Korean BBQ, Explained: A Guide to the Cuts, the Banchan, and How to Order
Grill-at-your-table meat, a dozen little side dishes, and lettuce wraps — here is how Korean BBQ works and how to build the perfect bite.
Korean barbecue — gogigui (고기구이), “meat roast” — turns dinner into an activity. A grill is set into the middle of your table, plates of raw marinated and unmarinated meat arrive, and you cook it yourself, a few pieces at a time, wrapping each bite in lettuce with a smear of sauce. It is social, hands-on, and built for lingering.
The cuts you should know
Pork
- Samgyeopsal (삼겹살) — thick, unmarinated pork belly, the single most popular cut in Korea. It renders on the grill into crisp-edged, juicy slices.
- Moksal (목살) — pork shoulder/collar, leaner than belly but still tender.
Beef
- Galbi (갈비) — beef short ribs, usually marinated in a sweet-savory soy, garlic and pear glaze. The crowd-pleaser.
- Bulgogi (불고기) — thin, marinated beef, often cooked slightly saucy; gentle and sweet, great for kids and first-timers.
- Chadolbaegi (차돌박이) — paper-thin brisket that cooks in seconds and takes beautifully to a sesame-oil-and-salt dip.
What is all this side food? (Banchan)
Banchan (반찬) are the small shared side dishes that cover the table — and they are free and refillable. Expect several of: kimchi (fermented napa cabbage), pickled radish, seasoned bean sprouts, spinach, potato salad, fish cake, and a steamed egg (gyeranjjim). They are not an afterthought; rotating between them is half the meal. Just ask your server for more of any one you like.
How to actually eat it: the perfect wrap (ssam)
The classic move is ssam (쌈) — a lettuce wrap you build by hand:
- Take a piece of lettuce (and a perilla leaf if you like its herbal bite) in your palm.
- Add a piece of grilled meat, hot off the grill.
- Dab on sauce — ssamjang (a savory fermented soybean-and-chili paste) or a sesame-oil-salt dip.
- Add a sliver of raw garlic or grilled kimchi if you want more punch.
- Fold it into one bundle and eat it in a single bite — that is the rule, and it is the best part.
Ordering tips for your first time
- Order two or three cuts to share — a marinated one (galbi or bulgogi) and an unmarinated one (samgyeopsal or chadolbaegi) gives contrast.
- Meat is usually priced per portion and often has a two-order minimum; portions are meant for sharing.
- Finish with a starch — doenjang jjigae (soybean stew), cold naengmyeon noodles, or kimchi fried rice cooked right on the grill.
- Many places grill for you or help you along — it is normal to ask.
Not into grilling? The same restaurants usually serve stews and rice bowls — bibimbap, sundubu jjigae (soft tofu stew), and japchae (glass noodles) — all without a grill.
Find Korean BBQ near you
Browse the JinsCafe directory for Korean restaurants that let you order online directly — no delivery-app commissions — and check ratings and reviews first. Curious about the raw-fish side of the table instead? See our guide to sushi.