Hongdae jjimdak for two on a weekend open run: Ongdarae Jjimdak

Hi, this is Dancing Pina! I really didn't feel like cooking this weekend morning, and I realized I hadn't been checking out Hongik University Station restaurants lately, so I decided to finally pay a visit. This place is Ongdarae Jjimdak, which has a big enough seating area that it's popular for Hongdae group dinners too. Today's food trip is with Pina, who honestly likes chicken and pork more than beef — let's go!

Where is Ongdarae Jjimdak, and what are its hours?

Ongdarae Jjimdak is a jjimdak (braised chicken) restaurant at 1F, 122 Yanghwa-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, just 324m from Exit 9 of Hongik University Station (Line 2, Airport Railroad, Gyeongui-Jungang Line). It's open daily from 11:00 to 23:00, with Sundays closing at 22:00.

If you take the bus and get off at Seogyo-dong stop, cross the street and it's right there on your left, facing the main road. I tried to time my visit close to opening, since I always feel a bit awkward taking photos when the place is full of other customers.

These days it feels like Hongdae is packed no matter what day or time you go. And it's not just Korean crowds — there are so many foreign tourists too, which is always interesting to see. What's especially surprising is how many families with young kids are out and about there.

Private rooms for a Hongdae group dinner and kiosk ordering

Inside Ongdarae Jjimdak, there are 2 private rooms near the kitchen, which looked great for group gatherings or Hongdae company dinners, and ordering is done through a kiosk. Since it was right after opening and not many customers had come in yet, I took my time photographing the interior.

Luckily it was still before the crowds arrived, so I got to take plenty of interior shots. With the 2 private rooms by the kitchen, it also looked like a good spot for group get-togethers. You order through the kiosk, and we went straight for the menu item with that jaw-dropping cheese visual that had caught my eye even before we arrived.

What two people pay at Ongdarae Jjimdak, plus the free dessert corner

We ordered the boneless cheese jjimdak for ₩38,000, added crispy rice for ₩3,000, and a bowl of rice for ₩1,000, bringing our total for two women to ₩42,000. Once you finish your meal, there's a dessert section with self-serve candy, barley snacks, coffee, and tea. It looked like they also make scones, but since we visited so early, it seemed like they'd sold out the day before. Such a shame — I'll definitely try one next time.

Boneless soy jjimdak over crispy rice: is it too much for two?

Ongdarae Jjimdak's boneless cheese jjimdak comes piled high on a hot plate lined with the crispy rice add-on, full of boneless soy-braised chicken. I wasn't sure how the portion would work out for two, but we could only finish about half — that's how much food there was.

They also served a nicely tangy pickled side of radish and eggplant with fresh vegetables, which paired well with the dish. I wondered if the portion just felt smaller because I've been cutting back on eating out lately. Let's just call this our last feast before we really commit to exercise and dieting again. Hahaha~

I personally love chicken, and the day before this meal I'd already had a delicious dakbokkeumtang (spicy red gochujang-braised chicken stew). Eating similar dishes two meals in a row isn't usually easy, but this one had its own distinct charm, and I ended up enjoying every bite.

That stretchy cheese pull is always mesmerizing no matter how many times I see it. Being boneless made it easy to eat, and it seemed to be oven-roasted all over, so it arrived piping hot and tasted freshly cooked. It's salty enough to go perfectly with rice — I'd call it a total rice thief, capable of taking down two whole bowls. With potatoes, carrots, and onions mixed in, you get some vegetables in there too.

That's the story of Pina's opening-run visit to Ongdarae Jjimdak, a Hongik University Station favorite. On weekend mornings, I always want to sleep in, skip the dishes, and avoid cooking — it's a real problem. I used to think diligence alone got me through everything when I was younger, but I seem to get lazier as I get older. I'll pull myself together and become a hardworking Pina again, I promise.