Hongdae jjimdak restaurant with spicy cheese: Ongdarae Jjimdak

A 15-year jjimdak spot near Hongik University Station

I visited a jjimdak (braised chicken) specialist that has been running in Hongdae for 15 years 🫶 It’s a famous Hongdae jjimdak place that everyone seems to enjoy, and even at weekend lunch it was packed with customers. They use fresh domestic chicken, and with private rooms and dessert on top, I was really happy with both the food and the overall atmosphere 👍

It’s at 122 Yanghwa-ro, about a five-minute straight walk from Exit 9 of Hongik University Station.

Paid parking is available in front of the restaurant too 🚗 It’s ₩3,000 for the first 30 minutes, then ₩1,000 per additional 10 minutes, up to ₩30,000. Use the commercial parking lot in front and you get 5% off your bill; this does not apply if you use a nearby alternative parking lot.

An upscale, spacious dining room and private rooms

I expected a casual vibe because it’s a jjimdak restaurant, but I was surprised by how upscale and tidy it was 👀 It was fully booked at 1 p.m. on a weekend, so it’s clearly popular 🔥 The dining room itself is spacious and the tables are nicely spaced out, so it didn’t feel too crowded even with lots of people.

There are two private rooms that each hold around 10 people, so I’d recommend it for company dinners or group get-togethers!! There was even a group dining there when I visited.

From Ongdarae Jjimdak, a soy-sauce jjimdak, to gochujang jjimdak, samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup), and dakbokkeumtang (spicy braised chicken stew), there are lots of chicken dishes to choose from according to your taste.

• Receipt review event: complimentary Ongbap
• Reservation: 10% discount coupon for wedding-invitation gatherings
• Post a tag and Story: complimentary soft drink

Boneless Cheese Jjimdak M at the spiciest level

We ordered the Boneless Cheese Jjimdak M for 2–3 people at ₩40,000, and picked the spiciest option out of mild, medium, and spicy!!

⭐️ Today’s main character has an insanely good look ⭐️ You have to admire delicious food first, right? 🥹🥹

That stretchy-cheese visual is seriously amazing, right? 🤤 There was so much cheese that it practically covered the jjimdak. You definitely won’t be left wanting more cheese here!!

Because it was boneless, it was easy to pick up and eat right away without having to pull meat off the bones 👍👍

The boneless pieces were all chicken thigh, so they were moist and tender without any dry texture. They were the perfect bite size too.

You know the sauce is the key with dishes like this,, It was about as spicy as Shin Ramyun, and for the spiciest Cheese Jjimdak, the soy sauce seasoning was just right and delicious!! If you want something hotter, I recommend ordering the Original or New Red Pepper Jjimdak.

Adding glass noodles to jjimdak is a must, but this came with so many wide glass noodles it felt like we had added extra. I loved how generous the portions were 🫶 We were originally going to have Ongbap as a side too, but there was so much food that we ultimately couldn’t eat it 🥹

A free dessert bar after the meal

A dessert bar that’s perfect after your meal!! One side of the restaurant has a charging corner and desserts. From barley snacks and candy to homemade scones, coffee, and tea bags, everything is free to enjoy, making it a lovely simple finish after eating 🫶

The Boneless Cheese Jjimdak had loads of cheese, glass noodles, and chicken, while the spacious restaurant and private rooms made it great for group gatherings or family meals too. I think it’s also an easy, comfortable place for international visitors looking for a good Korean restaurant in Hongdae.