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Dish guide · Meat

🥩

Bulgogi

불고기

Marinated grilled beef

♨️ Served hot🙂 Not spicy🥬 Not vegetarian

Thin slices of beef marinated in soy sauce, sugar, garlic and sesame oil, then grilled or cooked in a pan. The name means "fire meat".

What it is

  • The beef is sliced thin and marinated, often with Korean pear or onion to make it tender and sweet.
  • Some restaurants grill it over charcoal; others cook it at the table on a domed grill or in a shallow pan with a little broth.

How to eat it

  1. 1Eat it with rice. If lettuce leaves come with it, wrap a piece of beef with a little rice and dipping paste.

History

  • Its roots are traced to maekjeok, skewered grilled meat from the ancient Goguryeo kingdom, and to neobiani, thin slices of marinated beef grilled for the Joseon royal court.
  • After the Korean War beef became more affordable, and bulgogi turned into one of Korea's best-known dishes.

Allergies and diet

Usually contains

beefsoywheatsesame
  • The wheat comes from the soy sauce in the marinade.

Recipes differ between restaurants. If you have an allergy, always ask the staff before you order.

🗣️ Allergy card for the staff

Pick your allergy to see the sentence in Korean.

📍 Where to try it

Sources

We check every fact against at least two sources and write it in our own words. Last checked: 2026-10-26.