Munjeong-dong patio Korean BBQ and jeotgal fried rice: Minari Naengsam

Hi, it's Sudari, your travel and food blogger :D

Here's the info on Minari Naengsam, a Korean BBQ restaurant in Munjeong-dong.

• Hours: (Mon–Fri) 15:00–24:00 / (Sat) 15:00–23:30 / (Sun) closed
• Location: 1st floor, C-dong, M-State, Munjeong Station
• Parking: O (2.5 hours free at underground parking lot)
• Groups O / Pets X / Free corkage O

As a meat lover, I have a soft spot for pork belly naengsam (frozen thin-sliced pork belly)! I'd heard about this Munjeong-dong BBQ spot at M-State with great reviews and long waits, so I went to check it out. Unlimited minari refills, free corkage, and outdoor seating when it's cool out—so many perks that it's no wonder there's a wait whether it's a weekday or Saturday. To dodge the crowd, I made sure to go on an early weekday evening for a meat date with my husband. Here's my review 🐾

How to get to Minari Naengsam in Munjeong-dong

Minari Naengsam is on the first floor of C-dong at M-State near Munjeong Station, connected underground to the station itself. So even on a rainy day, I got there without a single drop of rain touching me. There are so many restaurants in the Munjeong legal complex that it can get confusing, but just follow along and you'll get there in no time!

Get off at Munjeong Station, head to the right of Exit 3 toward the Munjeong Culture Valley exit, take the escalator up, and enter through the door to the right of Coffee Bean.

Walk straight in and you'll see Hong Chef & Hwadeok; turn right there and you'll find the elevator. Get off on the 1st floor, turn left once, then right once, and Minari Naengsam appears!

The bright yellow retro sign really catches your eye, so it's easy to find. In cool spring and fall weather, they set tables outside, making it a great spot for outdoor BBQ near Munjeong Station.

Parking is free for up to 2.5 hours at the M-State underground parking lot, so it's perfect whether you come by public transit or drive.

Is there a wait at 5:30pm on a weekday? Inside Minari Naengsam

Minari Naengsam is a cozy spot with 12 tables for four, and I heard there can be a wait during peak hours. Even at 5:30pm on a weekday, this Munjeong BBQ restaurant was already about half full, and by the time we finished, a lot more guests had come in—glad we got there early haha.

It feels a bit like an indoor pojangmacha (street-food tent bar) with a retro atmosphere, but it's not tacky—it's hip retro through and through, making it a great spot for drinks too 👍 (and the drinks menu doesn't skimp on variety!)

Minari Naengsam menu and prices

There are plenty of naengsam spots, but at Minari Naengsam you get to enjoy fresh, fragrant minari with unlimited refills alongside the meat!

The meat is important, but the dessert menu is solid too, and there are dishes that work well as drinking snacks, so I'd also recommend it as a bar near Munjeong Station 👍

The drinks menu covers the basics—soju, beer, draft beer—plus bokbunja (black raspberry wine), makgeolli, yuja highball, Hallasan soju, Baekseju, Cheongha, and even a thoughtful non-alcoholic option for those who can't drink!!

A drinks lineup like this at a BBQ restaurant has to be top 1%!

I've been looking for non-alcoholic beer lately since I'm recovering from surgery, and they had Terra Zero, one of the best truly non-alcoholic beers made in Korea! (Kudos to the owner's good taste.) If it weren't for the surgery, I'd have ordered Hallasan soju with pork belly—so a bit of a shame.. ㅠㅠ

Minari-flower naengsam for two, minari pork jowl and the side dishes

We ordered minari-flower naengsam for two (₩29,800), minari cheek and jowl pork for one (₩13,900), and one domestic hairtail jeotgal fried rice (₩5,900).

As soon as we ordered the meat, the side dishes came out in full force—way more generous than other BBQ places! Lettuce, perilla leaves, scallion salad, kimchi, minari, and raw garlic, plus—remarkably—mustard leaf kimchi and green onion kimchi.

I personally love green onion kimchi, and this one was perfectly fermented—not mushy or too sour 👍

Naengsam is usually cut into squares, but here it's uniquely round. The portions for the minari-flower naengsam (2 servings) and minari cheek and jowl pork (1 serving) were just right for two people! Personally, the minari-flower naengsam was more tender and delicious, so if I come back, I'd order that as a base and add other menu items.

Eating it in different combinations was pure bliss! It was served so generously that I found myself wondering, "is the owner even making a profit?" haha

And the restaurant's signature sauce—a chogochujang (vinegared gochujang) and perilla seed sauce—cuts right through the naengsam's richness, keeping it delicious all the way to the last bite.

A golden, perfectly cooked slice of meat ❤️ (unbelievably good!!)

Unlimited minari refills and how the grill works

The grill itself has a weaker flame on the side where the minari and napa cabbage kimchi sit, so you don't need to fuss over them—they cook gently on their own. Minari gets tough if overcooked, but with the lower heat there, it stayed nice and crisp—perfect.

Good for your health and good on flavor, and unlimited minari refills to boot ❤️

Not your average pepper haha—they even have imported premium pepper, so sprinkle away!

Finishing with domestic hairtail jeotgal fried rice

Trying to decide what to finish with, I saw hairtail jeotgal (salted fermented fish)?? Interesting, I thought, and ordered the domestic hairtail jeotgal fried rice. They coat it generously in butter, which makes it even nuttier and more delicious.

A veteran staff member fried it up perfectly, making it taste even better!

They top it with a soft fried egg too

They mix it all in nicely, and the single serving was huge—plus, the distinct funk of the hairtail jeotgal really comes through, so I'd highly recommend this dessert dish to anyone who loves fermented seafood!

They even hand out candy—such a nice touch!

Is Minari Naengsam near Munjeong Station worth it?

• ✔ An impressive drinks lineup for the Munjeong area
• ✔ Munjeong-dong BBQ with side dishes so generous you'll wonder if the owner is breaking even
• ✔ A restaurant near Munjeong Station with unlimited minari and free corkage

Minari Naengsam is well worth the wait—definitely worth a visit if you're near Munjeong Station!