Makgeolli bar near Gangnam Station with monkfish liver hoe: Arigyegok

Recommended Gangnam Station bar, Arigyegok — Korean bar with makgeolli, spicy hangover chicken hot pot, hot spot for Gangnam dates and gatherings.

Hi, this is Jini from Earth Lab~ In the middle of flashy, busy Gangnam, wouldn't you love a bar with cool valley vibes where you can enjoy high-quality Korean anju (drinking snacks) with a glass of makgeolli? This is Arigyegok, the unique Korean bar in Gangnam that's trending for its huge media waterfall and valley-inspired interior!

A satisfying Wongi set! (Spicy, rich hangover chicken hot pot, monkfish liver hoe mixed with nurungji rice crust, and light savory chicken yukjeon) all paired with a glass or two of makgeolli that just goes down easy~! Let's get into the review~!

Arigyegok Gangnam hours and parking

Arigyegok's Gangnam Station branch is on the 1st floor of 28-14 Teheran-ro 1-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Hours are weekdays 17:00–01:00, weekends 16:30–01:00, and parking is not available.

A media waterfall in a Gangnam alley: outside and inside Arigyegok

An exterior that catches your eye while walking through the Gangnam alleys! The lighting facade shaped like a traditional gourd bottle and mountain ridges is styled beautifully right from the entrance.

The moment you step inside, your eyes are drawn to a massive media waterfall wall glowing in clear blue against the dim lighting! The interior also has a valley bridge design that makes it feel like a stream is trickling along the floor, giving off the cool, distinctive feel of a mountain valley lodge~

Arigyegok's menu and how to swap dishes inside the set

Arigyegok has everything from single jeon and fried anju dishes to great-value set meals~ The names are cute too, like Wongi, Boyang, and Janchi sets haha. What I especially loved was that you can pay a little extra to swap items within a set to match your taste!

What we ordered at Arigyegok and what it cost

• Wongi set ₩39,700
• Spicy hangover chicken hot pot +₩1,000
• Chicken yukjeon
• Nurungji monkfish liver hoe +₩15,000
• Total after changes: ₩55,700

Spicy hangover chicken hot pot: fish out the glass noodles first

A big earthenware hot pot set right on the burner — an overwhelming sight from the start! The eomnamu (angelica tree) branch was a nice touch, and the fresh chicken tenderloins on the stand alongside the chicken drumstick meat on top of the broth were amazing!

Once the broth starts bubbling, you cut and cook the chicken drumstick meat on top, then dunk the tenderloins from the stand into the broth to cook shabu-shabu style~

The tender, well-cooked chicken, dipped into the tangy-spicy special sauce that comes with it, has a clean, grease-free flavor that wraps around your mouth~

Besides the chicken, the red broth is packed with hangover-friendly ingredients like green onion, bracken fern, and enoki mushroom~ The broth is spicy yet deeply savory with rich chicken stock flavor coming through — one sip and I was amazed!

Also, about halfway through the hot pot, I found out there were glass noodles hidden at the bottom of the pot! I didn't know at first, so by the time I fished them out they'd gotten a bit too swollen and chewy haha. Luckily they still tasted great with the seasoning, but if you go, fish out the glass noodles first!

Nurungji monkfish liver hoe: smash with a mallet, then mix

On the plate, bright red hoe (raw fish/meat tartare) and chopped green onion are spread out, with crispy rice crust (nurungji) and an adorable mini mallet, plus monkfish liver (anki mo)~

You smash the nurungji with the wooden mallet and mix it with the fresh hoe! Smashing the rice crust with the mallet is stress-relieving in itself, and once you mix it well and take a spoonful...

...the chewy texture of the hoe combined with the crunchy, nutty bite of the nurungji creates such varied and amazing textures and flavors!

And the monkfish liver served alongside is truly a genius touch! The distinctly creamy, rich flavor of anki mo spreads smoothly through your mouth — delicious enough to rival a high-end Japanese restaurant even eaten alone, but...

...paired with the hoe and nutty nurungji, the crispy, light rice crust nicely balances out the richness of the monkfish liver, making it an anju you just can't stop eating haha.

What does Arigyegok's chicken yukjeon taste like?

I've had beef yukjeon plenty of times, but chicken yukjeon was new to me — the moment it arrived, a savory oil aroma filled the air~! It's finely minced fresh chicken thigh meat pan-fried to a golden, smoky-flavored finish!

Tearing off a bite with chopsticks, it's mildly greasy yet clean and moist, with the chicken's natural sweetness subtly coming through the more you chew. Dipped into the pungent pepper and spicy sauce placed in the middle, it's the ultimate anju that calls for makgeolli lol.

A glass of makgeolli by the valley

The spicy, deep chicken hot pot broth, the creamy-crunchy monkfish liver hoe, and the chicken yukjeon can all be considered perfect refreshing makgeolli pairings haha.

A sip of sweet, fizzy makgeolli followed by a spoonful of hot hot pot broth just melts away the day's fatigue. The anju quality was great and it paired so well with makgeolli that I properly demolished it after work haha.

Is Arigyegok Gangnam worth it? Final thoughts

Instead of the usual meat restaurant or noisy pub near Gangnam Station, Arigyegok let me soak in the cool valley-style atmosphere while enjoying high-quality Korean dishes with a proper glass of makgeolli. Thanks to the spacious, comfortable seating, it seems perfect for group gatherings or company dinners, and it's also a solid choice for a Gangnam date if you're looking for something special and distinctive. If you're looking for a can't-miss makgeolli-and-anju spot in Gangnam, I highly recommend visiting Arigyegok and trying the Wongi set combo~!