Korean pub in Apgujeong Rodeo: beef mala hot pot for three, THE GIWA

Let me introduce a Korean pub in Apgujeong with a great atmosphere! It's a premium Korean dining spot that gives traditional Korean food a modern twist, and it also serves a lunch menu: THE GIWA in Apgujeong✨

THE GIWA Apgujeong Main Branch: location and opening hours

THE GIWA (더기와) Apgujeong Main Branch is a Korean pub in Apgujeong Rodeo at 15 Seolleung-ro 155-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (1st floor), a 5-minute walk from Exit 5 of Apgujeong Station. It also works for an outdoor-pub-style night out.

• Hours: Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sun 11:30 – 23:00
• Fri and Sat 11:30 – 02:00 (next day)
• No regular closing days
• Paid parking available

What is the atmosphere like at THE GIWA Korean pub?

THE GIWA Apgujeong Main Branch is a premium Korean dining restaurant in the heart of Apgujeong, where you can enjoy Korean food and drinks in a space with a Korean feel. It's a good pick if you're near Apgujeongnodeo Station looking for lunch or a Korean pub with atmosphere.

When you look for a place to eat in Apgujeong, there's everything from casual restaurants to stylish dining, right? What sets THE GIWA apart is that you can have Korean food and drinks in a space with a Korean feel. You can come for lunch or for an evening out, and I think it would suit dates or blind dates, where atmosphere matters.

THE GIWA's exterior with roof tiles and earthenware jars

As the name suggests (giwa means traditional roof tile), you feel the Korean mood from the exterior. The roof-tile elements at the front catch your eye, and the place keeps a traditional feel while still looking polished overall. I also noticed decorations that looked like ceramic jars on display🏺

A spacious hall and private rooms at THE GIWA

In the spacious hall at THE GIWA Apgujeong Main Branch you can eat in a relatively open atmosphere, and there are private rooms too, so it seems well suited to anyone who wants a quiet meal.

How much is the beef mala hot pot at THE GIWA?

The beef mala hot pot (소고기 마라전골) at THE GIWA is ₩42,000, and beer and soju are ₩6,000.

What we ordered that day was the beef mala hot pot🔥 Taste matters, of course, but the first impression also changes depending on what the food comes in, right? THE GIWA's beef mala hot pot comes in a pot shaped like a cauldron, so it caught our eyes the moment it hit the table👀

Is THE GIWA's beef mala hot pot very spicy and numbing?

THE GIWA's beef mala hot pot wasn't the kind where the mala aroma hits you hard; I could taste the depth of a beef bone broth base. Lid off~~~🌟

Mala dishes can have a strong numbing spice or start to feel a bit overwhelming as you eat, but this hot pot wasn't just about the numbing mala flavor. You could enjoy the savory taste of the broth itself too😊

What goes into the beef mala hot pot

The pot has a really wide range of ingredients: beef, lotus root and mushrooms, corn noodles and fried tofu pouches, bean curd sheets (fuzhu), vegetables, fish cake and more. With so many things in it, it was fun picking out one at a time😋

I'd fish out some chewy noodles, then have beef, then tofu pouches with bean curd sheets, and in between crunchy bean sprouts and lotus root, so it never felt like eating just one flavor the whole time. I loved that🫶

Is the beef mala hot pot enough for three people?

The beef mala hot pot is quite generous, so even with three of us we could enjoy plenty of the ingredients. With drinks, the steaming hot broth went even better.

On a chilly day, or whenever you feel like a drink with a hot soup, I think a hot pot like this will come to mind🍲

Next time at THE GIWA: ube makgeolli

THE GIWA also has several kinds of makgeolli (Korean rice wine), and there's an ube makgeolli among them! I was too full to try it, but I usually love ube, so I'm definitely getting it next time💜