Budget Jonggak pub for round two: shishito pork stir-fry, Ari Gyegok
In short
Ari Gyegok Jonggak (아리계곡 종각점) is a two-floor Korean pub on the main stretch of Jonggak's Youth Street in Jongno, Seoul. On a round-two visit with a friend, the writer ordered beef tripe soft tofu hot pot (₩23,900), shishito pepper pork stir-fry (₩11,900) and a bubbling cheese potato pancake (₩18,900). Most dishes cost between the high ₩10,000s and low ₩20,000s, so it is easy to try several. Ari Gyegok Jonggak is a round-two pub in Jonggak where both the food and the prices satisfy.
Good to know
- Getting there
- Jonggak Station Exit 4 · 3-min walk (store listing, Oct 6, 2026)
- Location
- 1F, 41 Ujeongguk-ro 2-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul (main stretch of Jonggak Youth Street)
- Size
- Large pub across two floors (1F and 2F); many groups book through Naver
- Beef tripe soft tofu hot pot
- ₩23,900 (extra tripe ₩10,000)
- Shishito pepper pork stir-fry
- ₩11,900
- Bubbling cheese potato pancake
- ₩18,900
- Drinks
- From somaek (soju mixed with beer) to a wide range of makgeolli
- Event
- Join the receipt review event for free udon noodles or nurungji (scorched rice)
- Price reference
- ₩23,900 ≈ $18 · ₩11,900 ≈ $8.9 · ₩18,900 ≈ $14 (2026-10-16)
as written by the visitor on Jun 18, 2026
Today I'm posting about Ari Gyegok Jonggak (아리계곡 종각점), a Korean pub in Jonggak that's great for office workers around Jonggak and Gwanghwamun~!!
Why is Ari Gyegok Jonggak so convenient for round two in Jonggak?
Ari Gyegok Jonggak is on the main side of Jonggak's Youth Street, so it's super easy to get to for round two from anywhere!! I came here with a friend for round two after hanging out, and it was so good. From the atmosphere to the food, nothing was lacking at this Jonggak favorite.
We were looking for a round-two spot while out in Jonggak, found this place and dropped in!! It's a huge pub spread over two floors, 1F and 2F. Lots of groups had booked through Naver too.
It's a famous place, so it seems to have appeared on a bunch of TV shows.
Ari Gyegok Jonggak menu and drinks
There's a menu board out front, so you can check the menu before going in. From baeksuk (whole chicken boiled in broth) to all kinds of meat dishes and anju (drinking snacks), the range is wide, so it felt easy to walk in without any pressure!!
True to a Korean pub, there are lots of stir-fries, soups and more!! It's also a Jonggak pub that works for a first round, since nobody will mind the choices.
The drinks, of course, run from somaek to every kind of makgeolli (Korean rice wine). Maybe that's why there were quite a lot of foreign guests too.
The interior has this Korean look, which seems to draw all kinds of customers.
How much are the anju at Ari Gyegok Jonggak?
We ordered the three dishes below. Everything is in the high ₩10,000s to low ₩20,000s, so it's easy to order without worrying about the bill!!
- Beef tripe soft tofu hot pot ₩23,900
- Shishito pepper pork stir-fry ₩11,900
- Bubbling cheese potato pancake ₩18,900
The prices are such a bargain!! A hot pot like this would easily top ₩30,000 elsewhere. I was curious about everything on the menu, and with prices this friendly I ordered a bit of everything. At this price, isn't it basically what a hof bar charges for a Spam and fried egg plate? haha
Let's start with a cold somaek~!! They have every kind of drink.
Shishito pepper pork stir-fry: sweet-salty sauce with sriracha mayo
The first dish to arrive at Ari Gyegok Jonggak was the shishito pepper pork stir-fry (₩11,900).
Chicken neck meat and shishito peppers, nicely stir-fried in a sweet-salty sauce!! It was totally sweet and salty, and so good. They give you sriracha mayo on the side, so if you want some heat, I recommend dipping!! I was worried the peppers would be spicy, but luckily they were just right!! A magical sweet-salty sauce~!!
Beef tripe soft tofu hot pot: amount of tripe and extra noodles
And now the main event, the beef tripe soft tofu hot pot (₩23,900)!! It already has jjolmyeon (chewy wheat noodles) in it, so it looks very generous. Soju with a spicy broth is always a winner.
One long strand of tripe comes in the pot, and you cut it into bite-size pieces. The tripe is seriously plump and full of gop (the rich fatty filling inside)!! Tripe lovers are going to love it, haha. There's also an extra tripe option (₩10,000) if you want it even more generous.
The tofu inside gets softer and softer as it boils, and with the spicy broth it was the best!! It's perfect as a soup anju.
If you sign up for the receipt review event at Ari Gyegok Jonggak, they add udon noodles or nurungji, so try adding one to the hot pot. Tripe plus udon is always a winning combo!
There was honestly much more tripe than I expected, so the value is great.
Bubbling cheese potato pancake with plenty of jalapeño cheese sauce
Lastly, we ordered the bubbling cheese potato pancake (₩18,900)!! They pour a generous amount of slightly spicy jalapeño cheese sauce, like nacho cheese, over a hot grill plate!!
The potato pancake is really crispy, with a generous layer of potato mousse inside!! Every table with women seemed to have one of these, haha. It really is that good with drinks!!
Nothing was lacking in the anju and the prices are great too. Ari Gyegok Jonggak is my strong recommendation for round two in Jonggak.
Where it is
41 Ujeongguk-ro 2-gil, 1F, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea서울특별시 종로구 우정국로2길 41 1층
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