Gangseo Korean BBQ restaurant for beef and lamb: Nokji Magok

It was birthday week, so I finally went back to Nokji Magok Main Branch! I used to come with a friend or on dates, but it was my first time visiting as a group of three—and it was lovely again. We narrowed the menu down to beef and lamb, so Nokji was the easy one-stop choice.

Nokji for dates and meals for three or four

Nokji works well for dates, of course, but also for meals with three or four friends. Let me show you around!

It is at 131, Building B, Queens Park Nine, 247 Gonghang-daero, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, South Korea, 80 m from Balsan Station Exit 9. It is open 16:00–22:00 Monday through Friday and 11:00–22:00 on weekends.

I definitely recommend making a reservation! Even on a weekday evening, it was full, including the reserved tables. Since this is a place where staff provide grilling service, there is a good chance there will not be a table if you just walk in. I recommend Catchtable or Naver Booking!

The Beef & Lamb Set for 3, with both beef and lamb

What we ordered that day was the 牛·羊 Beef & Lamb Set for 3. The banchan (Korean side dishes) included wasabi, herring roe, salt, white kimchi, shredded radish salad, and more—always so neatly presented. With one aged fresh short rib, 120 g of chuck flap, two shoulder racks, and two French racks, Nokji’s biggest strength is getting to enjoy beef and lamb together.

Sometimes you can get a little tired of eating just one kind of meat, right? Alternating between them made the meal fun right to the end. The shredded radish we had when things started to feel rich was delicious too!

• 牛·羊 Beef & Lamb Set for 3 ₩171,000
• Soju ₩6,000
• One bottle of corkage free

First, the aged fresh short rib had that deep, meaty aroma unique to aged beef, along with the savory richness of ribs. The chuck flap was memorable for its pleasantly chewy yet clean texture. There was plenty of fragrant minari (water dropwort), too.

The lamb comes as shoulder rack and French rack. The shoulder rack was thick, with a rich meaty aroma, while the French rack was tender and clean, making it easy to eat without feeling heavy. Even though both were lamb, it was fun comparing how the flavor and texture changed by cut〰️

Grilling service for every cut

Above all, Nokji is comfortable because the servers grill the meat for you. The biggest plus is being able to eat and chat without anyone having to hold the tongs the whole time..🔥

And I feel this every time I come: Nokji’s mashed potatoes might be the best.. sob sob. They are soft and savory, and go so well with the meat. The minari and onions were grilled just right too, perfect to eat with a piece of meat. You would miss the onions if they were not there, right?

Birthday mood with one free bottle of corkage

As someone who loves wine, I was very happy with the one free bottle of corkage too. We set a birthday mood with a bottle of wine that day, while my friend switched to soju. It was even nicer because everyone could comfortably drink what they liked. I did not know they had soju, but they also had highballs, wine, and a range of drinks.

I liked the seating too. Especially since they grill the meat themselves, you can eat every cut at its best doneness! They preserve the beefy aroma of the fresh short rib, while cooking the lamb golden on the outside and juicy within, so you can really appreciate the different charms of each meat.

I wondered how the three of us would sit, but beyond the counter seating, the tables also had a bit of a counter-like feel, so the atmosphere was nice.

Why is beef always so delicious.. ? Look at how perfectly it was grilled.

I have been to other branches too, but perhaps because this is the main branch, I was touched by how kind our server was. They grilled the meat attentively and made us feel comfortable, so the service stayed with me as much as the food.

If you are looking for beef in Magok or craving lamb ribs, and want to enjoy both beef and lamb comfortably in one place, I highly recommend Nokji! It is tastier than most beef restaurants.

The beef and lamb are both rich, and the service is smooth.