Late-night chicken galbi BBQ in Cheonho after Lotte World: Ondogye

Let me introduce Ondogye (온도계), a Cheonho Rodeo favorite where even the locals wait in line.

Ondogye hours and weekend wait in Cheonho

Ondogye is open from 4 PM to 11 PM and has no dedicated parking lot. We went late on a weekend, couldn't get into the main building, and got in after a 20-minute wait at the annex.

• Hours: 4 PM – 11 PM
• Parking: no dedicated parking lot

Ondogye is already famous as a Cheonho Rodeo hotspot, a truly local place where even locals wait in line 🫢 We went late on a weekend too, couldn't get into the main building, and waited 20 minutes for the annex. (It's on Jjukkumi Street, the webfoot octopus street, by the way!)

Ondogye main building vs. annex: what's the difference?

The main building feels like an old-school local favorite, while the annex is a newly built, clean space. This is the main building of Ondogye, and it's giving serious old-time restaurant vibes -❣️ Sadly there were no seats there, so we moved to the annex.

Maybe because it was newly built, the annex was really clean. Think of the main building as having that authentic local-spot aroma, and the annex as a fresh, tidy new shop.

Inside, the shop has round tables. They're spaced far apart, so it never felt cramped!

Ondogye chicken galbi menu and what two people paid

The two of us ordered garlic salt chicken galbi for 2, soy-marinated chicken galbi for 1, salt-grilled chicken neck and steamed rice, and the total came to ₩69,000. Here's the menu of Ondogye, the Cheonho Rodeo spot with local lines. You can really feel it's built only around the dishes they're confident in ☺️

• Garlic salt chicken galbi, 2 servings: ₩34,000
• Soy-marinated chicken galbi, 1 serving: ₩17,000
• Salt-grilled chicken neck: ₩17,000
• Steamed rice: ₩1,000
• Total: ₩69,000

We came here after a Lotte World date with my husband ☺️

How to enjoy Ondogye the tastiest way ✨

Shredded scallion salad, scallion kimchi, pickled radish wraps, wasabi and a variety of sauces 〰️ As soon as we ordered, they set out side dishes and sauces that go well with chicken galbi.

How good is Ondogye's garlic salt chicken galbi?

Ondogye's garlic salt chicken galbi is so thick and generous you won't believe it's 2 servings, with a subtle charcoal aroma soaked in. It was my number one pick of the day. First, the garlic salt chicken galbi for 2. It's hard to believe it's only 2 servings, the meat is so thick and there's so much of it 🫢

The staff grill the meat for you from start to finish, so you can just relax and eat 😎 The charcoal aroma soaks gently into the chicken galbi and the flavor is great!

Just looking at how thick the chicken galbi is, you instantly get why this place is famous for its local lines. The outside is golden and nicely cooked, chewy and full of nutty flavor, while the inside is moist and tender 💯

It also pairs really well with the side dishes that come with it 〰️

Soy-marinated chicken galbi and salt-grilled chicken neck

Ondogye's soy-marinated chicken galbi has a mild savory depth without being salty, and the salt-grilled chicken neck is chewy and nutty. Next up: the soy-marinated chicken galbi and the salt-grilled chicken neck‼️

The soy-marinated chicken galbi is coated on the outside with soy sauce! The sauce isn't harsh or salty, it adds a gentle savory depth, so it was good. (But my number one pick is still the garlic salt 😎)

The salt-grilled chicken neck is chewy and nutty. It's clean-tasting yet rich, with a different charm from the chicken galbi 🫢

Free fried gizzards, doenjang stew and dessert at Ondogye

The owner of Ondogye gave us fried chicken gizzards as a freebie, and we finished the meal with the doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) the reviews raved about, plus dessert. The owner sent over the fried gizzards for free, and they were a treat too ❣️ The batter is crispy and there are big chunks of chicken gizzard inside, so next time I'll order them myself 〰️

I read the reviews before going, and the doenjang jjigae is apparently famous ☺️ The broth was deep and savory, and they didn't skimp on big chunks of tofu.

I ordered steamed rice and they filled the bowl to the brim. You can see the owner's generosity 〰️

A perfect finish with the dessert the owner prepared for us ✨

Free rice ball or vegetable skewer for a Naver receipt review ✨

What I liked about Ondogye in Cheonho

A place to enjoy tender, flavorful chicken galbi with a subtle charcoal aroma

This is my honest review after a delicious meal at Ondogye, the Cheonho Rodeo spot with local lines 💗

• The subtle charcoal aroma gives it great flavor.
• The portions of chicken galbi are generous, so it's good value.
• Staff grill everything from start to finish, so you can eat comfortably.
• It's a truly local spot famous for its local lines.