The Ultimate Korean BBQ Night Out

Do you have non-pork options?

Yes, we have non-pork options, but they won’t be Korean barbecue. The restaurant we go to only serves pork. Most Korean restaurants specialize in one type of meat. South Korea also has some of the highest beef prices in the world. So if we somehow added a beef option, it would triple the tour price.

That said, if we don’t have a regular tour booked yet, and if there is a group of three or more, we can replace the pork BBQ restaurant with a charcoal grilled chicken BBQ restaurant. Please contact us.

Do you have vegetarian or vegan options?

We’ve done it, and it’s a bit of a challenge. Be prepared that even vegetable seeming dishes like kimchi tend to have seafood products in them, like fish sauce. The noodles are made with seafood stocks. We have improvised vegan lettuce wraps. At the second stop, it’s easier to have a good vegan experience.

Is this where Anthony Bourdain went?

The pork BBQ restaurant is where Anthony Bourdain went, yes. Our team were consultants for his show the last time he was in Seoul. This is one of our favorite BBQ joints, so we set up a scene there. The crew ended up eating there three times.

I’m worried about the cleanliness.

I’ll be frank. This is an immersive experience. We’re staying away from touristy areas. These are regular restaurants where regular Koreans hang out at. They’re going to be a bit grungy.

In my experience, white tablecloth Korean BBQ is vapid. It removes the charm. It’s bland and pretentious.

The places we go to make great fresh food. If they had issues with sanitation, you wouldn’t see them packed with people from all walks of life and from all income levels. If an authentic hole-in-the-wall Korean restaurant makes you squeamish, I don’t think we’re for you.

Keep in mind, we will also be sharing the meat, side dishes, and other foods at the table. Sharing is the heart of Korean dining culture.

Can you do the tour on another date?

We can try to accommodate if the group is four or more. It depends on guide availability. Also, on Saturdays, we can have problems getting seats at the restaurants, and they don’t take reservations for groups under ten.

Can you do hotel pick up?

I’m sorry, we can’t. We don’t have the proper licensing.

Do you have non-alcohol options?

We can give a discount if you’re not drinking alcohol. We used to have a special no-alcohol ticket, but guests were abusing it and still drinking on the tour. So just ask, and we’ll give you the discount code.

Is there much walking?

No, we only walk a couple of blocks total. When we started back in 2012, we had a tour around the neighborhood, but we concluded that guests were more interested in eating than walking.

Where do you meet?

We meet inside Gongdeok Station, exit 7, near the escalators.

What’s the best way to get there?

Subway, subway, subway! Do not take a taxi.

I repeat.

DO NOT TAKE A TAXI.

Eighty percent of the time guests have used a taxi, they have arrived late. The ones who weren’t late took taxis from just one neighborhood away or gave themselves two hours of travel time. Seoul is a vast city with serious traffic congestion from 4-8 p.m.

The Seoul Metro is world class. It’s easy. It’s English friendly. It’s so good that for a long time, it was the #1 ATTRACTION on TripAdvisor.

I have food allergies, is that okay?

We have a section on our booking form to inform us of food allergies and preferences. There are shellfish and shellfish products on the tour. Most of it is avoidable. There are no peanuts or peanut products. But there is a lot of pork.

Delicious, scrumptious pork…