Guro bar for donkatsu kimchi stew: Apgujeong Sinpocha

One minute from Gaebong Station, from first round to Nth round

Apgujeong Sinpocha (압구정신포차) is a great Gaebong Station spot for generous bar food and discounted drinks. With two menu orders, soju is ₩3,000 and beer is ₩4,000, making this somewhere you can visit from the first round all the way to the Nth round.

• A wide range of dishes, from meals to drinking snacks
• High-quality, good-value bar food
• Alcohol discount when ordering two dishes
• Deep flavor from house-made sauces
• Generous, satisfying portions
• One-minute walk from Exit 1 of Gaebong Station

My husband was so happy with this Gaebong Station bar-food spot that he said we have to come back next time 🫶

Apgujeong Sinpocha is a one-minute walk from Exit 1 of Gaebong Station. It is right in front of the station, so it is great after work, and it stays open late—perfect for a second or third drinking stop too.

What are the seating and atmosphere like?

It is a cozy space with the feel of a neighborhood izakaya (Japanese-style pub) ✨️✨️ There are about 10 four-person tables inside, plus an eight-person table, so group gatherings look possible too. Some tables have partitions, while others sit on a slightly raised level, dividing up the space so it did not feel chaotic even when busy. A lovely place to relax over a drink and chat!!

Alcohol discount with two menu orders

Apgujeong Sinpocha has a varied menu, from dishes substantial enough for a meal to dried snacks, and the prices are fairly affordable. It was a good place to visit from the first round to the Nth round.

When you order two dishes, soju is ₩3,000 and beer is ₩4,000 🍻 You do not have to order both dishes at the start—if you add another later, the discount still applies!! A main-and-side combination works too, so it is a great place to save on drinks 🫶

There is also free steamed egg through the Naver receipt-review event. It is a great side to have alongside the bar food—such a nice combination 👍👍

Kimchi stew with a whole donkatsu inside

Donkatsu Kimchi Stew ₩19,000

The combination of whole pork loin donkatsu (Japanese-style pork cutlet) and spicy kimchi stew was much more filling than I expected!!

The broth came with big pieces of donkatsu, udon noodles, and egg, so there was an incredibly generous amount of stuff in it.

Above all, the donkatsu quality was so good 🫶 I was surprised by how thick it was!! It would have been delicious on its own, but paired with the spicy kimchi-stew broth, the donkatsu was wonderfully moist and savory.

There were thick pieces of yubu (fried tofu pouch) in it too. You know, the kind of yubu that only comes in expensive dishes,, The broth itself was spicy and full of umami, so it was perfect as a drinking snack too 👍👍 It is generous enough that I recommend it as a meal as well!!

Charcoal-grilled cheese buldak piled high with cheese

Charcoal-Grilled Cheese Buldak ₩19,000

This house's signature dish: charcoal-grilled cheese buldak (fire chicken) with cheese piled on generously!! There was plenty of cheese across the whole dish, so I never ran short right up to the last bite 🧀

I expected buldak to be intensely hot, but maybe the cheese balanced it out—it was deliciously spicy. Personally, it felt about as spicy as Yeol Ramen?! They can adjust the spice level too, so I wanted to try it one level hotter.

The highlight of this dish is definitely the charcoal-grilled aroma! The deep smoky flavor was so delicious. I heard the owner makes the sauce from scratch rather than using a commercially sold seasoning product. It was rich and full of umami, giving it a quality that felt different from other bar snacks.

There are add-ons such as noodles and rice balls, so it would be great with a meal, or you could add an extra topping as a “dessert” (?) after drinking and finish feeling full. I tried adding the udon noodles from the donkatsu nabe (hot pot), and they went so well together.

This is how we ate for the first and second rounds

The two-menu deal—soju for ₩3,000 and beer for ₩4,000—also helps ease the cost of a night out 🍻 You do not need to order two bar snacks from the start; add another later and the discount applies!

For the first round, I recommend the donkatsu kimchi stew, which is more generous than expected. For the second round, try the smoky charcoal-grilled cheese buldak, an easy-to-pick-at drinking snack!!

A restaurant my husband gave a double thumbs-up to 👍👍 The bar food was tasty and the menu was varied, so we were happy with everything from a meal to drinks 🫶

• One-minute walk from Exit 1 of Gaebong Station
• Hearty kimchi stew with donkatsu
• Cheese buldak with a proper charcoal-grilled aroma
• Deep umami from house-made sauce
• Alcohol discount with two menu orders
• Free steamed egg with a Naver receipt review