Myeongdong Korean restaurant for pre-noon jokbal: Miss Jokbal

Miss Jokbal, found while walking through Myeongdong in autumn

I went on a little Seoul outing the other day because I wanted to soak up autumn~! It was cool and overcast with no sun, so it was just perfect for walking around ^^

Myeongdong felt half Korean visitors and half international visitors—there were seriously so many foreigners! There must have been four or five Olive Young stores too, and it was basically a hub for cosmetic brands haha. There was so much to see down every alley. If I were visiting Korea from abroad, I think Myeongdong would rank first on my must-visit list; it is packed with fun things for both Koreans and international visitors~

There were so many kinds of restaurants too, and the one we chose was Miss Jokbal Seoul Myeongdong Branch (미쓰족발 서울명동점), a great spot for jokbal in Myeongdong ^^ It has good-value lunch specials, so there were quite a few international diners even when we visited. If I were a tourist in Korea, I think I would have been very happy eating jokbal and bossam (boiled pork wraps) here—the menu selection is that good :)

It is in the busy area packed with restaurants. It is close to exits 5 and 6 of Euljiro 1(il)-ga Station, and Myeongdong Station is nearby too. In Myeongdong, it feels like you walk around looking at things and suddenly go, “Wait, this is the street we walked down earlier?” haha

Lunch specials and multilingual menu information

Miss Jokbal, a Myeongdong jokbal favorite, has good-value lunch specials in the low ₩10,000 range. Maybe word has gotten around among international visitors too, because diners started pouring in around noon. There was a large pink building on the right side of the restaurant. Myeongdong has so much food to choose from, but jokbal and bossam are dishes loved by both Koreans and international visitors.

Large food photos are displayed right on the exterior, along with menu information in Chinese, English, and other languages, so I saw people walk in because the food looked so tempting. When I travel abroad, I am drawn to places with food photos out front too... haha. I often look at the photos and think, “That looks delicious—this is the one!” before going in, hehe. They are open until 3 a.m.

Why I recommend arriving before noon

We arrived around 11:30, and it felt like the calm before the lunch rush. Starting with us, customers began streaming in. The tables filled up in no time, so I recommend coming before noon if possible haha.

You can order while looking at food photos on the kiosk installed at each table ^^

Ordered Emperor Jokbal: ₩58,000

Most people were having the lunch specials, but we decided to order the restaurant’s signature Emperor Jokbal for something a little special haha. Looking at the photos, it had side dishes arranged around the jokbal, making it very photo-worthy(?)—and it looked like we could eat until we burst.

From complimentary kimchi kalguksu to Emperor Jokbal

To get our appetites going, complimentary kimchi kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) arrived first. Ahh~ It was a spicy, warming kalguksu with kimchi in it, enough to get the stomach moving haha. We were not even drinking, but it felt like a hangover cure. It really warmed me right through ^^

The noodles were chewy too, and after opening up the appetite haha, I could enjoy the jokbal even more.

Here comes the Emperor Jokbal~!!

It arrived piled onto a huge platter that filled the table—I felt full just looking at it haha.

Above all, as you would expect from a great Myeongdong jokbal spot, there was absolutely no unpleasant pork smell. And it was really chewy!!

There were large bones underneath, and they were great to pick at because they had lots of collagen. But there was so much food that I was far too full by the time I got to the bones ><

The heavy divided platter also held japchae (stir-fried glass noodles), aged kimchi, ssam (lettuce wraps), tofu, and more, which were all great alongside the jokbal haha.

People at the next table were sneaking glances too. The presentation really was impressive~~~~ haha. Wherever I go, it seems the signature dish at a restaurant almost never disappoints.

A luxurious jokbal lunch? It was so satisfying, and afterward we walked around Myeongdong with even more energy hahaha. The staff served us with such bright energy too, so we got to enjoy the full Myeongdong atmosphere. ♡