Uijeongbu Korean BBQ restaurant with stone-pot rice: Cheonpo Hoegwan

Cheonpo Hoegwan Uijeongbu Main Branch (천포회관 의정부본점) is already a place I’ve visited N times. The pork belly is delicious, and so are the rolled beef slices, so I often end up here when I’m craving meat in Uijeongbu. Especially since the lunch-special bulgogi set is ₩12,000—not pre-stir-fried bulgogi, but plenty of meat and vegetables brought out for the grill, with stone-pot rice included—I’ve come several times, haha. But I was especially in the mood for pork belly that day, so I went back for pork belly for the first time in a while~~!

What is the atmosphere like at Cheonpo Hoegwan in New Uijeongbu?

Cheonpo Hoegwan Uijeongbu Main Branch is in the newer part of Uijeongbu, so it wasn’t difficult to find. Its tile-roof-style sign also stands out nicely from a distance~! Let’s head inside~!

Inside, it’s clean and comfortable overall. Even though I went a little after lunch, there were so many customers~~! There are quite a lot of seats, so it looked great for group gatherings too. I took some photos on the side without guests. It’s nice that there’s an area toward the back that feels separated off.

Even though it’s a BBQ restaurant, the smoke didn’t build up much, so the meal never felt stuffy. The tables are spacious too, making it seem like a good spot for family meals as well as group gatherings.

Just look at all these stone-pot rice pots. The stone-pot rice here is seriously delicious, so I ordered one again today. I’m already excited, haha.

And one reason I return here is that the staff are truly kind! They gave us a warm welcome as soon as we walked in, so we could start the meal in a good mood. They explained the banchan (Korean side dishes), told us there isn’t a self-service bar, and said to press the bell if we needed anything or felt uncomfortable, haha.

Why I also recommend the lunch bulgogi set

After looking over the menu, I ordered pork belly without hesitation that day. Honestly, pretty much anything here is tasty, so there’s no need to worry about picking the wrong thing, hahaha. If you can visit at lunchtime, though, I really want to strongly recommend the bulgogi set too~!

It comes with a generous serving of seasoned bulgogi and vegetables, including bok choy, plus stone-pot rice, so it’s really filling. At ₩12,000, it’s a great value, and it’s a menu item I’ve praised enthusiastically many times because it was so good, haha.

A hearty table from the side dishes onward

Cheonpo Hoegwan also gives you quite a substantial spread of side dishes. At the self-service bar, you can make and eat kimchi jeon (kimchi pancake) yourself, and a variety of dishes come with it, including plenty of ssam vegetables for wrapping, yukhoe (Korean beef tartare), and gangdoenjang (thick soybean paste dip).

I was happy with the spread—it felt like I could easily finish a whole bowl of rice just with the side dishes before even eating the meat.

Pork belly with kimchi and minari

Finally, the pork belly we ordered arrived, and the quality looked good at a glance~~! It was neither too thin nor too thick—the perfect thickness for grilling—so we put it on the grill and cooked it until nicely golden. When I tried it, it tasted clean with none of that characteristic pork smell; the outside was crisp while the inside stayed moist, bursting with juices. Definitely worth returning for!

Best of all, I loved that you can enjoy unlimited kimchi made with Korean Haenam napa cabbage and minari (water celery). Pork belly cooked just right with kimchi and minari was such a great combination. One piece of meat, then some minari, then kimchi—it was the kind of flavor that kept me reaching for more, and before I knew it, I was ordering refills again and again.

Cheonpo Hoegwan Uijeongbu Main Branch was a satisfying Uijeongbu pork-belly spot where you can enjoy quality ingredients and delicious meat at a comfortable price~!!

The stone-pot rice also comes out looking so appetizing with red rice, haha. With kind staff and a comfortable dining room, I’d recommend it for family meals or a gathering too. If you’re looking for a great pork-belly restaurant in New Uijeongbu, give it a visit :)