[Review] Song Gye Ok Singapore Serves Korean BBQ with a Different Kind of Chicken Experience, Featuring Hearts, Gizzards and Neck Fillets

Korean barbecue in Singapore usually means pork belly, beef and plenty of smoke. Song Gye Ok takes a noticeably different route by putting chicken at the centre of the grill, including cuts that many diners may not usually encounter on a restaurant menu.

Originally from Seoul, Song Gye Ok has built its reputation around charcoal-grilled chicken and specialty cuts. The Singapore restaurant brings that concept into a hanok-inspired dining space with warm wooden details, rustic design elements and chef-led grilling at the table. The restaurant’s concept is built around specialty chicken cuts cooked individually to highlight their different textures and flavours.

We tried the SGO Signature Grill Platter (S$138), a substantial 720g spread featuring tenders, boneless neck fillet, gizzard, heart, breast softbone, thigh and marinated thigh.

It is the kind of meal that makes dining interactive, especially for those used to ordering just one familiar chicken cut.

The fun lies in working through the different parts and discovering how differently each one eats.

The tenders and thigh are the safer choices, offering juicy, tender meat that will appeal to diners who simply want good grilled chicken.

The marinated thigh brings more pronounced flavour, while the breast softbone provides a crunchy contrast.

The more adventurous cuts are where Song Gye Ok becomes particularly interesting.

The gizzard has a firmer, chewier bite, while the heart is dense and springy.

The boneless neck fillet was among the more distinctive cuts, with a texture that sits somewhere between tender meat and something slightly more textured and chewy.

You do not necessarily have to love every cut to enjoy the platter. That is arguably the point. It feels a little like a tasting experience built around one ingredient, where the same chicken is transformed into several very different textures.

The grilling is handled by the staff, which means you get to sit back and focus on eating rather than worrying about overcooking the chicken. The charcoal cooking also adds a subtle smoky dimension without overwhelming the natural flavour of the meat.

Beyond the grill, the SGO Signature Doenjang Stew (S$28) proved to be a comforting accompaniment.

Made with fermented soybeans, the stew has a pungent and distinctive aroma that may be challenging for diners unfamiliar with stronger Korean fermented flavours.

However, once you get past the initial intensity, it is savoury and nourishing. The fermented soybean profile gives the stew more character than a standard mild doenjang soup, making it especially enjoyable alongside the grilled meats. The restaurant describes its Cheongguk Doenjang Stew as a hearty traditional soybean paste stew, and the robust flavour is certainly its defining characteristic.

The Uiseong Garlic Fried Rice (S$18) was another crowd-pleasing dish.

Rich, cheesy and generously flavoured, it is comfort food with little restraint. The garlic adds fragrance while the cheese gives the fried rice an indulgent richness. It is probably not the dish to order if you are trying to keep the meal light, but after sampling the various grilled chicken cuts, it works well as a satisfying carb-heavy addition.

For something cooler and more refreshing, the Bibim Noodles (S$28) offered a useful contrast. Served cold with a slightly spicy kick, the noodles have a pleasant tanginess and heat that helps reset the palate between bites of grilled chicken.

It is not aggressively spicy, but there is enough heat to keep the dish interesting. The chilled noodles are particularly welcome in Singapore’s weather and provide a lighter balance to what is otherwise a meat-heavy meal.

What makes Song Gye Ok memorable is that it does not simply serve grilled chicken. It turns chicken into the entire dining experience.

There is something enjoyable about moving from familiar thigh meat to crunchy softbone, chewy gizzard and springy heart, especially when everything is grilled fresh and served as part of one communal platter.

Song Gye Ok will not be for everyone, particularly if chicken heart, gizzard and neck fillet are outside your comfort zone. However, that willingness to go beyond the standard cuts is precisely what makes the restaurant stand out. For adventurous eaters, Korean food lovers and anyone bored of the usual pork and beef Korean barbecue options, it offers a genuinely different grilling experience.

Song Gye Ok Singapore has outlets at both Telok Ayer and The Centrepoint, with the brand also expanding its offerings beyond the charcoal grill to include Korean comfort dishes such as slow-simmered broths and hand-cut noodles.