Gwancheol-dong craft beer bar with seafood tomato pasta: Sudowonui

If you're near Jonggak Station in Seoul's Gwancheol-dong looking for a very European-feeling craft beer spot, Sudowonui Bimil Jeojanggo is worth checking out. What was really unusual here was that a foreigner who spoke fluent Korean was doing the serving, which honestly made it feel even more European. Of course the atmosphere had a lot to do with it too, and the beer was good, which didn't hurt.

Where is Sudowonui Bimil Jeojanggo, and how do you find the entrance?

Sudowonui Bimil Jeojanggo near Jonggak Station is located at B1, 47-1 Samil-daero 17-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Hours are 17:00 to 23:00, with last order at 22:30.

Walk up to the entrance and a door like something out of a dungeon awaits you — honestly, walking down the stairs was fun in itself. The space felt completely separated from the outside world, almost like you were exploring somewhere.

What is the monastery-themed interior like?

Inside, Sudowonui Bimil Jeojanggo really does feel like a monastery, the kind of place that's good for a drink or two. The group tables, lighting, props, even the staff — it genuinely felt like I'd walked into an actual monastery.

Doesn't it really look like a monastery? There was even a decorative suit of medieval full-plate armor. It's fun to look closely at each light fixture — some of them felt like real candles mounted on the wall.

This Sudowonui Bimil Jeojanggo near Jonggak Station in Seoul gets a perfect score on atmosphere alone. It's not just craft beer either — they carry a wide range of other drinks too, so you can order whatever suits your taste.

The menu and what we ordered

The menu is really extensive — felt like about 100 items. So we spent a while deciding what to get. My friend chose the tomato pasta and I chose the roast chicken. Not that the choice really mattered, since we ended up sharing everything anyway.

• Tomato pasta ₩18,900
• Roast chicken ₩23,900
• Ube beer ₩7,900
• Craft ale ₩7,900

Pickles came out as the basic side dish. The pickles, at least, felt more like a typical Korean-style Western restaurant than a monastery...

Ube beer and house craft ale, 7,900 won each

We ordered the ube beer and a craft ale, each ₩7,900. The ube beer had a lovely fragrant ube aroma, which I liked. The ale was totally my style. I used to only drink pilsners or lagers, but somewhere along the way I switched over to ale-style beers. That distinctive aroma is really nice.

Here's the full spread. The pasta came out first, followed by the roast chicken. Since roasting takes time, it naturally arrived a bit later.

Roast chicken, 23,900 won: the sauce steals the show

This is a really beautifully roasted chicken.

It comes with two kinds of sauce, plus jalapeños and cabbage salad on the side. And underneath the roast chicken there's actually a generous layer of fries hiding — Lotteria-style fries, if that gives you an idea.

The roast chicken here was genuinely delicious. It was moist and tender enough to eat plain, but dipping it in the even more delicious sauce made it that much better.

The portion was just right too. Since they use thigh meat, the softness really stood out. That sauce here is genuinely amazing — it really is a bit of magic.

Seafood tomato pasta, 18,900 won

Next up, the tomato pasta. It comes samseon-style (三鮮, mixed seafood), with plump shrimp that had a great bouncy bite.

The seasoning was just right, there were plenty of fillings, and the overall balance was good. I liked that the sourness typical of tomato pasta wasn't overpowering.

The noodles were cooked just right, nothing to complain about. It went perfectly with the ale.

Is Sudowonui Bimil Jeojanggo worth a visit?

If you're near Jonggak Station and want pizza, pasta, or grilled meat alongside a craft beer, I genuinely recommend this place. The atmosphere is full of little details that draw you into the concept, which is a real plus. This is Sudowonui Bimil Jeojanggo, a great craft beer spot.