Grilled chicken feet and rice balls at Yeongdeungpo bar: Yeokjeon

Today I'm not bringing beauty info — I'm bringing food info!

With the weather cooling down, don't you start craving a spot for a relaxed drink with friends after work? I was in the mood for that nostalgic pojangmacha vibe, so I looked around for good bar food near Yeongdeungpo Station and found a real hot spot. From the retro interior to every single dish I ordered, everything was satisfying — here's my honest, self-paid review of Yeokjeon Pojangmacha Yeongdeungpo!

Finding the Yeongdeungpo Station food alley

Yeokjeon Pojangmacha is located inside the Yeongdeungpo Station food alley, so it's close to the station and really easy to find. A flashy neon sign right at the entrance of the alley caught my eye, so I found it without wandering around at all.

A cozy indoor pojangmacha with 90s vibes

The moment I stepped inside, I felt that cozy, nostalgic retro mood. On the wall, soju bottle caps were strung together one by one over a bamboo blind to spell out "Yeokjeon Pocha" — such a cute touch. On one wall, old 90s pop magazine posters were plastered up, giving it that genuine old-school pojangmacha feel. It wasn't too loud but had just the right amount of energy, perfect for chatting comfortably with friends over drinks.

Crispy-outside, gooey-inside cheese potato jeon and smoky grilled chicken feet

We ordered quite a variety of dishes that day, and honestly every single one was a hit!

The first dish to arrive was the cheese potato jeon (savory potato pancake) — thinly julienned potato pan-fried until crispy, with a texture just like french fries. The center was packed generously with mozzarella cheese for that crispy-outside, gooey-inside bite, perfect with a cold beer.

Next came the grilled chicken feet (jikhwa dakbal), which had a subtle smoky aroma the second it hit the table. Sweet, spicy and chewy — the kind of flavor that keeps your hand reaching back. Dipping it into the mayonnaise served in a retro red sauce dish softened the spice just right.

Flying fish roe rice balls, spicy fish cake soup and wasabi tomato

The inseparable partner for spicy chicken feet — flying fish roe rice balls — was a must-order too. A tin pot filled with popping flying fish roe, pickled radish, seaweed flakes and mayo, which you mix and roll into balls yourself. Mix it well, top a ball with a piece of chicken feet, and you've got the perfect combo.

Partway through, I was craving something soupy, so we ordered the fish cake soup, loaded with skewered fish cakes, scallions and chili, and the broth was spicy and refreshing. A shot of soju followed by a spoonful of that broth really hit the spot.

For a final palate cleanser, we ordered the wasabi tomato — thinly sliced tomato topped with a bit of sharp fresh wasabi, and it was a real standout. Taking a bite in between other dishes cleaned up the palate nicely.

Personally, every single dish we ordered was delicious without exception, so it was genuinely a fun meal — I'd recommend it for both first and second rounds.

Overall thoughts on Yeokjeon Pojangmacha

With cold draft beer and Saero soju flowing, it was a great day where the drinks went down smoothly. The cozy atmosphere was comfortable, and above all, every dish we ordered was excellent — all my friends said we should come back again. If you're looking for a no-fail bar-food spot or a comfortable indoor pojangmacha near Yeongdeungpo Station, be sure to stop by Yeokjeon Pojangmacha!