch, so I kept reaching for it. We went for lamb skewers but left thinking about the guobaorou, so I think I would order this again on my next visit. I recognize it as a great guobaorou spot.

The lamb skewers were a solid basic, too.

The complimentary stir-fried mung bean sprouts were delicious as well. The sprouts stayed crisp and had a slight kick, making them good to have between bites of rich meat.

More than anything, the owner was so kind that I felt good throughout the meal. It could have been hectic with so many guests, but they took good care of what we needed. Once I tried it myself, I understood why my daughter had said it was delicious after her earlier visit.

An Unjeong lamb skewer meal that worked for a family dinner

The lamb skewers themselves at Sannaemaeul Yang Kkochi were satisfying, but adding guobaorou and stir-fried mung bean sprouts made for a very filling meal. It was good for a family meal out and also a nice place to enjoy lamb skewers with a drink. There were really many families dining out on the weekend. I would be willing to visit again whenever I crave lamb skewers in Unjeong. I especially want to recommend the lamb skewer and guobaorou combination.

Visitor information

• Hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 15:30–01:00 the following day
• Regular closure: Every Monday
• Parking: Basement parking in the building available
• Takeout, delivery, and group visits available