Does anyone have a non-AYCE KBBQ rec? Ideally in KTown. The girlfriend’s family is visiting, and hasn’t experience KBBQ before. I loved Dong Il Jang, but it looks like they didn’t make it through the pandemic.
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Park’s. There are lots of KBBQ threads on FTC and lots of good recs in them.
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Soowon
I second Parks and I believe that they take reservations now.
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Kang Ho-dong Baekjeong 강호동 백정 姜虎東白丁
Baekjeong 백정 = butcher
The Baekjeong (Korean: 백정) were an untouchable caste in Korea, originating from some minority, nomadic groups of disputed ethnicity. In the early part of the Goryeo period (918–1392), these minorities were largely settled in fixed communities. However, the Mongol invasion left Korea in disarray and anomie and these groups became nomadic. Subgroups of the baekjeong included the chaein (才人 “entertainers”) and the hwachae (禾尺) or suchae (水尺), who were primarily butchers. The baekjeong occupied specific professions like butchery, tanning, basket weaving and performing executions. During the Goryeo period, “baekjeong” was used as a neutral term to refer to the common people. From the time of the Joseon dynasty, it became an insulting title used to refer to the lowest class of society. In addition, since the Joseon dynasty, “baekjeong” has been also used to denigrate a person. In contemporary South Korea, the term is mainly associated with the meaning of a butcher and even used in the restaurants’ names.
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Welcome to FTC!!!
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Park’s and Kang Ho-dong Baekjeong are perennial favorites. Adding another contender: Chosun Galbee has a very nice outdoor seating area with great meats, tartare with pear, and refreshing cold noodles. Genwa has the most banchan. I’d avoid Daedo Sikdang (one trick pony).
Addendum: The servers can cook the meat for you (if you like) on your grill at Chosun Galbee. This is probably a very good thing for those who cannot converse with others and cook at the same time (OK maybe it’s just me lol) without accidentally overcooking the $$$$$ meat to pure charcoal.
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Just make sure GF warns family that clothes may smell like BBQ, depending on where you go. I love smelling like meat personally (really), but I know that some find it a bit… off putting.
Welcome to FTC.
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Baekjong is a great choice but just prepared to wait, it gets very very busy and no reservations.
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Thanks for all the recommendations (and welcomes). It’s been a while since I’ve been to Park’s, gonna try to get the gang to go there.
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I think Genwa’s another good option for beginners.
Let us know how it goes. 