Gunja Station soju bar with a 30-minute wait for cheesy bone grill

A while back I visited a Korean bar near Gunja Station called Saechamjip — great vibe, and the anju (drinking snacks) came out really neat and well plated! I love Korean food so I had high expectations, and I left super satisfied, so here's my honest review!

Saechamjip's location and hours

Saechamjip is on the 2nd floor at 16 Neungdong-ro 36-gil, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 153m from Gunja Station Exit 5. It's open daily from 17:30 to 02:00, and there's parking for 1-2 cars in front of the store.

A cozy, homey interior

Saechamjip is near the Neungdong eating alley by Gunja Station Exit 7, so it was really easy to find. It's a Korean bar on the 2nd floor near Gunja Station, and once I stepped inside the space was surprisingly wide and comfortable!

The tables have plenty of space between them and the seating layout is well done, so among Gunja Station bars this one's perfect if you're looking for a group spot for gatherings or company dinners! I don't have a photo of it, but there's also a space with a more private feel — good for couples who want to talk, haha.

What's on Saechamjip's menu

Looking at the menu, there was a really wide variety of tasty Korean-based anju! Lots of hearty options good for eating a meal alongside your drinks too, so it holds up well as both a Neungdong bar and a place to actually eat dinner.

The drinks menu is on-trend too — makgeolli (rice wine) mixed with fruit, haha. They also sell traditional liquors and Korean drinks like bokbunja (black raspberry wine), sticking hard to the Korean-bar concept, Saechamjip does it right, haha.

Wait, do you see that insanely good-looking jeon (savory pancake) on the wall? I started drooling the second I saw it.

Saechamjip's event

Right now they're running an event where you get a free pomegranate-hwangdo (peach) dessert if you leave a Naver photo review!

And there's even a sweet rice cake dessert coupon you can get by subscribing to Naver alerts! If you like sweet desserts, definitely try joining this event!!

Basic side dishes at this Gunja Korean bar Saechamjip

Saechamjip's basic side dishes are a cool, sweet-and-tangy mukbap (acorn jelly salad) and crunchy nana-corn snacks you can't stop reaching for!

The mukbap is perfect for cleansing your palate before drinking, and the nana-corn snacks were salty and savory, perfect for nibbling before the food arrives! You can even get refills.

Haha, and they give you heotgae (raisin tree) sticks based on your headcount? We only drank a little that day, but drinkers will love this thoughtful hangover-jelly touch.

What we ordered and the price

• Starlight Cheongha (₩6,000)
• Myeongnan mayo giant egg roll (₩13,900)
• Baekmuk-eunji stone plate bone grill (₩25,900)
• Added cheese (₩3,000)
• Total: ₩48,800

Honestly I love fruit-flavored soju, but here they only had the basic soju lineup! So I just ordered one Starlight Cheongha.

And then our order came out! It didn't take too long, which was great, and above all the anju prices are really worth it because the portions are seriously huge, haha.

Honestly, the portion is big enough that two people might actually burst.

Baekmuk-eunji stone plate bone grill + added cheese

This is Saechamjip's signature dish, the baekmuk-eunji stone plate bone grill!

There's even a guide on the wall for how to eat the bone grill deliciously! Apparently you can also get fried rice on the stone plate at the end!

We ordered spicy level 1 with added cheese, and with the savory cheese melting all over the sizzling hot stone plate, it looked perfect right from the start.

The meat was thick and hearty, but cooked so well that just touching it with chopsticks and it came off the bone smoothly! Spicy level 1 was a nice, pleasant kick of spice that even a spice wimp like me could enjoy without worry, and I ate it happily without any stress!

And wrapping the bone grill — well-seasoned in that sweet-spicy sauce — together with the crunchy, tangy baekmuk-eunji (a type of white radish kimchi) and the savory cheese, the combo was insane. I honestly wanted to order rice on the side (?). And that sauce next to it looks sweet, but no — it's an amazing match with the spicy sauce too! Since this is Saechamjip's signature dish in Gunja, you have to order this bone grill without fail!!!

Myeongnan mayo giant egg roll

True to its name, this giant egg roll was huge — I was surprised the moment it came out!

Inside the fluffy, soft egg roll was a generous amount of myeongnan mayo (spicy pollock roe mayo) sauce, so rich and savory and delicious, I could cry.

Do you see the myeongnan mayo flowing out there?! The egg roll is rolled in thick layers so the texture is great, and best of all it pairs perfectly with the spicy bone grill!

The soju really went down easy that day. My friend was trying bone grill for the first time and loved how delicious this place's version was!! If you like gamjatang (spicy pork bone soup) bones, I really recommend this.

A clean, thoughtful bathroom

I'm really picky about bathrooms whenever I go to a bar, haha. First off, this place has private single-stall bathrooms, and inside there's everything from feminine hygiene products to hair ties, floss, mouthwash — actually great, right?! No smell, super clean, so I even took photos to show you all on my blog, haha.

How long is the wait at Saechamjip

Before leaving, there was a mirror, so I took a photo before heading out, haha. It's such a popular Korean bar in Gunja that there's a wait on Fridays or weekend evenings! We also waited about 30 minutes when we visited around 8pm before getting a table.

And we got a free bingsu (shaved ice dessert) coupon, haha. I'm planning to use it next time I visit! The staff were all really kind too, so I left very satisfied with this bar.

Sweet, refreshing Starlight Cheongha paired with the spicy bone grill and savory egg roll made for a perfect drinking spread, and we left completely full! The anju quality is high and the value is great, so if you're looking for a Korean bar or a bar near Gunja Station, I really recommend trying the bone grill at Saechamjip!