Jongak Station mandu hot pot with hwangtae broth: Jongga Mandu

There are days when it's drizzling out, or I just crave something hot and deeply savory. Whenever that happens, one place always comes to mind first: Jongga Mandu (종가만두), a handmade dumpling restaurant located between Jongno 3-ga Station and Jongak Station. Since the dumplings are hand-pinched fresh every morning in the store, the wrappers are wonderfully chewy and the filling is generous. This time, craving a broth to warm me up again, I headed to this mandu hot pot spot near Jongak Station.

Where is Jongga Mandu, and how do you walk there from Jongak Station?

Jongga Mandu is on the 1st floor at 88 Supyo-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, and being close to the subway made it really convenient to reach by public transit. Coming out of Exit 15 at Jongno 3-ga Station, it's only about a 300m walk before you find it. From Jongak Station too, it's a distance perfect for a leisurely stroll toward Cheonggyecheon. I'll lay out the exact location and hours below.

• Name: Jongga Mandu
• Address: 1F, 88 Supyo-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours (Monday–Saturday): 11:00–21:30 (break time 15:30–17:00 / last order 20:30)
• Hours (Sunday): 11:00–16:00 (no break time / last order 15:00)
• Parking: Paid lot nearby (Sejong Parking Lot, 10-second walk)

Dumplings pinched by hand every morning at Jongga Mandu

As soon as I stepped through the entrance, I spotted the owner off to one side, hand-pinching dumplings. There was a sign noting they've hand-made over 2 million dumplings over 7 years, and you could really feel that experience. These aren't machine-pressed dumplings but sturdy, hand-formed ones, which only raised my expectations further. The fillings looked fresh and cleanly managed too, which put me at ease about digging in.

Inside Jongga Mandu: seating and amenities

The inside of Jongga Mandu was clean and tidy. With everything from 2-tops and 4-tops to group seating, it's a great fit for work dinners or gatherings too. There's also solo seating for those dining alone. A large self-serve bar off to one side was handy for grabbing extra side dishes, wet wipes, or small plates whenever needed.

The menu and our order: half-and-half broth mandu hot pot for two

A tablet at each table made it easy to browse the menu and order right away. Alongside the signature clear-broth hot pot and the spicy hot pot, there was a split-broth mandu hot pot that lets you enjoy both flavors at once. To avoid agonizing over which broth to pick, we ordered the split-broth mandu hot pot for two. As sides, we also added boiled dumplings, plus cold beer and soju.

Side dishes at Jongga Mandu: geotjeori (fresh kimchi) and a bowl of rice

Once we'd ordered, the basic side dishes and neatly arranged menu items were set down one by one. Danmuji (pickled radish) and geotjeori (freshly seasoned kimchi) came out cleanly plated, and a small bowl of rice was included too, making for a generous spread. That kimchi in particular was crisp and spicy, and it was fantastic alongside the dumplings or kalguksu. Served in brassware, it also felt like a nice touch of hospitality and looked really elegant.

How the clear Gangwon-do hwangtae (dried pollack) broth tastes

The broth was a deep yet clean, clear soup simmered from naturally dried Gangwon-do hwangtae (dried pollack). It was refreshing, and the neatly round handmade dumplings were nutty and savory. The clear broth wasn't harsh at all and had a soothing quality to it — the moment made it clear this mandu hot pot spot near Jongak Station had definitely been worth the trip.

Boiled dumplings, meat and kimchi, with jorangi tteok (chewy rice cakes)

We tried the boiled dumplings we'd ordered as a side, one at a time. The meat dumplings had no gaminess at all and burst with savory juices, while the kimchi dumplings had a spicy, sharp filling that stood out. The wrappers weren't too thick and had a nice chew, blending nicely with the filling in every bite. The mandu-guk (dumpling soup) also had jorangi rice cake (small twisted rice cakes) mixed in, which made picking through it fun, and the broth had soaked in well so I kept reaching back for more. Topping it off with a piece of crisp geotjeori kimchi made for the perfect finish. I became convinced there's hardly a better choice for a filling, warm-from-the-inside meal.

Final verdict: what kind of day suits Jongga Mandu?

Rather than anything harsh or artificial, this was a genuinely satisfying chance to taste handmade dumplings that bring out the deep flavor of the ingredients themselves. When the weather turns chilly, or I'm craving a hot broth with a drink on the side, I think I'll find myself thinking of this mandu hot pot spot near Jongak Station and heading back to Jongga Mandu. I'd recommend it for a family outing, a lunch with coworkers, or an evening drink after work. If you're near Jongno and craving a hearty, rich dumpling dish, it's well worth a visit.