The Best All You Can Eat KBBQ in Myeongdong

Myeongdong is one of the most popular places to visit in Seoul, and we’ve spent plenty of time there over the past few years. Nowadays, it seems like anytime we’re in the area, we find a cool new shop, trendy cafe or, in this case, a good restaurant.

Mongvely is smack in the heart of Myeongdong, making it super convenient if you’re shopping, sightseeing, and have built up a good appetite. It’s a beef and pork BBQ spot that offers buffet/all-you-can-eat style, where you can pick out your cuts of meat and bring it back to grill at your table. The vibe is lively, smells good (because hello, BBQ), and usually pretty full particularly around dinner time. The clientele is mostly foreign because of the location, but that doesn’t mean it should be simply written off as “touristy” (like we almost did).

We found classic cuts of beef and pork (pork belly, marinated beef, etc.), along with an array of banchan (side dishes), sauces for dipping, veggies for grilling and lots of leafy greens to wrap your grilled meat. We got their most popular set, which is the standard pork + beef option (29,700 KRW), and then upgraded (8,000 KRW) to include (doenjang jjigae, cold noodles, ramen, rice and a soft drink). Back in the day, we would have gone ham on a meat only excursion, but nowadays we find ourselves needing a bit more of a balanced meal and I’m so glad we did!

The meat selection was pretty impressive, but what really impressed us was the overall quality of the meat. There wasn’t any freezer burn or weird aftertastes. It was good, like really good! The spleen was particularly tender, even the guys at the table behind us kept going back for more. And if you like your meat marinated, they even had bulgogi, which is a pretty rare find at grills nowadays.

We usually avoid buffets in Seoul, mostly because the quality is never as good as you’d hope. But Mongvely proves that there’s quality out there if you know where to look. It’s a great spot if you’re looking to try a bunch of different things at once or are traveling in a group of people with different preferences. Definitely something for everyone.

For more information, check out Mongvely’s website here.

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