The best Korean barbecue places in Melbourne

If you’ve driven past or walked down the top end of A’Beckett Street on any given evening, you’ll inevitably have noticed the line of people waiting outside Mansae. It's a modern Korean barbecue restaurant whose name translates to ‘hip hip hooray’ – and a celebration of Korean barbecue cuisine it is. For many years, Melburnians in the know have regarded this fancy spot as one of the best. And in good news, there's now a second location in Burwood East! It's worth trying them both.

Time Out Tip: When you're craving a juicy meat feast, sides may be an afterthought – but don't make that mistake at Mansae. Here, these tasty hot menu items are too good to ignore. Be sure to order the spicy seafood pancake and the tteokkochi (fried rice cakes).

Yeong translates to 'smoky house' and this Korean barbecue joint promises fresh meat that isn't frozen (aside from beef brisket and ox tongue that are frozen for precision slicing). The venue also promises charcoal which lends meat that ideal smoky flavour. Wagyu is the name of the game here, but there's also pork on offer. Don't miss out on the pork belly dripping in the venue's housemade chilli paste.

Time Out Tip: Looking to cut down on your bill? During Yeonga's happy hours (Monday to Friday, 5pm to 6pm and 9pm to 11pm), you can get 20% off meat seats. Not bad!

This laidback Collingwood gem ticks all the right K-BBQ boxes: excellent quality meat, great value and friendly staff to boot. There's a lovely little courtyard if you want to sit outside, and they refill the banchan sides here for free. The meat set portions are also fairly generous so you'll be super satisfied by the end. Add on the loaded kim chi fries and grape soju to your order and your night's set! 

Time Out Tip: It's an electrical barbecue here (not charcoal) so if a member of your group is a purist about that sort of thing, perhaps try another spot on this list.

ChangGo is a popular Korean restaurant and barbecue haunt in the city. Our tip: Try the Palsaik BBQ Set, which comes with eight cuts of pork belly marinated in eight different ways. Complete with banchan (think your usual suspects like kimchi, pickled daikon, pickled veg and spring onion salad) and piping hot white rice – what more could one ask for?

Time Out Tip: While long queues are a sure sign a place is good, they're not so much fun to wait in. To beat the crowds, try and head in for dinner before 6pm.

Korean barbecue, at its core, is a communal dining experience and Guhng makes sure groups are well catered for with their barbecue sets. The Angus set is enough to comfortably feed four moderately hungry meat eaters. You get a mix of lean and fatty cuts, starting with an evenly marbled Angus cube roll, which is cut into pieces over a cast iron pot of glowing hot charcoal. Break up the meat-fest with mixed vegetables and king brown mushrooms, and then it's time for the bulgogi to hit the grill once the charcoal has gotten extra smoky.

Time Out Tip: Keen to expand your horizons beyond beef? Try the ox tongue and pork belly, a popular order here.

Everyone knows that meat grilled over charcoal is exponentially more flavoursome than other forms of cooking. Hwaro, the Korean barbecue joint on Little Collins Street, gets it right every time. It’s not Korean barbecue without beef ribs (gal-bi), and here you can order them thin and bony, standard cut, premium marble or top grade. If you’re new to Korean barbecue this is a great place to start because here they’ll pop your meats on the grill, flip it and slice it when it’s ready if you prefer being a passenger. If you want to captain your own dinner cruise, you go right ahead.

Time Out Tip: Though the food here is fantastic, some who are used to massive portions may find the ones here a tad on the scant side. You might want to order extra meat if your group has a big appetite.

Great for couples, families and groups of friends alike, this slick charcoal BBQ joint in North Melbourne is a reliable spot to get your Korean food fix. The premium meat quality is evident in dishes like the marinated beef ribs, pork and Wagyu, but several other items are also worth a try as well, such as the kim chi stew, bibimbap, corn cheese and cold noodles. This restaurant accepts bookings at the website so you can round up a crew and reserve a table. They've also got a location in Glen Waverley that's just as excellent.

Time Out Tip: Be sure to wear easily launderable clothing as you will walk out smelling like smoke from this place.

From the juicy and well-seasoned steak cuts to the smoky, busy atmosphere, Hwadam is one of the most authentic and enjoyable Korean restaurants in the CBD. The menu boasts a lot of variety (even in the small details, like the sauces and the banchan), and on more than one visit, we're happy to report very friendly service. Many also rate the meat quality here, so be sure to try the extra tasty marinated wagyu bulgogi. There's also a unique DIY wagyu sushi option for something a bit different and interactive.

Time Out Tip: As this joint is located on the first floor, it may be hard to find for some. You'll have to go up some stairs, so follow your nose!

Melbourne's Korean barbecue scene is ever-evolving and growing to meet increased demand, so even if you've found a spot you love, it's fun to explore other restaurants to find out what's on offer. Many these days offer all-you-can-eat buffets, competitive value deals and other great features. That in mind, honorary mentions to this list include Meating Korean BBQ Buffet CBD, Paik's BBQ, Goon BBQ, Seoul Garden and SSAM Korean BBQ.