Jeonpo Meat Shop opens first store in Singapore, serving up freshly cut meats in a retro setting

By Shannon Yap April 14, 2025

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The meat & banchan here hits the spot

If you’re still thinking about the authentic, smoky Korean barbecue you had in those narrow alleyways from your last trip to Korea, then you’ll want to head straight for the brand-new Jeonpo Meat Shop in Singapore.

If its name rings a bell, the concept was previously part of a pop-up at Market Blue in Tanglin Mall, and also has seven outlets to its name in Hong Kong.

Jeonpo Meat Shop’s newest Telok Ayer outpost, opened on April 11, marks its first in Singapore. The concept is run by the Gold Moon restaurant group, which has seen high-profile openings such as Seoul Noodle Shop, Tonshou and Janchi in recent months.

Located across Amoy Street Food Centre, Jeonpo Meat Shop and its neon yellow-coloured signage and open-air seating space are hard to miss.

Its somewhat-retro concept is reminiscent of some of the more old-school K-BBQ spots in Korea where you can find good ol’ barbecue and earnest hospitality from the staff — otherwise known in Korean as “jeong”.

The translucent roller shutters at the storefront also add a touch of down-to-earth appeal, akin to those you’d probably find in a homely neighbourhood eatery in Seoul — and a little different from most other K-BBQ restaurants in Singapore.

With a mostly-Korean crew and K-pop music playing in the background, visiting this new up-and-coming spot is definitely an immersive experience that’ll immediately make you feel like you’re right in the bustling city of Seoul itself.

The meat & banchan here hits the spot

Everyone has a different idea on what makes a good Korean restaurant, but for me one thing I always use as a gauge is the restaurant’s assortment of refillable side dishes (banchan).

Thankfully, Jeonpo Meat Shop’s banchan is on point, with the marinated sea snail banchan (golbaengi muchim) being one of my favourites, with its unique chewy texture and mildly sweet-and-spicy sauce.

Another honourable mention is its variety of complimentary pickled vegetables — wild garlic leaves, wood ear mushroom, chilli, radish, and onion — all of which come with plenty of tanginess to cut through the rich savouriness of the proteins.

Yet another good marker of a good K-BBQ spot is its ssamjang (K-BBQ dipping sauce) — Jeonpo’s comes with barley seeds, giving it a tad more texture and flavour, and go impeccably well with the meats.

Enough talk on the supporting actors, if we had to pick a star of the evening, it would undoubtedly have to be its King-cut beef short rib (S$88).

It can be pricey if you’re on a budget but if you’re looking to spend and indulge in some seriously good-quality meats, this dish — good to share between three to four diners — is one that is worth every penny.

Especially if you consider the marbling, its melt-in-the-mouth texture, and the fact that its oppa crew do all the hard work of cooking these meats to perfect doneness for you.

If beef is not quite your thing, another dish we’d come back for is its classic flower-cut pork belly (180g for S$28) and flower-cut pork collar (180g for S$28).

Its special flower-shaped cuts not only showcase its decadent layers of fat well, but the fact that it is also sliced upon order just goes to show how fresh Jeonpo’s meats are.

Both cuts of meat were equally juicy and soft. But, I’m a huge pork belly fan, so between the two, it was an easy choice — the pork belly won my heart with its buttery and tender texture.

Remember to savour your meats with the pickled banchan for a well-rounded mix of flavours — it’ll help cut through the grease and the meal doesn’t get too cloying, especially with all that fat.

As with any legitimate Korean barbecue meal, the fried rice (S$14) is a quintessential element for a satisfying finish.

Aside from the usual combination of tangy aged kimchi, a house sauce (usually the restaurant’s secret recipe), and assorted vegetables, Jeonpo one-upps other fried rice dishes by topping it with a cute character outline, made from mayonnaise.

In case you can’t tell, ours was the well-loved Japanese character Doraemon!

If you still have space, its spicy buckwheat noodles (S$16) and steamed eggs (S$10) were pretty impressive, too.

The buckwheat noodles were the right level of chewy and the spicy sauce came with just the right amount of sweetness and heat.

This is also an oft-overlooked dish but its fluffy and soft steamed eggs were not only done well, but incredibly comforting.

Being in a prominent and convenient spot within the CBD, Jeonpo Meat Shop also has lunch options, till 3pm, for office workers who might be looking to spice up their weekday lunches.

Besides the regular Korean dishes, such as bulgogi bibimbab (comes with pork or beef, S$16) and kimchi stew with rice (S$16), it also offers baekban, a no-frills Korean set meal with rice, soup, and side dishes.

For its baekban, there’s two options — the spicy stir-fried pork baekban (S$16) and bulgogi baekban (comes with pork or beef, S$16).

Overall, Jeonpo Meat Shop Singapore charmed us with its captivating throwback vibes, freshly cut meats, and authentic dishes and crew that had plenty of “jeong”.

Whether you’re thinking of stopping by for lunch or dinner, as long as you consider yourself a K-BBQ lover, Jeonpo Meat Shop is definitely worth a visit!

This was an invited tasting.

For the latest eats, read more about the Fat Cow’s S$88 13-course sushi omakase and Thai restaurant Sawadee’s new menu and look.

Enjoy up to 50% off when you dine with GrabFood Dine Out.

You can also book a ride to Jeonpo Meat Shop in Telok Ayer.