Namyeongdon

Korean barbecue restaurant · Hoehyeon-dong

Namyeongdon

Korean barbecue restaurant · Hoehyeon-dong

17 Hangang-daero 80-gil, Yongsan District, Seoul, South Korea

Highlights

Prime pork grilled over charcoal with house-made banchan

17 Hangang-daero 80-gil, Yongsan District, Seoul, South Korea Get directions

instagram.com

@namyeong_don

Reserve

@eater

The Best Barbecue in Seoul: 14 Must-Try Restaurants | Eater

"There aren’t any gimmicks at Nam-Yeongdon, but customers wait patiently for hours to sample an ensemble of prime-quality pork grilled over charcoal and paired with flights of house-made banchan. The space has been serving pork and noodles since 1982, but it experienced a boom in popularity after owner Jung Jaebum rebranded his late father’s business in 2017. Must-orders include their highly prized hangjungsal (pork jowl) and gabrisal (pork cheek), though you should also make room for jjolmyeon, chewy wheat noodles with tangy, spicy sauce that create perfect harmony paired with the fatty pork cuts. The wait always stretches into hours, proving the basics, done right, still command a crowd." - Matty Kim

https://www.eater.com/maps/best-barbecue-seoul-korea

View Postcard for Namyeongdon

@davidcho

Pork jowl

View Postcard for Namyeongdon

Jennifer Park

Google

Crazy long wait—but totally worth it! You have to join the waitlist by walking in and signing up at the kiosk. I waited for about 2 hours. Thankfully, the CatchTable app notifies you when it’s your turn, so I hung out at a nearby café and wine bar while waiting. The wait is long, but SO worth it! The pork is incredibly juicy and tender. The staff cook the meat for you, so even if you’re new to Korean BBQ, no worries—they’ll grill everything to perfection. Once you try their pork, no other BBQ place will compare.

Joelle Liw

Google

Great atmosphere, dedicated staff and awesome service. Ordered the Pork Jowl, Pork Cheek Meat, Pork Belly, Kimchi Stew, Steamed Eggs and Cold chewy noodles. The pork melts in your mouth and the steam eggs was light and fluffy. Kimchi Stew was rich and flavorsome and even the steamed rice tasted good on it's own.

MC Au

Google

This restaurant has an unassuming exterior, but the flavors are quite impressive. They have a dedicated person preparing the charcoal, and the grilled pork belly and pork neck release a rich, aromatic scent from the fats as they cook. The pork has absolutely no unpleasant odor, and pairing it with different seasonings makes it exceptionally delicious.

Jack Kenneth Tan

Google

Long waiting times for walk-in reservations. I had went there on a Thu night, as a solo traveller, and had to wait almost 3 hours for a table. Had seen other walk-in groups having to wait for a bit as well. Though I observed if you had made prior reservations, they do seem to honour the reservation timing quite diligently. Perhaps call to make a reservation ahead of time (if you are able to make calls in Korea) or to maybe make a reservation in person when they are opened but for another day of dining. Food-wise, can't complain. The quality of the pork was great and I think they are also quite reasonably priced. Service was fast too—almost no waiting time for the food to be served once I made my orders. The meal also comes with a free kimchi jjigae and side dishes.

Hyunje Jo

Google

The name of the restaurant stands for all the flavors of pork in a mouth. The restaurant was built in the old Japanese style house and has a long tradition over 40 years. These days, it becomes one of the popular restaurant. The biggest feature of this restaurant is the excellent taste and flavor of the pork grilled in the charcoal brazier. 2 signature pork menu can be recommended, Pork Cheak Meat is juicy and the pork neck has excellent texture. Side dishes and Kimchi stew are provided free of charge and they have good harmony with the pork dishes.

Joshua Foo

Google

Probably hands down the best pork BBQ in and around Seoul. The flavour of the meat exquisite, grilled to perfection at each table, using an in house hardwood charcoal (felt like a local/regional tree species they use). Tried all 4 kinds of pork they had, as well as a cold noodle dish to wash it down. All individually special — jowl, cheek, belly, shoulder. Surprisingly the belly was my least favourite here… It is a very very long queue so do get there early. All locals in line. Arrived for lunch at 1130am (for 12nn opening) and had to wait almost an hour. Pretty no frills atmosphere. Smoke, meat and drinks flowing. One of the best meals of 2023!

Bryan German Borromeo

Google

Food is very delicious and you would really experience authentic korean style barbeque or samgyupsal here. Staff is very friendly even if I don't know how to speak korean, they are still friendly. Definitely recommend there pork belly and shoulder. Side dishes are tasty also. Need reservation in order to get a table, if you go for walk-in you might have to wait for 1-2 hours so better gave reservation first.

Andy Nam

Google

Very nice pork bbq, tasty food and fantastic atmosphere. Keep in mind that you need to wait at least 30-40 minutes before entering, but worth it.