Gunja Station pub: hottest spicy bone grill with mayo, Saechamjip

If you're looking for a place for a group meetup or company dinner around Gunja Station, you want somewhere with good atmosphere and tasty food to go with the drinks. Today I'm introducing Saechamjip (새참집), where you can enjoy hearty Korean dishes along with a wide range of drinks. It's in the Gunja food alley, so it's easy to reach, and it worked well for a date, a company dinner or a get-together with friends.

How close is Saechamjip to Gunja Station, and how late is it open?

Saechamjip is at 16 Neungdong-ro 36-gil, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 2nd floor, about a 2-minute walk from Exit 5 of Gunja Station. It's open daily from 5:30 PM to 2:00 AM, and last order is at 12:30 AM.

Getting there by public transport was easy too. You can book through Naver Reservation or Tabling, so if you're worried about a wait, I'd recommend reserving ahead.

A clean Korean pub that suits group meetups

As you'd expect from a popular spot in the Gunja food alley, it was packed with customers when I visited. There was a wait, but registering on Tabling made getting in fairly painless.

The interior has the warm feel of a Korean pub, and every seat has a partition, so you're nicely separated from the next table and can chat comfortably. It felt relaxed enough for group dinners and company outings, and also for couples on a date.

What comes as the free basic service at Saechamjip?

I loved that hangover tea (heotgae-cha) and hangover sticks were set out the moment we sat down. It was nice to sip before drinking, and you can feel the care in small details like this.

The starters were a sweet-and-sour muksabal (acorn jelly salad in chilled broth) and snacks, a combination that goes well with a drink, so I was happy with it.

What's on the Saechamjip menu for drinks and dishes?

Looking at the menu, there were plenty of drinks, including makgeolli (Korean rice wine), highballs and distilled spirits. The dishes had a wide range too, from jeon (Korean pancakes) to tteokbokki, pork jowl tofu kimchi, dakgalbi (spicy stir-fried chicken), bone jjim (braised pork ribs) and various stews.

On top of that, the starters are unlimited refills, steamed rice is free, and some add-ons are free, so the value is excellent. It's a great setup for sharing several dishes among a group, and I could see why it's so popular as a group pub.

Saechamjip's signature spicy bone grill, ordered at the hottest level

The first thing we ordered was Saechamjip's signature spicy bone grill. You can choose the heat up to level 3, and I went for the hottest.

It arrives bubbling on a stone plate, and the sight alone got my appetite going. Plastic gloves and tongs come with it, so it's easy to eat. When I lifted the meat, it was cooked so tender that the bones came away easily, and the meat itself was soft and easy to eat.

Aged kimchi and mayonnaise come alongside, so it's fun to mix and match them to taste.

How hot is the hottest level of the spicy bone grill?

Even at the hottest level, the spicy bone grill has a sweet-spicy sauce (maldal, spicy with sweetness blended in), so it was easy to enjoy. The dark red color of the sauce made me think it would be seriously hot, but when I actually ate it, it wasn't just blunt heat.

The spicy sauce soaks well into the meat, so it works great as a drinking snack, and the addictive flavor kept me reaching for more.

Looking for a group bar near Gunja Station? I recommend Saechamjip

If you're after a bar near Gunja Station, Saechamjip is more than satisfying. The spacious, pleasant space, the variety of Korean dishes, the generous freebies and the signature spicy bone grill all pleased me.

If you're looking for a place in Gunja for a company dinner, group meetup, drinks with friends or a date, I recommend giving Saechamjip a visit.