Sinchon bar for a work-dinner round two with 90s hits: Yeokjeon

Why I picked Yeokjeon Pojangmacha Sinchon Branch for a second round near Sinchon Station

Yeokjeon Pojangmacha Sinchon Branch (역전포장마차 신촌점) is a retro indoor pojangmacha (Korean street-tent-style bar) that I visited as a second round with my coworker juniors after dinner in Sinchon. We had wrapped up a light first round after work, but none of us wanted to head home yet, so we went out looking for a Sinchon bar.

We were already somewhat full, so I wanted snacks that weren't too heavy, plus a place with a fun vibe to keep the energy up and where we could chat comfortably.

That's when we found Yeokjeon Pojangmacha Sinchon Branch, which was oozing retro charm.

Location and soju and draft beer prices

Yeokjeon Pojangmacha Sinchon Branch is on the 2nd floor of the building with Yeondaepo, and per the sign out front, soju is ₩3,900 and draft beer is ₩2,900. The flashy, friendly yellow sign stands out from far away, so we found it right away without wandering around.

The sign in front of the building said soju ₩3,900 and draft beer ₩2,900, which is an unbelievable price in this high-cost era. We cheered at the amazing value and, without hesitation, headed up the narrow stairs to the 2nd floor.

What is the interior of Yeokjeon Pojangmacha Sinchon Branch like?

The interior is styled like an early-2000s pojangmacha, with orange tent canopies, a black-and-white checkered floor and round oil-drum tables. The moment we stepped inside, it felt like we'd hopped into a time machine back to the early 2000s, a perfect indoor pojangmacha atmosphere.

From the orange tent canopy over the ceiling to the checkered floor, the round tables made from converted oil drums and the cushioned-back chairs, the nostalgic details were just perfect.

One side of the room was plastered with old-school celebrity posters, and there was a drink fridge decorated with a Captain America shield. Looking around at the retro props in every corner was a lot of fun.

Is it good for a Sinchon group bar or company dinner?

The space is much roomier than I expected, and the tables can be freely pushed together or apart to fit your group size. It looked like a great spot for university club meetups or big company dinners, if you're hunting for a group bar in Sinchon.

A Sinchon bar playing 90s–2000s hits

Above all, the 90s to early-2000s dance and ballad hits blasting through the place were the highlight. Songs we belted out at karaoke in school or listened to every day on our MP3 players kept playing nonstop, so my juniors and I played a game of guessing the song title from just the intro, and the mood got hot.

The upbeat music also drowned out the chatter from neighboring tables just enough, so we could talk and laugh loudly without worrying about anyone around us. A great bar near Sinchon Station for that.

Once we sat down, the kind-faced owner welcomed us warmly, wiping our table with a bright smile.

How ordering works and what's on the menu

You order snacks by touching the screen of the tablet ordering device at each table. Flipping through the menu, there was a wide variety of the kinds of anju (drinking food) you'd expect at a pojangmacha, like soups, stir-fries and fried dishes, and the prices were so friendly that the value was excellent.

While swiping through the screen, I saw that the signature hanwoo gopdoritang (beef tripe and chicken stew) is also sold as a meal kit at a big discount. I thought it would be great to take one home for a camping trip or a housewarming party someday.

As you can see in the attached photos, we settled on a salty grilled meat dish and a crispy fried dish to go with beer.

Rib tadaki: tempting even on a full stomach

The rib tadaki (갈비살 타다끼, lightly seared beef rib meat) comes out on a round iron plate, soaked in a salty-sweet special sauce. We chatted while we waited, and before long our dishes were spread across the table. We started with the rib tadaki, glistening appetizingly.

The salty-sweet special sauce had soaked right into the meat, which was juicy and very tender, not tough at all. Thanks to the heat of the iron plate, it stayed warm to the very end even as we ate slowly and talked.

I put a piece of meat together with the generous layer of sweet grilled onions on the bottom, shredded fragrant perilla leaves and a bit of sharp fresh wasabi, and ate it in one bite. A rich variety of savory flavors burst happily in my mouth. Even though I was full, my chopsticks kept going back. It was a bewitching taste and a perfect match for cold beer.

Fried chicken skin: the crispy second-round snack that calls for draft beer

The fried chicken skin (닭껍질튀김) comes golden and crispy with mustard sauce. This was also a top second-round snack, light and crunchy to pick at when you're full.

The outside was fried as crisp as a snack chip, and the more I chewed, the more the nutty, fatty flavor of chicken skin filled my mouth, which naturally had me reaching for fizzy cold draft beer. Dipped generously in the sweet, smooth mustard sauce that came with it, the sauce cut the greasiness, so it never got tiresome and I could keep eating endlessly.

How was Yeokjeon Pojangmacha Sinchon Branch as a second round with juniors?

Affordable snacks, retro music and pojangmacha charm blended so well that all my juniors were thoroughly satisfied with this second-round bar. With the heart-pounding retro music and the boisterous, homey pojangmacha feel all in harmony, my juniors said we'd chosen the bar brilliantly today.

If you're looking for a fun Sinchon bar near Sinchon Station where you can relax without worrying about your wallet, or a spacious Sinchon group bar for a company dinner, I strongly recommend visiting Yeokjeon Pojangmacha Sinchon Branch, where a kind owner and great-value menu await.

Next time, I'm definitely coming for the first round with an empty stomach to properly try the gopdoritang with its rich broth, which they say is the most famous dish.