Jongno 3-ga street-side BBQ: pork belly for two and a Terra at Chowon

Hours: 17:00–01:00

What kind of place is Chowon Restaurant, the alley grill beside Tapgol Park?

Chowon Restaurant is an outdoor tent-style BBQ place with tables set up around Tapgol Park in Jongno 3-ga, Seoul. I went to Tapgol Park with a friend not long ago — until the year before last there used to be a lot of elderly folks playing baduk or janggi around the park, but this time there wasn't a single one. Turns out there was some kind of cleanup period going on, and honestly it felt really nice and tidy.

The weather's been great lately, perfect for eating outdoors, so I'm recommending Chowon, a great outdoor tent spot near Tapgol Park. We had pork belly for two here, and if you want to really feel the outdoor tent vibe while eating meat, this place is pretty solid.

Finding Chowon Restaurant from the street

Here's the exterior. Chowon is packed with customers. The appeal here is hard to explain through the food alone. Tables spill out front and around the restaurant, and there's fun in just watching people pass by. It's really a place you come to just for the weather itself. I felt the atmosphere mattered more than the taste of the pork belly, which is what made Chowon feel even better.

What the alley tables at Chowon Restaurant feel like

Here's the interior. Every table was full of customers so I couldn't get very careful shots. The atmosphere itself felt strongly Korean. It seemed like there might be a bit of AI-generated decor mixed in, but that's kind of a trend these days too, and personally I don't find it off-putting so far — as long as it's not overdone.

Chowon Restaurant menu and what we ordered

Chowon's menu has sets, pork belly, and beef brisket. That day we ordered pork belly for two at ₩36,000 and a beer at ₩6,000.

We debated between the set, the pork belly, or the brisket, and just went with pork belly for two. We wanted something simple, and honestly we were mostly there for the Tapgol Park outdoor tent atmosphere anyway.

• Pork belly for two: ₩36,000
• Beer: ₩6,000

Side dishes that come with pork belly at Chowon Restaurant

The basic banchan (side dishes) all come out at once on a single tray.

There's kimchi, green onion kimchi, and lettuce wraps,

plus bracken fern and bean sprouts, which are great grilled alongside the meat. Add garlic, cheongyang chili, and pepper, and the whole table's set — having pepper on hand really bumps up the vibe.

Terra beer, 6,000 won a bottle

We ordered Terra that day. It seemed like Terra was the only beer option.

Frozen pork belly for two, served in an earthenware jar

The pork belly is frozen and comes out in a jar. Eating it in an outdoor tent setting made even the same pork belly feel completely different from eating it at home or at a regular indoor BBQ place. Personally, this is a place where you can enjoy not just the taste of the food but the whole eating experience itself.

It tasted better grilled to a nice golden brown rather than cooked until too dry. The size was also just right for one bite. I liked that you could eat each piece warm. If you grill it until crispy it can get really dry, so I'd recommend eating it as soon as the pink color is gone.

That way, the savory, clean flavor unique to pork belly comes through much better. Ordering pork belly for two and splitting it was just the right amount as a meal, and also good for pairing with a drink in the outdoor tent atmosphere. Grilling meat, having a beer, looking around, grilling again — that whole cycle is really the fun of eating in an outdoor tent, I'd say.

If you visit on a day when the weather isn't too hot or cold — just like now — you can really feel the fun of eating outdoors. The smell of grilling meat, the ambient noise, and people passing by all feel like part of the meal at Chowon by Tapgol Park.

Is Chowon Restaurant's street-side grilling worth it?

Of course, a place with a style like Chowon's can be hit or miss. If you prefer eating in a clean, quiet atmosphere, it might feel a bit chaotic. But if you like the vibe of Seoul's old alleys or outdoor tent dining, you might actually find it fun. This is a place you come to for the atmosphere more than the taste of the pork belly.

We piled on kimchi and garlic and grilled it up.

We also made lettuce wraps...

and put the rest of the pork belly on the grill with a sprinkle of pepper. Personally, I think a place like this is where you can really feel the charm of outdoor tent dining.

If you're looking for a simple spot to enjoy meat and drinks in Jongno, or want to feel the outdoor tent atmosphere near Tapgol Park, I'd recommend Chowon Restaurant.