Pizza-and-chicken pub in Hongdae: rainy-weekend Monde Set at Raymond's

Where in Hongdae can you eat pizza and fried chicken in one place?

Raymond's Hongdae sells pizza and chicken together, so it's a handy spot for chicken-and-beer or pizza-and-beer in Hongdae all at once. I had a dinner plan with a friend in Hongdae, and one of us wanted pizza while the other wanted chicken. While hunting for a place that does both, I found Raymond's Hongdae.

When I searched for Raymond's, there were quite a lot of reviews of the Monde Set. Several pizza flavors come out one slice each, the slices are pretty big... and chicken and fries come with it too. So I picked Raymond's Hongdae without a second thought 😆

Getting to Raymond's Hongdae and the vibe inside

Take Exit 8 of Hongik Univ. Station and it's a short walk. It was a rainy day, but it was fine. The sign gives off an American pizza joint feel, so it stood out even from far away. New York style..??

It was a weekend evening, so I thought we might have to wait, but we were lucky and got a seat right away. Inside, the lighting isn't dark but soft, and the music isn't too loud, so it was easy to talk. Kind of good lighting for a blind date? The tables were also farther apart than I expected.

Raymond's craft beer list is on the back of the menu

The craft beers are listed on the back of the menu at Raymond's Hongdae, and there were so many that the two of us spent ages choosing haha. In the end we each ordered a different one and shared 🍺 I even thought of another friend who loves beer but couldn't come that day.

What comes in the Monde Set at Raymond's Hongdae?

Of course we ordered the Monde Set. Here's what comes in it:

• A tray with one slice each of several pizzas
• Boneless fried chicken
• Truffle fries
• 5 sauces

The moment the Monde Set arrived, we both went "wow." Every slice has different toppings, so it's all colorful. We were busy taking photos before the food got cold 📸

Assorted pizza slices: salty cheese, crispy pepperoni

We started the Monde Set pizza with the cheese slice. The cheese is rich and the seasoning is on the salty side. On its own it seemed a bit salty, but with beer it was actually just right..

The pepperoni was the best, with crispy-baked edges. I also liked that the dough is thin. Even after several slices I wasn't stuffed, so there was still room for the chicken haha. The crust edges were chewy too, so I ate every last bit of crust. Hahaha

By the way, they say the assorted pizza may include a slice with pineapple. My friend doesn't eat pineapple, so I ate that slice 🍍 If you have preferences, it's better to ask when you order.

Boneless fried chicken at a pizza pub: better than expected

The boneless fried chicken in the Monde Set has a thin, crispy coating, and we kept reaching for it more than I expected. Honestly I hadn't expected much. It's a pizza place's chicken, so I figured it would just be a side. Being boneless, it was also easy to pick up with a fork.

Truffle fries in the Monde Set

The truffle fries smell strongly of truffle the second the plate lands. Crispy outside and fluffy inside, my friend even said they wanted to order them separately 🍟

Dipping into the Monde Set's 5 sauces

The Monde Set comes with five sauces, so dipping into this and that was fun. My favorite was dipping pizza crust in the garlic sauce, and my friend dipped chicken in the sweet-and-spicy sauce and loved it, saying it tasted like yangnyeom chicken (sweet and spicy glazed fried chicken). When things got a bit heavy midway, switching sauces kept me from getting tired of it until the end.

Monde Set portion size, takeout and parking

One thing: the Monde Set is a lot of food. The two of us couldn't finish it, so we took the rest home. If you ask them to pack it, they do it nicely 😊 Also, there's no parking at Raymond's Hongdae. Parking is hard in Hongdae anyway, so I'd recommend taking the subway.

Is Raymond's Hongdae a good meeting spot for a pizza fan and a chicken fan?

The Monde Set at Raymond's Hongdae let both of us eat what we wanted with a single menu item, so this meeting spot was quite a success. Next time I want to bring more people, try the mac & cheese pizza separately, and drink some of the craft beers I haven't tried yet 🍕🍻