Affordable yet delicious, there’s not much in life more satisfying than Korean BBQ. If you’ve never had the pleasure, you order from a range of meats like pork belly, beef short rib, sirloin steak, boneless chicken and pork jowl to cook yourself over a sizzling hot grill, all of which are accompanied by a range of sauces, salads, and sides. For the ultimate Korean BBQ experience, be sure to wash it all down with an ice cold beer or a glass of soju.
We hope you’re hungry, because we’ve rounded up the best Korean BBQ joints in Singapore for your grilling pleasure.
Guiga
134 Amoy Street
Image credit: Guiga | Supplied
Guiga has long been the go-to for no-frills, flavour-packed Korean BBQ in unofficial Korea town Tanjong Pagar. Regulars come for the generous portions, house-made banchan, and that oh-so-satisfying sizzle of fatty pork belly and marinated short ribs on the grill. The interiors are simple (but recently renovated), the vibe’s casual, and the service? Efficient.
Meat quality is top-tier without the pretentious price tag, and you can tell they take their grilling seriously. Expect omma-approved (no, seriously, I asked a couple of Korean ommas living in Singapore, and Guiga often comes up) fresh cuts, charcoal-fired setups, great ventilation, and staff that’ll help you cook to perfection if you ask. Guiga’s seafood pancake is a must-order too, extra crispy and brimming with flavour. Ideal for late-night catch-ups or weekday meat feasts, this Korean BBQ stalwart stays open till 2am. Bless.
COTE Korean Steakhouse
COMO Orchard, 30 Bideford Road
Image credit: COTE Korean Steakhouse | Supplied
Hailing from New York with a Michelin star under its belt, COTE Korean Steakhouse in COMO Orchard is a Michelin-starred Korean BBQ with a side of serious swagger. Equal parts sleek supper club and Korean steakhouse, COTE delivers a luxe take on the BBQ experience, complete with a dry-aging room, dark and sexy interiors, and knockout service.
Expect only the best cuts here, from USDA Prime to prized A5 wagyu, expertly grilled tableside by your server. For a baller move, order the Butcher’s Feast: a curated tasting of four cuts, plus stews, banchan, and egg souffle. And don’t even think of skipping the cocktail bar or the after-dinner soju selection, COTE’s drink game is just as strong as its meats. It's date night, birthday, or big-deal dinner energy, every time.
Bulgogi Syo
Various Locations
Image credit: Bulgogi Syo | Facebook
Known for creating a fiery spectacle thanks to some insanely large blowtorches (or fire blasters as they like to call them), Bulgogi Syo follows a unique three-step process when it comes to cooking their meat—sear, torch and flambé.
First, prime cuts of meat are seared to perfection on hotstone pans specially made in Korea, locking in their natural juices and flavours. Next, the blowtorches, which can reach temperatures of up to 1,400 degrees, add char and smokiness to the exterior. Finally, the meat is served on individual hotstone plates, doused with their special essence and set ablaze right before your eyes to add extra complexity to the meat.
Their samgyeobsal (pork belly), deung galbi (pork baby back ribs), and anshim sal (beef tenderloin) will really hit the spot.
Charim Korean BBQ
65 Tanjong Pagar Road
Image credit: Charim Korean BBQ | Facebook
Located along Tanjong Pagar Road, Charim Korean BBQ opened during the middle of the pandemic and become an overnight sensation thanks to a TikTok video detailing how Ryu Jiah, a Korean living in Singapore, left her dream job at Apple to open a Korean barbecue restaurant with her mum went viral.
Along with the usual Korean barbecue highlights, Charim also has a drool-worthy selection of seasoned meats like prime rib, soy chicken and salted pork neck. But what really set this place apart is its DIY sushi rice platter which comes with eight sushi rice balls to top with whatever your heart desires—grilled kimchi, prime rib and wasabi is a winning combo in our books.
Omma Korean Charcoal BBQ
Various Locations
Image credit: Omma Korean Charcoal BBQ | Facebook
Omma, which means mother in Korean, has three locations across Singapore and is known for serving up high quality Korean barbecue alongside its stylish interiors which are said to be inspired by rural Seoul.
We recommend ordering the marinated beef ribs, Iberico pork jowl or Lumina lamb which you can grill over your preferred choice of wood including lychee, pine, cherry and apple. If you like chicken, Omma also has a great selection of wings which make a great side dish. The spicy garlic soy sauce was our favourite.
Nanta BBQ
175 Thomson Road, #01-175/177 Goldhill Centre
Image credit: Nanta BBQ | Facebook
Having opened its doors in 2014, Nanta BBQ was one of the first Korean barbeque restaurants in Singapore to add a modern twist to their offering without losing the essences of Korean cuisine.
The difference? Nanta only uses 40-day dry-aged A5 Wagyu and Kurobuta black pork which is grilled over Binchotan charcoal. According to those in the know, Binchotan is said to be the best charcoal in the world because its odourless, smokeless and extremely long-burning.
GU:UM
29 Keong Saik Road
Image credit: GU:UM | John Heng
GU:UM, which means to grill or to cook over fire, is a brand-new Korean-touched contemporary grill restaurant by NAE:UM Group. Serving Korean flavours with a cosmopolitan twist, the Keong Saik Road venue is housed within a heritage shophouse and was inspired by Chef Louis Han’s Korean heritage as well as his fond memories of nostalgic barbecue gatherings.
A departure from the typical Korean grill experience, at GU:UM the dishes are prepared and cooked at an open kitchen before being served to your table. Seasonal and sustainable ingredients are sourced from around the world, with prime cuts of red meat and poultry seasoned with a selection of house-made marinades, or you can choose to have them ‘ssaeng’ or unmarinated to savour the natural flavours. You can pick from prime cuts such as the Tajima Wagyu Ribeye MBS 8, USDA Prime New York Striploin, and Iberico Pluma.
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Eight Korean BBQ
Various Locations
Image credit: Eight Korean BBQ | Facebook
Named after its signature 8 Colours Set which includes thick pork belly slices that are marinated eight different ways: original, wine, ginseng, garlic, herbs, curry, miso paste and gochujang (red pepper paste), Eight Korean BBQ is actually a US-based chain which has opened two outlets in Singapore (Clarke Quay Central and Shaw Centre).
The slightly more upscale Korean restaurant is also known for its Flower Pork Set, lovingly handmade kimchi and seafood offering which includes grilled squid, king prawns and Atlantic salmon.
O.BBa BBQ
Various Locations
Image credit: O.BBa BBQ | Website
O.BBa BBQ is easily one of Singapore’s most loved Korean barbecue joints, with multiple outlets across the city—although our favourite is Tanjong Pagar Road which is also a hotspot with the working crowd so it can get pretty busy.
Known for its premium cuts of meats, O.BBa is on the slightly pricier side but its definitely worth it. We recommend the Pork BBQ Set which comes with enough pork to feed two or three people. For something a little different, be sure to try the cheese gui which is essentially a block of cheese that you put on the grill.
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Main image credit: Omma Korean Charcoal BBQ | Facebook
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