Jonggak evening beer pub: wit ale, Stella and pork ribs at Sudowonui

A great Jonggak Station date spot with medieval European vibes: Sudowonui Bimil Jeojanggo (수도원의 비밀 저장고).

Too full to eat but craving a beer in Jonggak

I spent the whole day in Jonggak and didn't even notice the time passing. I had a filling sushi lunch, ran a few errands, rested at a café, and suddenly it was evening. I wasn't hungry, but I wanted a cold beer, so I went looking for a pub with a good atmosphere.

That's how I found Sudowonui Bimil Jeojanggo ("the monastery's secret cellar").

The name alone is unusual, and when I visited, it turned out to be a space with an interior reminiscent of a medieval European monastery, tasty food, and a wide range of beers and wines.

I thought it would work well for anyone looking for a date or group spot in Jonggak, so here it is.

Where is Sudowonui Bimil Jeojanggo near Jonggak Station?

Sudowonui Bimil Jeojanggo is at 47-1 Samil-daero 17-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul (B1), 190m from Exit 4 of Jonggak Station. Just follow Naver Map to find it. Even before I stepped inside, I could feel the unusual atmosphere.

Medieval monastery interior and seating options

The pub is on the first basement floor, so you walk down a staircase, which feels like entering a secret space. Inside, brick arches, soft lighting and medieval-style props create an atmosphere that's clearly different from an ordinary bar.

The lighting was neither too dark nor too bright, so it was good for talking,

and it's a space where photos come out looking pretty.

There's a range of seating, from bar tables to regular seats and group seating, plus a private room, so it looked good for dates as well as friend get-togethers and company dinners.

Sudowonui Bimil Jeojanggo food menu and drinks

The menu is built on dishes and sauces developed by a chef formerly of the Hilton in New Zealand: pizza, pasta, gnocchi, barbecue and more,

so you can pair all kinds of food with beer and wine at this Jonggak Station spot. Drinks include monastery beer, draft beer, bottled beer, wine, soju and more.

When I visited, it was a dining pub open in the evening, but it now serves lunch too. You can check the lunch and dinner menus in detail on Naver Place.

I'd only planned on a light beer, but while pondering what to eat with it, I ordered one of the signature dishes, the Ribs Allowed After Confession.

We ordered the wit ale and Stella Artois first, and with such a nice atmosphere, we got to talking and the beers disappeared fast, so we ordered one more each.

What do the Ribs Allowed After Confession taste like?

The name of the Ribs Allowed After Confession was memorable from the start. They're made with chilled Korean pork aged 24 hours at low temperature, grilled over charcoal with a special barbecue sauce, then finished in the oven.

The tender ribs paired well with the sweet-and-salty barbecue sauce,

and they weren't overly strong, yet still full of savory depth, so they went really well with beer.

The subtle smoky grill flavor was especially appealing, and it naturally kept sending my hand to the beer glass. The sides worked well together too.

The crispy fries were great with the ribs, while the tangy pickles and cabbage coleslaw cleansed the palate in between. The atmosphere was so good that we kept chatting, and the beer was gone in no time.

Wit ale vs. Stella Artois vs. stout

So, one more beer each. The first one, the monastery's White Glass, is a wit ale with a lovely smooth finish, so I think people who usually prefer softer styles over heavy beers will like it.

Stella Artois was crisp and refreshing, just as you'd expect from a familiar Belgian beer. The stout we ordered afterward was nutty and full-bodied, and I liked it.

With so many kinds of beer here, I'd recommend ordering several and trying them to suit your taste rather than sticking to one style. There's a sampler too!

Who is Sudowonui Bimil Jeojanggo good for?

I stopped by Sudowonui Bimil Jeojanggo while looking for somewhere to have a light beer in Jonggak, and I was happy with all of it: the unique medieval European interior and atmosphere, the tasty ribs and the wide choice of beers. I'd recommend this Jonggak pub to anyone looking for a nice date spot, planning a special get-together with friends, or searching for a place for a company dinner.