Jongno 3-ga Korean BBQ: torch-grilled Flame Hanwoo Set at Chowon

The evenings have a lovely breeze these days, which makes it the perfect season for eating outdoors~ I have to enjoy it as many days as I can before it gets colder,,, 🤗 So after work I went looking for a place with proper outdoor-dining vibes. It's Chowon, right next to Tapgol Park, where you grill meat while looking at the stone-wall lane! It doesn't seem well known yet, but the atmosphere is seriously good, you know? Let me introduce it right away.

Chowon Restaurant Jongno 3-ga Branch: location and hours

Chowon Restaurant Jongno 3-ga Branch (초원식당 종로3가점) is at 30 Jongno 17-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 1st floor, and it's open daily 17:00-01:00. Come out of Jongno 3-ga Station Exit 5 and walk into the alley along the Tapgol Park wall; it's a 2-3 minute walk.

When I got there, the outdoor tables were already full. Under the green sign you could really feel that bustling outdoor-dining energy. This stretch seems to be a place only those in the know go to, and I was glad I came before it gets famous.

What's the Tapgol Park stone-wall outdoor seating like?

This is the view of the Tapgol Park wall when you sit at the outdoor tables. Doesn't it give off a little Seosunra-gil vibe? When I posted a photo on my Instagram story, friends asked, "Is this Seosunra-gil?" The stone wall has such a lovely charm~~

Are the indoor seats and restroom clean too?

The seats inside are really comfortable too 🫶 I heard they renovated?? At outdoor BBQ places the restroom is often inconvenient, but Chowon's restroom is inside the restaurant and very clean, which I really liked.

Chowon menu and the best-selling Flame Hanwoo Set

The menu had a lot of variety, from naengsam (frozen pork belly) to brisket and beef belly. They said the best seller is the Flame Hanwoo Set (불꽃한우세트), and the moment I saw it my appetite kicked in~~ I ordered the hanwoo set without a second thought.

Banchan: bracken and green onion kimchi

After I ordered, the side dishes (banchan) came out generously arranged on a rustic tray. I'm a bracken lover, so I was so happy to see it, and the green onion kimchi was really delicious too, ugh. All the sides were the classic ones that go well with meat, and I loved that.

Does the staff grill the Flame Hanwoo Set for you?

For the Flame Hanwoo Set, the owner comes over himself and puts on a torch fire show, whoosh! Haha

I hadn't expected a grilling service, but he grilled everything just right with a master's skill, and I thought ordering the Flame Hanwoo Set was a great decision.

Look at the color on that golden-brown meat..✨ The outside has a smoky fire flavor and the inside is full of juice, so it melted in my mouth the second I took a bite ㅠㅠ I dipped it in salt, and I also wrapped it in lettuce with green onion kimchi and grilled bracken, and devoured it all.

With the stone-wall view and perfect meat, there's no way I could skip the drinks,,, The air, the humidity, everything is perfect in this moment, so let's have a drink 🫶🫶😆

How is the brisket doenjang stew?

I also tried Chowon's brisket doenjang stew (soybean paste stew), and it's packed with tender steamed-style meat, so the broth is rich and deep. I didn't expect much but it was so good, and eating it with the meat and rice was double the bliss! 🐽🐽

Jongno 3-ga outdoor Korean BBQ at Chowon: final verdict

Chowon was a perfect match for an outdoor-dining lover like me 🤍 The meat was genuinely so good that it vanished in no time, haha. The stone-wall view gave it so much atmosphere, and the owner grilled all the meat himself, so it was relaxed and comfortable the whole time! Run over before it gets colder, everyone,, If you're looking for a good Jongno 3-ga restaurant before outdoor season ends, I strongly recommend Chowon.