Dandae-ogeori draft beer pub for family dinner: Jangjakgun Main Branch

Dandae-ogeori is a place we hadn't visited in a while, and while running errands nearby with family we couldn't leave without stopping at a good restaurant — so here's my review of Jangjakgun Main Branch!! 🤗

Where is Jangjakgun Main Branch, and what are its hours?

• Next to Starbucks by Exit 3 of Dandae-ogeori Station
• Mon–Fri 16:30–23:00 / last order 22:00, Sat–Sun 16:00–23:00 / last order 22:00
• Group seating, takeout, reservations, and parking available
• Outdoor tented seats are dog-friendly
• Local currency accepted (mobile and paper vouchers)

We arrived right at the 4pm opening time. It's right on the main road so it was easy to find 🙌🏻

Looking at the menu I got hungry all over again 🫠

Next to the shop there's a massive pile of firewood, and chickens lined up turning round and round on the roaster 👍🏻👍🏻 With the fat rendering off and taking on that wood-fire aroma, I couldn't even imagine how good it would taste 🤤

Checked the menu and the takeout sign! Side note, we ended up packing home one more chicken after finishing everything ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ It's just that good 💛

Arriving for the 4pm opening and taking the outdoor tented seats

Even though we went right at the 4pm opening, there were already several other guests besides us. We checked in with our reservation and sat down in the outdoor tented seats. If it's this busy even at the opening rush, just how good is this place…!

✔️ Spicy-half nurungji chicken ✔️ Golbaengi muchim with somyeon ✔️ Stone-plate corn cheese ✔️ Beer ✔️ Cola — order complete!! The side dishes were set out quickly. The trio of pickled radish, yeolmu kimchi (young radish kimchi), and cabbage salad!

The cabbage salad was genuinely amazing ㅠㅠㅠ The shredded cabbage was fresh, and that dressing sauce especially was the kicker — I could've kept eating it endlessly, it was so good!

Extra side dishes, sauces, aprons, and utensils were all set up at the self-serve bar, so it was easy to grab whatever we needed.

Cabbage…🫶🏻 I love you

Three certified draft beer quality masters at Jangjakgun

The draft beer at Jangjakgun Main Branch had zero bitterness, a clean crisp finish that went down so easily we drank it all ㅋㅋㅋ The beer and drinks came out first! Wait, this is so refreshing and delicious?!?

Honestly we came to Jangjakgun because we'd heard the beer was great! This was the first time I learned there's actually a certification called a draft beer quality control master. Three staff members here have earned that certification — beer you can trust!! 🍻

Plus it's a Cloud quality-control certified store 👍🏻👍🏻 A truly excellent beer really is on another level.

Spicy-half nurungji chicken: the staff even explain the eating order

Chatting away over beer, the spicy-half nurungji chicken arrived.

Look at those colors ✨✨ A whole chicken on a bed of nurungji (crispy scorched rice), half spicy sauce and half mozzarella cheese — that's insane ㅠㅠ

The sizzling sound and smell off the stone plate were incredible — I think I took fifty photos just of that. A staff member kindly explained how to eat the nurungji chicken 👍🏻

• Eat the chicken breast first while it's still hot, so it stays tender.
• Gently scrape the nurungji underneath as you go so it doesn't burn and stays nutty and delicious.

Insane — so much crispy nurungji packed underneath..!!! Before it could burn, we lifted up the chicken to run a rescue mission on the nurungji. All to prevent the tragedy of even a single grain getting scorched beyond eating 🔥

Then we started with the chicken breast, loaded up with cheese and sauce. So good…🤤🤤 Chicken breast is supposed to be dry, so how is this so tender, moist, and soft? I guess wood-fire really does make a difference.

Worked through the drumsticks and wings next, pairing each bite with beer. The sauce clung perfectly — moderately spicy without being overly sweet, an amazing match with beer!!

Wait, is this really just one chicken..? It was insanely delicious and the portion was so huge and generous that all four of us in the family got flustered eating it 😳😳😳😳

Golbaengi muchim with somyeon and stone-plate corn cheese

Golbaengi muchim (spicy marinated whelk) with somyeon noodles!! Whelk, cucumber, and cabbage all came piled on in that addictive sauce ㅠㅠ👍🏻 Even the somyeon came in three big generous portions…🙊🙊

And do I even need to say anything about the golbaengi muchim? The sauce was spicy — we kept saying 'so spicy, so spicy' while mixing in the somyeon and scraping the bowl clean ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ I've been to those Jongno pubs famous for golbaengi muchim too, but Jangjakgun's wins!!

Nicely timed, the corn cheese arrived next to cool down the heat. Sizzling mozzarella cheese — how could that not be good 🫶🏻

Such a perfect combo, it was insane 🫶🏻🫶🏻

Is Jangjakgun worth it for dinner near Dandae-ogeori and Jungang-dong?

It was so incredibly good that I'm definitely ordering it again next time 👍🏻 Even with plenty of other guests around, the always-kind owner and staff sent us off with a good meal and a good mood 😊 If you're looking for a great restaurant in Jungang-dong, Dandae-ogeori, definitely check out Jangjakgun Main Branch — you absolutely will not regret it. Recommended!!!!