Korean Emperor Buffet — Restaurant in Seoul

If you’re in Myeongdong and craving a delicious samgyupsal (Korean BBQ) experience, Myeongdong Emperor is worth a visit. The restaurant offers a variety of high-quality meats, including pork belly, ribs, and marinated cuts. The spread is generous, with fresh sides like japchae (stir-fried noodles), kimchi, pickled radish, and flavorful sauces to complement the grilled meat.

What I liked: Meat Selection: The variety and freshness of the meats were impressive. From thick, juicy pork belly cuts to marinated beef ribs, everything was flavorful and tender. Grilling Setup: The charcoal grill adds a smoky depth to the meat, enhancing the overall taste. The staff was attentive in helping manage the grill, ensuring the meats were cooked perfectly. Side Dishes: The japchae and kimchi stood out with their authentic flavors, making them perfect accompaniments to the rich grilled meats. Atmosphere: The layout and table setup make it easy to enjoy a communal dining experience, perfect for groups or families.

Minor Drawbacks: • Some pieces of meat may char quickly if not monitored closely, but the restaurant staff is available to assist. • The space might get crowded during peak hours, so planning your visit ahead is advisable.

Overall, Myeongdong Emperor is a fantastic spot to enjoy a premium samgyupsal experience with a variety of side dishes and a cozy atmosphere. Perfect for those who want a satisfying Korean BBQ meal in one of Seoul’s...

Pros: Great quality meat. Nowhere in the world can you get this quality AND charcoal bbq buffet for this price. Highly recommend paying around 19,000-20,000krw for the pork + beef menu as the beef was very high quality marbled beef. The pork back bone stew was one of the best I've had although it ran out quickly. 2,500k for unlimited soft drinks. Good variety of free banchan and side dishes.

Cons: Service is bad. They don't even care that you walked in or ordered (use the table tablet at 1st to order which buffet menu you want). You have to chase them whilst they're running errands to let them know which menu you've ordered and then they'll explain how the buffet works (certain menus can only take meat from certain fridges). Even after you've got your meat they still won't have the charcoal ready. This was at off peak hours with minimal customers. Everything is self serve (water, banchan side dishes, sauces etc.), but given the cheap price that's understandable. Can be hard to find the place, look for ad sign on street thats similar to the latest photos on Google reviews, take escalator or elevator up to 2nd floor, make sure you enter the correct restaurant (has same ad signs in from of it) as there are many restaurants on...

I can see why this place has received many high ratings—there’s a promotion that offers a free drink for a good review. The BBQ meat was tasty and well-seasoned, with a decent variety. The service from most of the waitstaff was acceptable—they were working hard, and a few even reminded us to be careful of the hot grill, which was thoughtful. However, dishes tended to pile up on our table and were only cleared once during our visit.

While the pricing is reasonable, the dining environment left much to be desired. The area near the kitchen was particularly messy, which affected the overall atmosphere.

What truly marred the experience for me was the response I received when I politely asked a staff member to help clear our dishes. Instead of assisting, she loudly refused and pointed me towards the kitchen, telling me to do it myself. There was also no obvious place to leave used dishes. Unfortunately, this left a very negative impression on what could have been a...