Geumdwaeji Sikdang: The Pork BBQ Line Worth Standing In, in Sindang-dong

If you ask Seoul food fans where to eat pork barbecue as a visitor, you'll hear Geumdwaeji Sikdang (금돼지식당) — "Golden Pig Restaurant" — more than almost any other name. It's a Michelin Bib Gourmand on Dasan-ro between Yaksu and Sindang stations. It has been on Korean TV many times (Tasty Guys, Live Today and more), and the queue outside is part of the experience.

What to order

• Bon-samgyeop (본삼겹) — thick pork belly with the rib bone still attached. It's grilled for you, cut at the table, and the meat near the bone is the best bite of the evening.
• Nunkkot moksal (눈꽃목살) — "snowflake" pork neck, named for its fine white marbling. It's juicier and chewier than belly.
• Tongdwaeji kimchi-jjigae (통돼지 김치찌개) — kimchi stew with big chunks of pork. Order it toward the end with rice. Many regulars say it's the real reason to come.

Staff usually handle the grill, which takes the stress out of it for first-timers.

How the meal works

1. Order meat by the portion. Most tables start with two portions for two people and add more.
2. While it grills, build wraps with lettuce, perilla leaves, ssamjang, garlic and the pickles on the table.
3. Dip in salt first to taste the pork itself, then try the sauces.
4. Finish with the stew and rice, or cold noodles if they're on the menu that day.

The queue

• The restaurant's listed hours are 11:30–23:00, open every day. Always check its EatHub page before you go.
• Weekday late lunch or early dinner (around 16:30–17:30) is your best chance of a short wait.
• Friday and weekend evenings can mean an hour or more. There's often a waiting list system at the door.

Around Sindang-dong

• Sindang-dong Tteokbokki Town is a few minutes away. It's the birthplace of the pan-simmered, table-side tteokbokki, if you have room for a second dinner.
• Gwanghuimun Gate and the Seoul City Wall trail are to the north.
• Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) is one stop away and lit up at night.

Nearby spots with videos

• Manpo Makguksu for cold buckwheat noodles and northern-style braised chicken.
• Yaksu-dong Chuncheon Makguksu for pork-belly bossam and chicken porridge.
• Jangdari Gopchang for grilled beef intestines, if you're going all in on barbecue.

Practical tips

• Getting there: Yaksu Station (Lines 3 and 6) or Sindang Station (Lines 2 and 6), each about five minutes' walk.
• Groups: barbecue is ordered per portion. Solo diners may find it pricey, so try to come with at least two people.
• Clothes: you will smell of barbecue afterwards. Some restaurants provide covers for coats; don't wear your best jacket.

Watch the video above to see the bone-in belly being cut. It'll tell you exactly what to order.