Seongsu K-BBQ Trail: 8 Best Korean BBQ Restaurants in Seoul

Seongsu-dong (성수동) isn't just Seoul's trendiest neighborhood for popup stores and design cafes — it's quietly become one of the city's most serious Korean BBQ (K-BBQ) destinations. Within a 15-minute walk of Seongsu Station (Line 2), you'll find everything from Michelin Bib Gourmand-listed pork belly to 1+ grade Hanwoo beef served in restored warehouse spaces.

What makes the Seongsu K-BBQ scene special is the concentration of concept-driven meat restaurants. Chefs here obsess over aging techniques, charcoal sources, salt quality, and knife cuts. Many restaurants belong to the "staff grills for you" category (직원구이), meaning a trained server cooks your meat to perfect doneness — ideal for first-time K-BBQ visitors who don't want to second-guess timing.

This guide organizes the 8 best Korean BBQ restaurants in Seongsu into three tiers: premium hanwoo and aged-meat spots, classic samgyeopsal standouts, and unique concepts you won't find anywhere else in Seoul. Most are walking distance from each other, so you can build a whole dinner-and-drinks itinerary without ever hailing a cab.

Premium Hanwoo & Aged Meat

Seongsu's high-end meat scene is compact but stacked. Expect per-person spends of ₩80,000–150,000+ — these are celebration dinners, anniversary meals, and serious foodie pilgrimages.

1. Seouloin Seoul Forest (서울로인 서울숲)

If you're doing one splurge K-BBQ dinner in Seongsu, make it here. Seouloin specializes in 1+ grade Korean Hanwoo beef aged in-house, served at a quiet restaurant overlooking Seoul Forest. The standout order is the Special Tasting Set — a curated selection of cuts (chadolbaegi brisket, galbi, tenderloin) that lets you taste the full range of Hanwoo marbling. Staff grill everything tableside, explaining each cut's flavor profile.

The ambience leans refined and date-night appropriate; reservations are strongly recommended, especially for weekend dinner slots. Expect ₩100,000–160,000 per person with drinks. From Ttukseom Station (Line 2) Exit 8, 7-minute walk toward Seoul Forest. Pro tip: Request the garden-view seats if available.

2. Ilmirack Seongsu (일미락 성수)

Ilmirack occupies a restored red-brick warehouse and serves koji-fermented aged pork that pushes the boundaries of what pork belly can taste like. The aging process concentrates umami and tenderizes the meat into something closer to prosciutto than standard samgyeopsal. Order the aged samgyeopsal tasting and let the staff grill it over binchotan charcoal.

The warehouse interior is Instagram famous and a magnet for Korean celebrities — you may spot a K-pop idol on a date night. Reservations essential (book 1–2 weeks ahead via Catch Table or Naver). Expect ₩80,000–110,000 per person. From Seongsu Station Exit 2, 6-minute walk. Pro tip: Try the truffle cold noodles (truffle mul-naengmyeon) as a palate cleanser between cuts.

3. Ggupdang Seongsu (꿉당 성수)

A Michelin Bib Gourmand entry that earned its reputation through absurd attention to detail — each table has a dedicated grill-master, binchotan charcoal is imported, and the signature moksal (pork neck) is served with a small spoonful of caviar. The truffle noodles and aged samgyeopsal round out the greatest-hits menu.

The space is intimate (maybe 20 seats total), which makes booking competitive. Expect ₩70,000–90,000 per person. From Seongsu Station Exit 4, 5-minute walk. Pro tip: Go early — they often open at 5 PM and tables fill by 6:30. No walk-ins on weekends.

Classic Samgyeopsal Standouts

The heart of K-BBQ culture: unpretentious, gas-grilled, crack-a-soju dinners at fair prices. Per-person spends here usually land at ₩25,000–45,000. These are the spots where locals actually eat on a Tuesday night.

4. Hanam Pig House Seongsu (하남돼지집 성수)

The foreigner-friendly pick. Hanam Pig House is a well-established chain with a consistent, approachable samgyeopsal experience and an English menu available at the Seongsu location. Staff grill the pork belly for you, flip it at the right moment, and cut it into bite-size pieces — perfect if you're nervous about grilling for the first time.

Order the Deluxe Pork Belly Set and add the kimchi stew (kimchi jjigae) to share. Expect ₩25,000–35,000 per person with soju. From Seongsu Station Exit 2, 4-minute walk. Pro tip: Avoid peak dinner (7–9 PM) on weekends — the wait can hit 45 minutes.

5. Hyojadong Mokgogi Seongsu (효자동목고기 성수)

Hyojadong specializes in thick-cut pork belly grilled over real charcoal — a rarity in central Seoul, where gas grills dominate. The signature cut is hyojadong-style samgyeopsal, sliced about 1.5x thicker than standard, which gives it a dramatic bite and a juicier center. The charcoal smoke adds a depth you simply cannot get from a gas burner.

Sides are minimal but well-executed: crisp cabbage kimchi, raw garlic, and salted sesame oil for dipping. Expect ₩28,000–40,000 per person. From Seongsu Station Exit 3, 6-minute walk. Pro tip: The ssamjang here is house-made — ask for extra.

6. Seokam Fresh Salt-Grilled Seongsu (석암 생소금구이 성수)

Seokam takes a pure-ingredient approach: unseasoned samgyeopsal grilled on heated stone plates with just a sprinkle of sea salt. No marinade, no sauce — just the pork's natural flavor amplified by salt and stone heat. It's a minimalist cut that rewards good-quality pork, and Seokam's sourcing is reliably excellent.

The jjapagetti kit (Chapagetti instant ramen turned tableside with grilled pork scraps) is a must-add — the black bean noodles soak up the pork fat and become something magic. Expect ₩26,000–38,000 per person. From Seongsu Station Exit 3, 8-minute walk. Pro tip: Great for groups — the stone plates can handle large portions quickly.

Unique Concepts You'll Only Find in Seongsu

The experimental tier. These are restaurants whose signature techniques push K-BBQ into unfamiliar territory — frozen pork belly shaved to paper thinness, or samgyeopsal grilled with the bone still attached. Per-person ₩30,000–55,000.

7. Ppyeotanjip Seongsu (뼈탄집 성수)

Ppyeotanjip ("bone-grilled-house") serves bone-in pork belly — a cut that's almost impossible to find elsewhere in Seoul. The bone is left in during aging and grilling, which adds collagen, marrow richness, and a primal, visual dramatic presentation when it hits the grill. The aged version (숙성뼈삼겹) is the order to place.

Staff grill the whole bone-in piece, then carve it tableside once it's properly rendered. Expect ₩30,000–45,000 per person. From Seongsu Station Exit 4, 3-minute walk. Pro tip: Pair with a dry soju like Hwayo 17 — the extra funk from the bone matches well with a cleaner spirit.

8. Jamsugyo-jip Seongsu (잠수교집 성수)

Jamsugyo-jip is where Seongsu goes after midnight. The specialty is naengsam (냉삼) — frozen pork belly shaved to paper-thin slices that cook in about 15 seconds on the grill. The technique delivers an unusual texture: crisp edges, melting fat, and an almost carpaccio-like tenderness.

They're one of the few K-BBQ spots open until 3 AM, and the cheonggukjang stew (pungent fermented soybean) is a cult favorite post-midnight. Expect ₩28,000–40,000 per person. From Seongsu Station Exit 1, 5-minute walk. Pro tip: The house rice pairs unusually well with naengsam — order extra.

Practical Tips for a Seongsu K-BBQ Night

• Reserve ahead. Ggupdang, Ilmirack, and Seouloin all require bookings — use Catch Table or Naver Place (Korean language, but Google Translate handles it).
• Start early. Most Seongsu K-BBQ places open at 5 or 5:30 PM and fill up by 7. A 5:30 reservation is the sweet spot.
• Walking route: Most spots are 3–8 minutes from Seongsu Station. For a perfect night, start at Ggupdang (5 PM), finish with drinks at Jamsugyo-jip (midnight naengsam).
• Language: Hanam Pig House has an English menu; others rely on pictures or Papago translation.
• Budget split: Plan ₩60,000–100,000 total per person if hitting a premium spot with drinks. ₩30,000 per person for the mid-tier samgyeopsal dinners.
• Pair with popups: Seongsu's popup scene is huge — check our Seongsu Popup Guide and go shopping before dinner.
• Getting home: Line 2 runs until around midnight. If you're at Jamsugyo-jip past midnight, Kakao T taxis are reliable.