Yeongdeungpo Korean BBQ for minari pork belly: Smile Samgyeop
In short
Smile Samgyeop Main Branch is a Korean barbecue restaurant in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul, serving pork belly with generous amounts of minari and kimchi. I had the ₩34,000 two-person pork set and cold buckwheat noodles, plus grilled cheese from a reservation event; it is a satisfying stop for minari lovers.
Good to know
- Address
- 34 Gukjegeumyung-ro 8-gil, Oryun Building, 1F Units 108 and 109, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
- Hours
- Mon–Fri 12:00 PM–2:00 AM the next day; Sat–Sun 12:00 PM–midnight
- Parking
- Available
- Services
- Naver reservations, group bookings, and pets welcome
- Kimchi minari pork belly
- ₩34,000 for 2 servings
- Steamed rice
- ₩1,500
- Cola or cider
- ₩4,000 each
- Mul-naengmyeon
- ₩8,000
as written by the visitor on Sep 12, 2026
A hearty minari pork belly meal before the fireworks festival
The day I went to Yeouido to see the Seoul International Fireworks Festival! I thought I should eat something filling before the fireworks, so I looked for a Korean barbecue restaurant nearby. I already love minari, and it sounded delicious with pork belly, so I visited Smile Samgyeop Main Branch (스마일삼겹 본점).
I made a Naver reservation for 3:30 PM on Saturday and ordered two servings of kimchi minari pork belly and mul-naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles in broth). I also received Imsil grilling cheese through the reservation event and grilled it alongside everything else, haha.
A restaurant split between the first and second floors
The restaurant is divided between the first and second floors.
I thought it would be fairly quiet at 3:30 PM on a Saturday, but there were more guests than I expected. There were still plenty of empty tables, though, so we could eat comfortably without feeling crowded.
There were quite a lot of tables upstairs too. The space was bigger than I expected, so it looked like a good option for company dinners or group gatherings in Yeouido as well.
What we ordered and the complimentary sides
- Kimchi minari pork belly, 2 servings: ₩34,000
- Steamed rice: ₩1,500
- Cola or cider: ₩4,000 each
- Mul-naengmyeon: ₩8,000
And we received Imsil grilling cheese through the Naver reservation event, haha.
The basic sides included shredded scallions, wrap vegetables, ssamjang (seasoned soybean dipping paste), sesame oil sauce, and kimchi-jjigae (kimchi stew). The kimchi stew had a pleasantly spicy broth and big pieces of meat, so it was great to scoop up with steamed rice before the pork arrived!
Grilling the pork belly—and the splattering oil
The pork belly was moderately thick, and a staff member grilled it for us at first. They do not grill it from start to finish, so after that you can cook it yourself!
Perhaps because the pork belly had the skin attached, quite a lot of oil splattered while it cooked, haha.
It did not bother me too much, but if you dislike oil splatter, you might want to order regular pork belly or pork neck instead of the skin-on pork belly.
When the meat was nearly done, a staff member cut it into bite-size pieces and finally piled the grill high with minari.
It looked like a lot in the photos, but seeing it go on the grill in person, there really was so much minari. I already love it, so I was very happy that they were so generous with it, haha.
The combination of pork belly, grilled minari, and kimchi
I tried the pork belly with grilled minari and kimchi, and this was definitely the tastiest combination.
The meat was savory, while the aromatic minari cut through the richness. Add nicely grilled kimchi, and I just kept picking up all three together like they were a set!
The grilled cheese from the reservation event
We also grilled the Imsil grilling cheese we received through the Naver reservation event.
We cooked it a little longer until the outside was nicely browned. It was slightly chewy on the outside and savory and salty inside—honestly much more delicious than I expected. I do not usually go out of my way for grilled cheese at a barbecue restaurant, but if you get this through the event, definitely grill it too, haha.
I tried a bite with meat, minari, kimchi, and cheese all at once. It sounds like a lot, but everything actually worked surprisingly well together and tasted great, haha. If you receive the cheese, try it this way too!
A refreshing finish with mul-naengmyeon
To finish, we ordered mul-naengmyeon. The noodles were relatively easy to bite through rather than extremely chewy, but I like this kind of noodle too, so I enjoyed them. Finely chopped minari was sprinkled on top, and it went surprisingly well with the naengmyeon. The aroma suited it better than I expected, and the broth had that familiar mul-naengmyeon flavor, making it a refreshing way to finish after the meat.
Would I revisit Smile Samgyeop Main Branch in Yeouido?
What I remember most from Smile Samgyeop was, of course, the minari piled all over the grill, haha. There was a generous amount, and it was delicious with the skin-on pork belly and grilled kimchi. The complimentary kimchi stew also made the meal more filling than I expected. I think it is worth trying, especially if you love minari like I do. If I am eating meat in Yeouido again, I would be willing to come back!
There was also fabric deodorizer outside the restaurant, so you can give yourself a quick spray before leaving—such a thoughtful touch from the owner ☆☆
Where it is
34 Gukjegeumyung-ro 8-gil, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, South Korea서울특별시 영등포구 국제금융로8길 34 1층 108호, 109호
