Date Night at The Latest Barbecue Joints in Chaoyang

Make it a show at Jushisan

The genre of cook-it-yourself barbecue is fundamentally about the fun as much as it is about the meat (and, if you must, vegetables), which is a concept that Jushisan understands all too well. By taking presentation to the next level, the chain has already made a name for themselves in Beijing with their flagship location out in Shilipu. Thankfully, however, there’s finally a more central location at Dongdaqiao.

If you’re in the area and want to stop by for dinner, expect a near-literal carnival of meats, ready to be plucked from a Ferris wheel (RMB 298) and placed onto the grill by your very own hand.

Of course, not all the food comes out on an amusement park ride, and many diners will instead opt for the “13-step staircase,” (RMB 198) a baker’s dozen of meats and veggies that will be enough to hold over at least a party of three.

Jushisan Dongdaqiao 聚十三烤肉博物馆 (东大桥店)
5 Dongdaqiao Lu, Landao Mansion, Chaoyang district
朝阳区东大桥路5号蓝岛大厦

Keep things subtle at Muee

In sharp contrast to Jushisan, Muee is all about the minimalist presentation for the barbecue, as well as its multitudes of traditional Hunan dishes. That’s not to say that it’s a place of fine dining per se – although with the stunning design of both the exterior and interior of the restaurant, it could fit right in as such – but more of a casual diner that seeks to intrigue.

Once you’re seated among the concrete archways and swiss-cheese holes of Muee’s space, you’ll be treated to your choice of light chuan’r as well as spiced-up fish, among other Hainanese specialties. On the beverage side, the restaurant carries Früli Fruit Beer, which, in this author’s humble opinion, is not the ideal pairing for barbecue, but to each their own.

Muee 牡壹
Hepingli Dongjie, Bolinsi neighborhood, Building 11, East side, floors 1-2, Chaoyang District
朝阳区和平里东街柏林寺小区11号楼东侧1-2层

Grill ‘em up at Ming Ji BBQ

Here’s one for those who like their meats smokey. Rather than the typical electric grill that has become so common at cook-it-yourself restaurants, Mingji places a fence grill over charcoal and lets the embers do their magic.