All-you-can-eat Korean BBQ (for cheap!) at Charcoal Mine Barbecue House, Parramatta

There are two golden rules for any all-you-can-eat: wear loose clothing, and arrive hungry. You’ll face instant regret if you don’t do both when you rock up to Charcoal Mine, said to be Australia’s first all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue restaurant.


Overhead barbecue smoke ventilators

The fact they opened over 20 years ago goes some way in explaining the dated but perfectly functional décor. The room full of Korean families, students and couples don’t care though. Let’s face it. Everybody’s focus is on the self-serve buffet. Hit it hard.


Buffet island


Time to gather all the meats


Marinated pork and chicken

You'll be in protein central with meats that run from marinated scotch fillet to spicy bacon strips, chicken wings and pork sausages. Seafood choices include mussels, octopus and squid. The more adventurous will venture towards kidney, intestine, giblet and liver territory. Leave your vegetarian mates at home unless they’re happy to binge on kimchi and lettuce leaves.


Meat on charcoal. Oh yeah.

Load up, head back to your table and resist the urge to throw everything on the charcoal barbecue. Yep, you’ll have to cook your own meat but trust us, it’s a cinch. Plus there are few things more satisfying than transferring succulent meat straight off the barbie and into your mouth. Plus, the charcoal really makes a difference, adding a smokier flavour to your sizzle meats. Most other Korean barbecue joints use cheaper – and less flavoursome – gas.


Cooked in a flash

The buffet selection isn’t huge but neither is the price tag. You’ll pay $35-$37 for dinner, depending on which night you dine, or binge at lunch for maximum value when the price drops to $28. Bargain!


Lettuce wraps and fresh watermelon and oranges

Don’t forget to create your own dipping sauces using gochujang chilli paste, ssamjang barbecue paste, sesame oil and soy. Help yourself to a bowl of steamed rice and make like a local, wrapping up your freshly barbecued meats in crisp iceberg lettuce leaves with a little bit of rice and a smear of ssamjang.

Fresh watermelon and orange wedges make for a sweet and refreshing dessert – or mid-meal palate cleanser. They have an alcohol license too, so you can barbie on up with a beer by your side. Maaate.

Fellow diners showing us how it's done with the lettuce wraps


Dining tables with inset barbecue grills






Charcoal Mine Barbecue House
454 Church Street, North Parramatta, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 9630 3299 or +61 (02) 9630 4401

Opening hours
Monday 12pm-3pm, 5pm-11pm
Tuesday 5pm-11pm
Wednesday to Sunday 12pm-3pm, 5pm-11pm

This article first appeared in Time Out Sydney. Read this article online or read more of my Time Out Sydney reviews.