Jongno burger spot after wedding ring shopping: bacon jam, Reel Burger

The day we picked out wedding rings: Reel Burger Gwanghwamun in Jongno

After choosing our wedding rings we were starving, so my fiancé Gyugyu and I went to Reel Burger Gwanghwamun, a handmade burger place in Jongno he had wanted to try for ages. We finally got the rings today, and it made wedding prep feel so real, one step at a time, which made the whole day extra exciting. After all that, we were so hungry that we wondered what to eat and ended up heading to Reel Burger Gwanghwamun.

How do you park at Reel Burger Gwanghwamun?

There is no parking at Reel Burger Gwanghwamun, so you'll need a nearby car park. My parking tip: we parked at the Twosome Place nearby, and since you get 1 hour of free parking, we bought drinks to take down with us!

But ugh, Gyugyu's taste has gotten so picky, it's a real problem, haha. He used to enjoy any burger, and now he judges everything: patty, sauce, bun, sides. So I was a little nervous, but long story short, Reel Burger Gwanghwamun hit his taste spot on!

Atmosphere and what we ordered at Reel Burger Gwanghwamun

The place felt clean and stylish, and even though lunchtime had passed, customers kept coming in, so word has clearly gotten around. After a long time studying the menu, we ordered the No.2 Classic Burger, the No.4 El Taco Burger, maple sweet potato fries, and crispy onion rings.

First, the basic table setting comes out, hehe.

No.2 Classic Burger: the smoky sweetness of bourbon whiskey bacon jam

Reel Burger's No.2 Classic Burger is classic, as the name says, but with a special charm. A top-grade beef patty, American cheese, fresh romaine and tomato lay a solid foundation, and Reel Burger's signature sauce and homemade bacon jam add real depth of flavor. The bacon jam is said to be cooked down with bourbon whiskey and maple syrup, and it spreads a sweet, faintly smoky aroma that makes it clearly different from an ordinary handmade burger. Right after the first bite, Gyugyu kept saying, "Wow, this is really good." Watching him, I felt proud for no reason.

No.4 El Taco Burger: salsa mayo, onion rings and cilantro

Reel Burger's No.4 El Taco Burger was impressive too. It captures the appeal of Mexican tacos in a burger, and the homemade salsa mayo sauce and crispy onion rings gave it a great texture. The spiciness wasn't overwhelming and just lifted the savory depth, so I never got tired of it, and the cilantro in the pico de gallo seemed to bring out the overall flavor even more.

Reel Burger sides: how are the maple sweet potato fries and onion rings?

The sides at Reel Burger Gwanghwamun were better than I expected. The maple sweet potato fries are said to be inspired by Japanese style, and the sweet potato, fried at a low temperature, was crispy outside and moist inside, with a great texture. The maple syrup adds sweetness, so I kept reaching for them like dessert. Eaten with the burgers, the sweet-and-salty combo was perfect.

The crispy onion rings were crunchy, just like the name says. The onion is sliced thick and fried, so the outside is crisp, the inside is moist, and you taste the sweetness of the onion. They weren't greasy, and the crunch lasted a long time, so they went really well with the burgers.

Why I recommend Reel Burger Gwanghwamun as a Jongno and Gwanghwamun date spot

Above all, the juicy patty and fresh ingredients at Reel Burger Gwanghwamun made me understand why so many people seek out Reel Burger. Handmade burgers can get heavy, but the sauce and ingredients were well balanced, so we enjoyed them to the end, and the polished sides made us even happier.

If you're looking for a proper handmade burger in Jongno or Gwanghwamun, I recommend giving Reel Burger Gwanghwamun a visit. From the classic burger to the distinctive taco burger and the sides, everything satisfied us, so it's a great place for a date like ours.