Myeongdong jokbal restaurant for a late 9pm dinner: Miss Jokbal

Jokbal in Myeongdong after shopping at Lotte Department Store

After shopping at Lotte Department Store in Myeongdong and walking toward Euljiro, I was torn on where to eat dinner — Myeongdong has so many good restaurants and street food nearby. But my friend kept singing about wanting jokbal (Korean braised pig's feet), so we ended up at Miss Jokbal Myeongdong Branch, a well-known jokbal spot in the area. We visited in the evening and the place was buzzing with people even before we walked in, which got me excited. Luckily a table opened up right away and we sat down quickly :) Crowded place = good restaurant.

Miss Jokbal Seoul Myeongdong Branch

Is Miss Jokbal Myeongdong still busy after 9pm?

This Myeongdong jokbal restaurant boils its jokbal fresh every day, prepared in 3 to 5 batches, so the taste and texture stay consistent no matter when you visit, apparently. We got there just past 9pm, and even though it was well past normal dinner hours, the hall was completely full and there was a wait. The jokbal has a light yet chewy texture, and there are good-value set menus that make it easy to turn into a full meal.

The spicy kimchi kalguksu we finished to the last bite

The kimchi kalguksu (spicy knife-cut noodle soup) served alongside the jokbal has a warm broth that carries the meal along naturally — I'd recommend this Myeongdong jokbal spot to anyone looking for good value in the area. Besides the kalguksu, there's also tofu kimchi, salad, gimbap, and more. The kalguksu was spicy, and I'm not usually a fan of kalguksu, but it was so spicy and the noodles were so good that I finished the whole bowl, no lie...

Hwangje jokbal and flying fish roe rice balls on one table

Jokbal has to be eaten warm to really enjoy the chewy skin and tender meat, so I prefer eating it fresh at the restaurant whenever I can. When our hwangje jokbal set arrived with the rice balls, the whole spread looked so appetizing my mouth was watering. The rice balls came out nicely shaped, about 8 pieces. Wrap one with jokbal on top and it disappears instantly.

How the side dishes work together

Shrimp salad, japchae (glass noodle stir-fry), stir-fried kimchi, and gimbap too. The hwangje jokbal set came with a variety of side dishes, and the combination was great — none of it felt greasy even after eating a lot. It was a fun, unusual meal and a satisfying dinner ෆ.

Jokbal wraps with dried radish strips and salted shrimp

The jokbal had that signature glossy, chewy-looking skin and tender-looking meat. We were hungry, so we wrapped one right away with a piece of jokbal on top. Soft jokbal plus a bit of dried radish and salted shrimp on top — total perfection ✌️

The flying fish roe rice balls even had pickled radish tucked inside, giving good texture when I bit in. I wrapped it up with jokbal and it was so good I kept making more rice balls and topping them with stir-fried kimchi. The typical jokbal smell wasn't bothersome at all, and overall it was clean and easy to eat. When I eat jokbal, I prefer the part where skin and meat are attached together rather than plain chewy meat alone, and eating the chewy skin together with the tender meat really let me feel jokbal's signature texture.

The jokbal was chewy yet tender, and it was delicious. With the rice balls and wraps added on, it turned into quite a filling spread and we came back stuffed. If you're in Myeongdong for drinks or a meal and want something different from the usual jokbal or bossam you've had, give this good-value Myeongdong jokbal spot, Miss Jokbal Myeongdong Branch, a try ෆ⸒⸒