Jonggak burger lunch after language class: El Taco combo, Reel Burger

I've been taking a morning Vietnamese class around Gwanghwamun and Jonggak Station in Jongno lately. Today I want to share the lunch I had after class at Reel Burger Gwanghwamun, a handmade burger place famous for supposedly getting high praise from Chef Lee Won-il on the YouTube show 'Don't Be a Manager, Be a Boss' (과장 말고 사장하자).

Where is Reel Burger Gwanghwamun?

Reel Burger Gwanghwamun is about a 3-minute walk from Gwanghwamun Station and Jonggak Station. It's on the first floor of a big building, between a GS25 convenience store and a Kookmin Bank branch :)

Inside Reel Burger Gwanghwamun

The inside was a really hip, clean handmade burger spot :) (The owner's music picks were so good!)

Everything was neatly organized, so I think even people who are picky about hygiene would be happy here.

The lighting is pretty and the interior feels a bit like a great restaurant abroad, without being over the top. It's easy to come with friends or family, good for a date with a girlfriend or boyfriend, and it feels fine for coworkers too.

Grab your own water and sauces at the self-serve bar

There's a self-serve bar area where you get your own water and sauces. Even the straws and hot sauce were lined up just so. How by-the-book must the owner be? It really impressed me :)

How do you order at Reel Burger, and what does it cost?

You order at Reel Burger Gwanghwamun with the QR code on the table.

Scan the QR code and the menu comes up. My partner ordered the cheeseburger, and I ordered the El Taco Burger combo.

For the side you can choose between Cajun fries and maple sweet potato fries, and the cheeseburger can be customized with an extra patty or extra vegetables :) The El Taco Burger combo and the cheeseburger came to ₩37,800 in total, which felt reasonable.

Why I picked the El Taco Burger

I ordered the El Taco Burger because it was described as a burger made after consulting with Chef Lee Won-il on 'Don't Be a Manager, Be a Boss' on YouTube. Other bloggers' posts also introduced it as Chef Lee's recommended burger, so I ordered it with sky-high expectations :)

I was excited about the idea of authentic Mexican tacos reinterpreted as a burger.

How did the El Taco Burger and cheeseburger taste?

After a short wait, the pickles came out first, and Reel Burger's pickles come with olives in them. The details are just a little different here, haha.

A Coca-Cola came out too. It's no big deal, but the lid on the cup somehow made it feel hipper and more refined :)

And finally the handmade burgers arrived :) These were really proper handmade burgers.

A moist bun the knife glides right through

The bun was so soft it practically melted. Most burger buns are hard to cut, but this one was so moist that the knife slid right in.

The patty was warm, juicy and had a nice grilled flavor, and the cheeseburger was exactly the handmade burger we all know, made perfectly and deliciously.

The El Taco Burger with a touch of cilantro: highly recommended

And this is the El Taco Burger. I really recommend it. You get taco flavor inside the burger, and they pulled it off wonderfully without making the taco taste overwhelming.

The El Taco Burger also has a little cilantro in it, and it blended so well with the taco flavor that it actually added to the depth of taste.

The Cajun fries I chose for the combo were well fried and really good! Just perfect.

Is Reel Burger Gwanghwamun worth going back to?

Thanks to Reel Burger, I got to enjoy a really delicious handmade burger. I'll definitely come back to Reel Burger Gwanghwamun whenever I want a hamburger!

At a legit great restaurant like this, I couldn't skip a proof-of-visit photo. I took one properly :) It really does deserve to be called a Chef Lee Won-il burger spot!