Today, BBQ lovers, prepare to be amazed! We’re about to introduce you to the absolute must-visit Korean BBQ spot in Munich. This gem has earned rave reviews from everyone we know, standing out as one of the best BBQ destinations in the city.
Restaurant Profile
- Name of the Restaurant: Chagiya (incl. menu)
- Adress: Camerloherstraße 67, 80689 München
- Style: Korean/Asian Cuisine
- Price: around 40 – 60 EUR per Person (incl. drinks and tips)
Step inside and you’ll be greeted by a vibrant yet elegant setting. The ambiance is casually chic, with just the right amount of space between tables to make your dining experience feel intimate and special. This restaurant hits every high note: top-notch ingredients, unbeatable value for money, tantalizing variety with so many customization options, crafting flavors that’re are out of this world!
Service is an integral part of the entire experience. The staff are not just waiters or waitresses; they’re your personal BBQ guides, keen to tailor the experience to your preferences. They’ll even show you photos from their own phones to give you a sneak peek of what to expect.
As soon as we glanced at the menu, we were instantly thrilled by the incredible variety of offerings. We knew the staff’s patient consultation would be invaluable in guiding us through the options. This is more than a Korean BBQ place; it’s a global culinary fusion. They serve the fine cuts of meat, celebrated not only in Korea but also in Japan, Beijing, Thailand, Taiwan, and Vietnam, each with its own unique marinade and style.
You can choose from pork, beef, lamb, chicken, and seafood with two main sets. The standard composition, priced at around 35 EUR, lets you enjoy 300g of three different meat and seafood types. For those with a bigger appetite, the extended composition, at around 40 EUR, offers 400g of four different types.
Wagyu beef is also available for an extra charge. Although it’s not listed on the menu, you can request it—20 EUR for 100g of premium Wagyu from Japan. They also offer Australian Wagyu, which can be included in your set for about 5 EUR on top of the composition price.
At Chagiya, the beef cuts are from Black Angus Beef, known for its rich marbling and tender texture. Different cuts from different parts of the body offer unique tastes and textures. To enjoy the variety, we sampled different meat types, but made sure to keep beef front and center. For the two of us, we decided on two extended sets with Australian Wagyu included.
The Australian Wagyu, with its excellent marbling, promises buttery, rich, beefy flavors. The menu sets start with No. 1.1 Classic Seoul-Style Kalbi Short Ribs, featuring high-marbled short ribs from the front back area, sliced with bone for supreme juiciness. Next up is No. 1.6 Japanese Chuck Yakiniku Bliss, which includes large cuts of chuck rib meat from the shoulder area, known for its intense beefy flavor. No. 1.7 Imperial Beijing Flat Iron (Burgmeisterstück) offers thick slices of flat iron steak, prized for its robust taste and often considered one of the best for grilling.
For a spicy and aromatic delight, we chose No. 1.8 Thai Peppery Pinnacle, which consists of flat iron steak pieces seasoned with pepper sauce, onions, cumin, and a touch of coriander. Next in line was No. 2.2 Duroc Jeop Sal, featuring thick slices of Duroc pork belly, known for its succulent and juicy texture, with a rich and slightly sweet flavor. No. 4.1 Kimchi Dak-Bokkeum brought a bold and tangy flavor with its chicken meat marinated in a spicy Korean kimchi sauce, offering a hint of heat. Finally, No. 5.3 Scallops presented four large-sized scallops, bringing a sweet, oceanic flavor that perfectly complemented the hearty meats.
For two people, two extended sets at Chagiya are more than enough, leaving you thoroughly satisfied. If you’re inclined towards the standard sets and still want to explore more, we highly recommend trying the M1 Korean Seafood Jeongol Pancake with Leek and Spicy Sauce. This popular dish is a delicious medley of shrimp, octopus, and crispy leeks, topped generously with sesame seeds.
The soul of this pancake is in its dipping sauce. It combines the deep flavors of soy sauce, a tangy hint of vinegar, and the nutty notes of sesame oil. Minced green onions infuse it with freshness, while chili lends a spicy kick. The pancake’s starchy texture softens the briny sweetness of the seafood and the pungent aroma of leeks. Paired with the savory sauce, it delivers umami richness in every bite, making for a solid foundation before diving into the BBQ feast.
Once we placed our order, the staff promptly served an array of delectable side dishes. These included fresh spinach in sesame paste, tangy and slightly spicy rice noodles, salted edamame in shells, pickled mustard greens with edamame, savory wood ear mushrooms in a spicy sauce, kimchi, zucchini, pickled radish, fresh salad with carrots and cucumber, and steamed rice topped with sesame seeds.
All these banchan are complimentary and can be refilled free of charge. Seriously, just indulging in these delicious sides can leave you feeling full and utterly satisfied. This unlimited refill policy is a game-changer that will transform your BBQ experience.
The variety of vegetarian banchan ensures that the BBQ never feels heavy, allowing you to balance rich meats with fresh veggies. And you get to fully enjoy Korean BBQ the authentic way, known as Ssam (쌈): wrapping succulent meat in leafy greens such as lettuce, adding BBQ sauce, and piling on different flavorful sides for that ultimate mouthwatering bite. Each mouthful is an exciting, perfectly balanced burst of flavor.
While you’re savoring the side dishes, the main event—the BBQ platters—arrive at lightning speed. The staff quickly gets the BBQ equipment ready for you, with the stove embedded right in the middle of the table. With a grill plate at the center, you can place your meat and other ingredients on top, flip and grill at your own pace. The enticing aroma and the sizzling sounds make the grilling incredibly fun and engaging.
The BBQ set is a complete package, even with a smoke extractor hanging above. The staff adjusts it to the right spot to soak up the grilling smoke, so you won’t leave smelling like BBQ. Each table is equipped with scissors and tongs. In Korean kitchens, scissors are beloved for their versatility, perfect for cutting meat into manageable pieces. Here’s a pro tip: use the scissors to cut the meat either before grilling or after it’s cooked to avoid cross-contamination. And it’s best to use the tongs rather than chopsticks to flip the raw ingredients, just to keep things sanitary.
Let’s fire up the grill—the moment the meat hits the hot surface, the crackling sound and aroma is irresistible. The high-quality beef showcases exquisite marbling, with the fat gently melting and enhancing its juiciness on the grill. The smell is deeply enticing, with hints of caramelization and a savory sweetness from the rendered fat.
As the meat grills, its surface crisps to a brownish perfection, creating a tender inside and a crispy outside. Accompaniments like onions, baby corn, asparagus, and rosemary enhance the natural savoriness of the protein and add vibrancy to the grill plate.
There are three dipping sauces: a thick, spicy paste combining fermented soybean and chili, offering a dynamic flavor profile of nutty, garlicky, sweet, and spicy notes; a dark, sesame oil-based sauce with salt and black pepper for a mild, nutty taste and subtle savory flavor; and an extra-spicy variant for those seeking more heat. Each sauce elevates the umami richness of the meat with a spicy-savory kick and subtle nutty undertones.
All the meat types are delicious—whether it’s tender chicken, juicy pork belly, or plump scallops—but the beef simply reigns supreme. Bite into its juicy succulence, savor the luxurious, robust beefiness with caramelized charr that completely engulfs you in its richness and intensity – a true taste of heaven.
Try it the Korean way: wrap the meat in lettuce leaves and layer a few sides for an explosion of flavors and textures – the wood ear mushrooms add a chewy, earthy flavor, while rice noodles provide a soft, starchy element that absorbs the flavors of the meat and sauces. Zucchini contributes a slight sweetness and crunch, complementing the tanginess of kimchi, which gives a spicy and fermented kick. Onions offer a subtle sharpness, balanced by the mild sweetness of edamame and the refreshing coolness of cucumber.
Indulge in the juicy, hearty meat, paired with vibrant accompaniments and enriched by the dipping sauces bursting with spicy-savory depth, nutty richness and a fiery punch. Enveloped in a crisp freshness of the lettuce, each mouthful ignites a gratifying taste sensation that captures the very essence of Korean BBQ dining.
Korean BBQ is an ancient tradition, tracing its roots back to the Goguryeo Kingdom (37 BCE to 668 CE) with Maekjeok, a type of grilled meat. It evolved over the centuries from Seolya Mijeok, a snowy night delicacy in the Goryeo Dynasty (918 to 1392 CE), to Neobiani Gui (thinly sliced grilled beef), a royal treat in the Joseon era (1392 to 1910), before becoming a popular choice for communal feasting.
Although no longer a symbol of royalty nowadays, the Korean BBQ retains its festive character. I fondly remember it as a popular post-exam celebration from my school days. In our cramped dormitory, the home-style BBQ grill dominated the center, claiming much of the available space. Yet, we didn’t mind. It was an indulgent moment in our teenage days – a long-awaited reward after the toughest exams. We embraced the grilling aroma that filled every corner of our dorm, itching neighboring classmates to join.
Those days of marathon study sessions, daily struggles and endurance distilled into a moment of fervent satisfaction. As we bit into the palm-sized lettuce wrap of pork belly – relishing the rich, fatty flavors with a firm chew of juicy meat – was it the comfort of the food, or the optimistic spirit and hopeful anticipation unique to student years? Our faces glowed with contentment. We were seventeen that year. Now, revisiting the Korean BBQ in Munich, it still stirs in the recesses of memory an unfinished nostalgia, for the youthful bliss and heartening camaraderie.
