Jongno 3-ga spicy dumpling hot pot, ex-Seonggyeong Mandu: Jongga Mandu

Seonggyeong Mandu Jeongol is now Jongga Mandu?

Jongga Mandu (종가만두) is a dumpling hot pot restaurant on Supyo-ro near Jongno 3-ga Station, in the spot that used to be Seonggyeong Mandu Jeongol. Something about it felt familiar and pulled me in, and wow, the place we used to revisit again and again as our own little secret had turned into Jongga Mandu?! I went a bit worried the taste might have changed.. but it was just as delicious as ever. Jongno 3-ga gem Jongga Mandu!!!

Jongga Mandu is at 88 Supyo-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 1st floor. Monday to Saturday it's open 11:00–21:30 with a break from 15:30 to 17:00, and last orders at 14:20 / 20:30. On Sundays it's open 11:00–16:00 with last order at 15:00. For parking, you'll need a nearby public lot.

Where to park for free near Jongga Mandu in Jongno 3-ga

Jongga Mandu is a 5-minute walk from Exit 15 of Jongno 3-ga Station, and if you come by car you'll need a nearby public lot. The Cheonggyecheon street public lot we used, a 1-minute walk away, was free after 7 PM on weekdays, after 3 PM on Saturdays, and all day on Sundays!!

Jongga Mandu has also put together other free parking spots around Jongno 3-ga, so check that before you go!! They basically spoon-feed their Jongno 3-ga diners the free parking tips.

Handmade mandu shaped right at the Jongga Mandu entrance

The moment you step into Jongga Mandu, you see staff shaping handmade dumplings (mandu) by hand! Back when it was Seonggyeong Mandu Jeongol I saw staff making dumplings all day, and even with the new name they're still shaping them by hand!!

We went right after the break time and I was surprised to find both solo diners and groups already there.

Which broths does the Jongga Mandu dumpling hot pot come in?

Jongga Mandu's dumpling hot pot (mandu jeongol) comes in three broths: clear, spicy, or half-and-half. Jongga Mandu is a dumpling hot pot specialist even among Jongno 3-ga restaurants, so we ordered the hot pot without a second thought and chose the spicy one.

The basic side dishes are geotjeori (fresh kimchi) and pickled radish, and you can refill them yourself. The geotjeori was spicy and so good!

The restroom is in the building, so it's outside the restaurant, but it was very clean, which I liked.

What's in a Jongga Mandu hot pot for one person

Jongga Mandu's hot pot comes with 4 mandu per person, and the hot pot, dumplings and kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) are all included. I prefer kimchi mandu, and it came out as 3 meat and 5 kimchi, haha.

Here comes the spicy dumpling hot pot, packed with assorted vegetables, mushrooms and meat! It had lots of the veggies I love, so I was happy.

How spicy is the Jongga Mandu spicy hot pot?

The spicy broth at Jongga Mandu was more fiery than I expected!! They boil it hard first, and as the vegetables and meat give up their flavor, the broth gets richer and richer. Maybe because it had been a while since I'd had a spicy broth, I was dripping with sweat, haha.

They put in all the dumplings and boiled them for us! The wrappers are really thin, so they cook quickly.

While the dumplings cooked, we ate the meat, dipping it with the vegetables into the soy sauce provided, and it was spicy and tangy and so good.. ✨ It was the Jongno 3-ga dumpling hot pot taste I had forgotten, hahaha.

Jongga Mandu kimchi mandu and meat mandu

The dumplings at Jongga Mandu are the real thing: thinly shaped by hand. The silky-soft wrappers were delicious, and the kimchi mandu itself is on the spicy side, the kind of flavor that makes you want to mix it into rice!!

I don't usually like meat mandu, but I really enjoyed it here. It wasn't greasy or gamey, and it actually went well with the spicy broth, which made it even better!

Kalguksu to finish, and my revisit verdict

At Jongga Mandu you finish the hot pot by adding kalguksu noodles once the dumplings are almost gone. The noodles are moist and soft, the kind that doesn't split opinions, and eaten with that tasty geotjeori they were twice as good!

Even though it has started fresh as Jongga Mandu after being Seonggyeong Mandu Jeongol, the taste and care felt the same as before! The dumplings shaped by hand at the entrance are so delicious they could be the very reason it's recognized as a Jongno 3-ga dumpling hot pot favorite.. 💕 If you're looking for a Jongno 3-ga restaurant or a dumpling hot pot spot, Jongga Mandu is one I recommend with confidence.