Songpa rooftop camping pub: pa-tteok & anglerfish jerky at 88 Nogari

Why I went looking for a rooftop bar in Bangi-dong

88 Nogari Bangi Branch (88노가리 방이직영점) is a camping-themed rooftop pub in Bangi-dong, near Jamsil Station and Bangi Food Alley. I wanted a light dinner and a drink with a friend, so I went looking for a rooftop spot.

With the evening breeze picking up, I got all fluttery and wanted a beer somewhere open, like a terrace or rooftop. My friend and I agreed to meet for a casual dinner and drink, and it turned out we both wanted a nice rooftop in the middle of the city rather than a stuffy indoor place.

I searched and found a camping-style rooftop pub near Jamsil Station and Bangi Food Alley, so off we went. That place was 88 Nogari Bangi Branch. The building's lights were sparkling so brightly that we spotted it from far away.

88 Nogari Bangi Branch: location and basic info

88 Nogari Bangi Branch is at 42 Ollimpik-ro 32-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, in the Osung Building (2nd floor, 3rd floor and rooftop). So you don't get lost, here are the key details.

• Location: 42 Ollimpik-ro 32-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, Osung Building, 2nd floor, 3rd floor and rooftop
• Subway: Jamsil Station (Lines 2 and 8) Exit 10, Songpanaru Station (Line 9) Exit 2, near Hanseongbaekje Station and Mongchontoseong Station
• Features: indoor seats on floors 2 and 3 (the 3rd floor has a room for 20), rooftop camping-style seats, separate men's and women's restrooms on each floor
• Menu and extras: cold draft beer and lots of good-value snacks, Naver reservations, group seating available

What is the rooftop atmosphere like?

The rooftop at 88 Nogari Bangi Branch has camping chairs and tables on artificial grass, with round globe lights glowing overhead. The 2nd and 3rd floors are spacious rooms with big screens, so you can pick indoors or outdoors.

You enter the building and climb the stairs; the 2nd and 3rd floors feel like clean, roomy large venues. There are big screens inside too, so it looks great for watching sports or videos together.

But our real goal was a rooftop bar in Bangi-dong with an outdoor vibe, so we headed straight up to the top floor without hesitating. The moment we opened the rooftop door, the cool night breeze hit us and I couldn't help but gasp.

Artificial grass is laid out with cozy camping chairs and tables on top, so even in the middle of the city it felt like we'd gone off camping somewhere far away. The round globe lights overhead glowed romantically, and photos came out pretty too.

The beer and snacks we ordered at 88 Nogari Bangi Branch

Every table has a tablet for ordering, and the bar has draft and bottled beer such as Terra Light and Cass. That day we ordered pa-tteok, hotteok (sweet filled pancake), boneless anglerfish jerky and snack-bar cup ramen with our beer.

With a tablet on each table, we could browse the menu slowly and order easily. True to its reputation as a Bangi-dong rooftop pub, it had a good selection of cold draft and bottled beer like Terra Light and Cass, and my mind felt wide open.

We ordered a hearty spread of pa-tteok, hotteok, boneless anglerfish jerky and cup ramen from the snack bar, all with cold beer. The free side snack is crispy, nutty chicken drumstick crackers, and they're the kind of beer snack you keep reaching for.

How were the pa-tteok, hoooo-tteok and anglerfish jerky?

The pa-tteok came out soon after, with rice cake and sausage fried golden and coated in a generous sweet-spicy sauce. Crispy outside and chewy inside, it filled my mouth with joy. The hoooo-tteok was piping hot and packed with a sweet filling, striking a perfect sweet-and-salty balance among the salty snacks.

And the crispy grilled boneless anglerfish jerky, dipped in mayo sauce, was nutty with no fishy taste at all, so I kept going back for more.

Snack-bar cup ramen on the rooftop

Finally, sesame ramen cup noodles eaten in the breeze were a total cheat code. Slurping up the soft noodles in hot, spicy broth made all my stress disappear.

The snack prices are friendly overall too, so you can order and try a variety of dishes without worrying about the bill, which I really liked.

Who is the 88 Nogari Bangi Branch rooftop for?

The rooftop at 88 Nogari Bangi Branch is worth recommending when you want a beer with city-camping vibes. I'd also suggest it for get-togethers with friends, dates and group dinners.

I can't think of a better place to shake off everyday stuffiness and feel the camping mood in the city. Tasty snacks, cold beer and talking under the open night sky made for a really satisfying evening.

I'd recommend it to anyone planning a get-together with close friends, a date or a group dinner. Before the cool outdoor-pub season passes, stop by 88 Nogari Bangi Branch for that Bangi-dong rooftop pub vibe.