RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK Linus' BBQ brings smoky flavors to Seoul's restaurant scene
The spread at Linus’ Bama Style BBQ / Courtesy of Shuttle Delivery
Linus’ Bama Style BBQ was born on a rooftop in Itaewon, where owner Linus Kim first started smoking meat to satiate his need for a taste of home. Hailing from the Heart of Dixie, Birmingham, Alabama, Linus grew up with Southern-style barbecue, a celebrated culinary tradition of the American South known for slow-cooked, smoky meats with robust flavors that embody the heart and soul of the region.
For over a decade now, Linus and his team have been serving top-notch Southern-style BBQ from their restaurant in Itaewon, close to Yongsan District Office, where patrons can enjoy some Southern hospitality and stuff their mouths.
The menu at Linus' BBQ reads like a love letter to the Southern soul. What truly sets Linus’ BBQ apart is the passion and dedication of their pitmaster, who skillfully smokes and cooks their meats to perfection at their own smokehouse. They import applewood all the way from the U.S., ensuring that the smoky flavor is as close to the real thing as you can get in Seoul. This attention to detail elevates the taste of their barbecue to an exceptional level. The meat's smoke ring, the beautiful pink layer just beneath the surface, is a testament to Linus’ dedication to his craft.
Conveniently, Linus has even figured out how to get us eating BBQ at every meal. They serve a lineup of sandwiches and sandwich sets, which are perfect for lunch, as well as an assortment of platters with pulled pork, spare ribs, homemade sausages and brisket.
Linus Kim / Courtesy of Shuttle Delivery
As Linus tells it, “The Pulled Pork Sandwich is where it all started for me. I was a super picky eater as a kid, but then I tasted pulled pork and it became my first favorite food.”
Linus’ signature Pulled Pork Sandwich is made from tender, smoky pork shoulder (hand-pulled to order) and served on a crunchy herb-toasted bun and topped with Tangy OG sauce and dill pickles. The portion is a very generous mound of slow-cooked, tender pork shoulder, pulled apart by the skillful hands of their pitmaster and slathered in their signature sweet and tangy barbecue sauce. It pairs magnificently with a side of coleslaw, giving customers their choice between Linus’ Slaw in the Raw, a sweet and tangy slaw with no mayo, or The Colonel’s Creamy Slaw, which is just Linus doing his best KFC imitation. Pro tip, just put the slaw in your sandwich and eat like no one is watching.
If you want a taste of everything, look no further than the Spare Rib Platter with Pulled Pork and Brisket. The meal comes with spare ribs, pulled pork, brisket, nine slider buns and your choice of three sides.The brisket is a house specialty cooked low and slow, resulting in a mesmerizing tenderness that melts in your mouth. It couples perfectly wih the buttered and grilled slider buns, and you can’t go wrong with side dishes like coleslaw, pork ‘n beans, mashed potatoes and skinny fries. You better loosen up that belt, it’s slap-yo’-mama good.
The Spare Rib Platter with Pulled Pork and Brisket at Linus’ Bama Style BBQ / Courtesy of Shuttle Delivery
Linus’ Bama Style BBQ is a favorite of Seoulites, and a must-try for foreign residents and tourists. They are open daily from noon to 3 p.m. for lunch service and serve dinner from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. If you're in the greater Yongsan area of Seoul, you can skip the queue, pay online and place pickup or delivery orders using the Shuttle app or shuttledelivery.co.kr.
Mark Boesch is co-founder and chief marketing officer of Shuttle Delivery.