Sindang outdoor chicken pub for Friday drinks: Obang Tongdak

Obang Tongdak (오방통닭) is an open-air-style Dongmyo-area pub and Sindang chicken spot near Sindang Station and Cheonggyecheon, with chicken, spicy sea snail salad and plenty more on the menu.

Today I'm introducing Obang Tongdak, a Sindang open-air pub I visited with my best friend on a Friday evening. We walked over from Sindang Station through Seoul Jungang Market, and on the 1st floor, in a true open-air mood, we had Golden Chicken, spicy sea snail salad, soju and draft beer. 🍗 Let's jump right into the review!

How do you get to Obang Tongdak from Sindang Station?

From Sindang Station Exit 2, it took about 7 minutes on foot through Seoul Jungang Market. It was a Friday evening, so I booked ahead.

The Sindang and Hwanghak-dong area is full of market alleys and all kinds of restaurants, so it's a nice neighborhood to wander around in the evening looking for a place to eat. We first went in through the 2nd floor of Obang Tongdak, and the table we were shown to was on the 1st floor,

so you go down these stairs. The stairs are steep, so anyone who's wasted, be careful~ I liked the open-air feel much more than sitting indoors.

Dark back alleys always hide great restaurants, don't they?

And we saw a cute cat too~ On days when you want to enjoy dinner outdoors like this, the mood of the seating and the space matters as much as the food, right? If you're looking for an open-air pub or restaurant around Sindang Station and Seoul Jungang Market, Obang Tongdak seems pretty good, I'd say!

Are there mosquitoes at Obang Tongdak's 1st-floor open-air seats?

The 1st floor of Obang Tongdak has a strong open-air feel but still has a ceiling, so I sat at a spot that would be safe even if it rained. Since it's outdoors, though, there were lots of mosquitoes, and when I asked a staff member, they brought mosquito repellent.

Totally open-air, right? Chicken and beer always taste better outside~ But there are lots of mosquitoes.. you have to be ready to donate blood to sit here.. ahahahaha!!!

The open-air mood is so good!! But I didn't want to move seats again.. so I asked for a mosquito coil, and the staff brought mosquito repellent instead~ So kind! I really hate mosquitoes.. ugh, haha

If you like outdoor atmosphere, this space is a plus, but if you're sensitive to bugs, keep this in mind.

What does Obang Tongdak's Golden Chicken taste like?

• Golden Chicken ₩22,000
• Extra garlic ₩2,000

I ordered Obang Tongdak's signature Golden Chicken (₩22,000) with extra garlic (₩2,000). Golden Chicken is an electric-rotisserie chicken (jeongigui tongdak) with rice stuffed inside and nurungji (scorched rice) spread on the bottom.

I didn't know garlic was included by default, so when I added extra.. double garlic..

The staff squeezed out the garlic all over for us.. thanks for the service!

A whole chicken comes out in one piece~ so it has real main-dish presence. Like Hanbang tongdak (herbal whole chicken), there's rice inside the chicken and nurungji on the bottom. The rice inside was mixed with various vegetables and topped with garlic flakes, which gave it a nutty flavor~ You get chicken and rice in one go, so it works as a meal and as drinking food.

But there's quite a lot of rice.. eating it plain can get a bit heavy, so definitely order kimchi or cucumber salad in advance~!

What goes well with the Golden Chicken?

Along with the Golden Chicken, I ordered spicy sea snail salad (₩14,000) and cucumber salad (₩5,000), and both cut the richness of the rice-stuffed chicken nicely. For drinks, we had soju and a 500cc draft beer, then added one 350cc draft beer.

Spicy sea snail salad (golbaengi-muchim) ₩14,000

The sea snail salad I ordered with the Golden Chicken is such a good drinking snack~

Instead of eating only the rice-stuffed chicken, pairing it with the sweet and tangy sea snail salad felt refreshing.

Cucumber salad (oi-muchim) ₩5,000

The Golden Chicken has a lot of rice, so I was craving kimchi or something kimchi-ish~~ That's why I ordered this cucumber salad. It was impressively cold, like it had just come out of the kimchi fridge.. and it was nicely fermented and crunchy, like oi-sobagi (stuffed cucumber kimchi), so I was glad I ordered it.

Soju and draft beer

For drinks, I ordered soju and a 500cc draft beer, then added a 350cc draft beer.

With chicken and sea snail salad, drinks are a must, right~

Things to check before visiting Obang Tongdak

Where is Obang Tongdak?

Obang Tongdak is at 19 Majang-ro 9-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, within walking distance of Sindang Station and Dongmyoap Station.

Can you park at Obang Tongdak?

Parking is difficult at Obang Tongdak, so you'll need to use a nearby paid parking lot.

Is it easy to get to by public transport?

Yes, Obang Tongdak is in a convenient location for public transport.

• Dongmyoap Station (Line 6) Exit 5 → 10 min on foot
• Sindang Station (Line 6) Exit 11 → 8 min on foot
• Sindang Station (Line 2) Exit 2 → 7 min on foot

Does Obang Tongdak allow corkage?

Yes, Obang Tongdak allows corkage with no restrictions on drinks, except those sold in the restaurant, for ₩25,000 per bottle.

Are pets allowed?

Pets are not allowed at Obang Tongdak.

Who is Obang Tongdak recommended for?

Obang Tongdak is a good stop when you want open-air atmosphere and rotisserie chicken together around Sindang Station and Seoul Jungang Market. If you're hunting for a Sindang open-air spot or a Hwanghak-dong restaurant with a different mood from an ordinary chicken place, I recommend Obang Tongdak!

👍 Highly recommended for (Yes!)

• People looking for an open-air restaurant near Sindang Station, Seoul Jungang Market and Cheonggyecheon
• People who prefer electric-rotisserie chicken to fried chicken
• People who want to try an uncommon chicken dish

👎 Not recommended for (No!)

• People sensitive to mosquitoes or bugs at outdoor seats
• People looking for a clean, quiet pub
• People who prefer fried chicken to rice-stuffed rotisserie chicken