Samgyup199 Unlimited Korean BBQ offers one of the most affordable Korean barbecue buffets in the metro starting at P199.

Samgyup199 Unlimited Korean Barbecue Buffet restaurant review

Samgyup199 Unlimited Korean BBQ: Affordable Korean Barbecue Buffet

At this price point though, you have to manage your expectation as well as your standards especially if you have been used to eating in the likes of Samgyupsalamat or Romantic Baboy.

Just the same, I would like to point out that it’s not as bad as what people wrote in their reviews. In fact, I commend Samgyup199 for coming up with this concept of bringing the Korean barbecue experience to more people.

Our Samgyup199 experience

We decided to have a quick meal after Miguel’s photoshoot in Nice Print Studio in SM North. We were all craving Korean barbecue. We were a group of five and we do eat well especially in buffet restaurants.

Samgyup199 Unlimited Korean Barbecue Buffet food choices and grill

As such, we decided to look for a Korean barbecue restaurant in Zomato and found Samgyup199 at Congressional Avenue in Tandang Sora. That was the branch that was nearest our location. We went for it because, well, it was really reasonable.

Anything more expensive than Samgyup199 would have definitely hurt our pocket (Khris and I were paying because we just asked my brothers-in-law and sister-in-law to help us out in the photoshoot).

The ambiance

The branch had just opened when we arrived so there were no people yet, which was good because that meant no competition for the time being.

We inquired and the restaurant staff informed us that the P199 only included unlimited pork and banchan. If we wanted unlimited beef and pork, then we can upgrade the package to P299. That sounded like a deal so we went for the P299 buffet package.

Now, this is where managing your expectation begins. First, Samgyup199 is not air-conditioned. It has a roof, of course, but it’s open, save for a wall that separates it from the next establishment. There are kiosks inside for the cashier, the meats, the sauces, and the sidings.

There are no exhaust vents but there are big fans that dissipate the smoke. At some point, having an “open” Korean barbecue restaurant is somehow a good idea because that means that there will be no smoke build-up.

Samgyup199 also does not have charcoal grills but butane stoves with a grill pan on top.

When we started eating, it was just us and another group. However, as time went by, people started coming in. In an hour or so, all the tables at Samgyup199 had been filled and there was even a line of people outside waiting.

The crowd is not so bad though. We can move around well and we can get food without having to wait long for people to finish getting theirs. We also noticed that the crowd was a lot younger, probably because of Samgyup199’s affordability.

The food

Again, we availed of the unlimited beef and pork and sidings option. Once more, you have to manage your expectations when it comes to the food.

Marinated beef

Just by looking at Samgyup199’s buffet packages, which are disclosed on its website and in Zomato, you should already have a fairly good idea of what to expect. It will be unfair to Samgyup199 to expect spectacular cuts of meat. But let me say again that it’s not as bad as what people say.

The pork is fatty but that’s how pork belly is. Also, the beef can be chewy depending on how you cook it. We toast the beef, so it’s crunchy. The meat is not tough or rubbery at all. As a matter of fact, all the meats were marinated well and were flavorful.

Lettuce leaves and sauces at Samgyup199 Unlimited Korean Barbecue Buffet

As for the sidings, they had a lot of it. There were fresh and crisp lettuce leaves (they were not wilted at all!), delicious kimchi, fish cakes, and garlic. There were also sauces available for brushing your meats with. We loved Samgyup199’s kimchi and we ate as much as we wanted.

In the end, we enjoyed the food at Samgyup199 and we were able to satisfy our taste buds.

Our verdict

Samgyup199 had to compromise on some areas, no doubt, but that’s to be able to provide affordable unlimited barbecue to diners. I did not feel like they were short-changing their customers at all.

The cost is upfront and they don’t brand their restaurant as superior quality at a price that is for the masses. Then again, the quality is good. The food is clean and delicious. It is also worth mentioning that the kimchi, our favorite side dish, tastes at par with those in more expensive Korean barbecue restaurants.

Again, with Samgyup199, it’s just knowing what to expect, which is not vague at all. Samgyup199 is a good option especially if you are treating out a big group such as your friends or your loved ones.

Samgyup199 Branches

Samgyup199 has outlets in the following locations. The telephone numbers are also listed below if you need to make inquiries.