Ungteori Myeongdong Korean BBQ Restaurant: All‑You‑Can‑Eat Pork Belly
My wife and I had one of those days where we both said, “Let’s just fill our stomachs with meat today.” After a bit of scrolling and debating, we ended up at Ungteori Myeongdong Korean BBQ Restaurant, the classic cheap all‑you‑can‑eat pork belly spot that every local knows.
Click here to see more information about this restaurant
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Exterior & First Impressions
The Myeongdong branch is on the 2nd floor, right in the middle of the busy shopping streets. You follow this loud “I’m right here!” signboard and go up a pretty narrow staircase. It kind of feels like you’re sneaking into a hidden local BBQ spot.
On the way up I was already hyping myself up like, “Minimum three plates of meat today.”
We went around early dinner time, before the real peak, and there was already a line at the top of the stairs. Classic Myeongdong. Around us everyone was speaking different languages, so it felt like I was abroad eating K‑BBQ with tourists.
Luckily the turnover was fast, so we didn’t wait as long as the line looked.
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Interior & Self‑Service System
Inside it’s exactly what you expect from a busy Myeongdong BBQ place: loud, smoky, full of chatter. Not a quiet date spot, more like “laugh loudly and eat a lot” kind of place.
Most things here are self‑serve: meat, veggies, sauces, side dishes. On each table there’s a guide on how to use the self‑bar, and it’s written not only in Korean but also English, Japanese, and Chinese. So if you bring foreign friends, they won’t be lost.
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Menu & What’s Included
It’s an all‑you‑can‑eat system, around the 10,000‑won range per person (so very budget friendly for Myeongdong).
What you get unlimited:
- Fresh pork belly
- Pork neck
- Soybean paste stew (doenjang jjigae)
- Lettuce, green onion salad, kimchi, bean sprouts, garlic, sauces, etc. from the self bar
No fancy premium cuts, just the basics, but that’s exactly what you’re paying for.
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Food Review
The Legendary Unlimited Doenjang Jjigae
As soon as we sat down, the staff slid a pot of doenjang jjigae into the ring around the grill. This is honestly one of the best parts of Eongteori: the stew is unlimited.
While the meat is grilling, you take a spoonful of the bubbling stew. The broth is deeper than I expected for a “free refill” stew, with plenty of tofu and zucchini. It really cuts through the greasiness while you eat.
We refilled it at least three times that night.
Self Bar: Meat & Veggies
I’ve been to Eongteori a few times, so I just walked straight to the self bar like I owned the place. There are two main cuts: pork belly and pork neck. Pork belly is thick and fatty, pork neck is leaner and chewier.
I grabbed both cuts on the first round, plus fresh lettuce and a big pile of green onion salad.
Grilling Time
Once the grill was hot, we spread out the pork belly and pork neck. The sizzling sound was pure ASMR.
From the self bar we also brought kimchi, bean sprouts, and garlic. We put them into a small foil dish with sesame oil and let them fry in the pork fat next to the meat. This is my personal “Eongteori pro tip.” Kimchi and bean sprouts grilled in pork fat basically can’t be bad.
On the way to get water, I noticed this tiny water container that looks like a mini office water dispenser. Not a big deal, but it was so random and cute that my girlfriend and I laughed about it for a while.
Doenjang Jjigae Warm‑Up
Before attacking the meat properly, I took a big spoon of the hot stew.
The broth had a nice depth, not watery, with the savory doenjang flavor and soft tofu and sweet zucchini pieces. It warmed up my stomach and really boosted my appetite. For an all‑you‑can‑eat place, this stew is honestly solid.
Pork Belly – Classic Combos
First, pork belly dipped in ssamjang. Outside crispy, inside juicy. Nothing fancy, just that basic, satisfying K‑BBQ taste.
Then pork belly with green onion salad. The tangy, slightly sweet sauce on the onions keeps it from feeling too greasy, so you feel like you could keep eating forever.
And of course, the final boss: a full lettuce wrap. Lettuce, a piece of pork belly, some green onion salad, and grilled garlic all in one bite. At that point, I stopped talking for a while and just focused on eating.
Pork Neck – For When You’re Tired of Fat
Pork neck here is leaner with a nice chew. If you get tired of the fattiness of pork belly, switch to neck for a bit. It goes especially well with the green onion salad, and in a wrap it doesn’t feel dry because the veggies add moisture.
If you don’t like too much oily flavor, I’d say focus more on the neck.
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Final Thoughts
Going back to Ungteori Myeongdong Korean BBQ Restaurant after a while, I was still really satisfied. For around 10,000‑something won per person, unlimited fresh pork belly, pork neck, and decent doenjang jjigae in the middle of Myeongdong is hard to complain about.
It’s loud, busy, and full of tourists, so if you want a calm, quiet dinner, this is not your place. But if you’re with friends or your partner and just want to laugh, talk, and stuff yourself with K‑BBQ without worrying about the bill, this spot does the job.
Personally, I’d come back again on another “I need meat, a lot of it” kind of day.