Jongno stamina-food bar: raw tenderloin chicken hot pot, Ari Gyegok
In short
Ari Gyegok Jonggak is a Korean chicken hot pot bar a three-minute walk from Jonggak Station Exit 4 in Jongno, Seoul. On a weekday evening visit, the original chicken hot pot (22,900 won), which comes with raw chicken tenderloin on the side, and the earthenware-pot cheesy fire chicken (23,900 won) were ordered with rice crust and udon add-ons, and the broth tasted clean and deep with no MSG edge. With group tables spread over two floors, Ari Gyegok Jonggak works well for after-work dinners and hot-weather stamina meals.
Good to know
- Location
- 18-3 Gwancheol-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul; 3-minute walk (185m) from Jonggak Station Exit 4
- Hours
- Sun-Thu 16:30-02:00, Fri-Sat 16:30-03:00
- Parking
- No on-site parking; use the public lots near Jonggak Station
- Corkage
- Corkage allowed for a fee
- Reservations
- Available through Catch Table
- Signature menu
- Original chicken hot pot 22,900 won / Earthenware-pot cheesy fire chicken 23,900 won / Mud-baked duck pancake 19,900 won
- Also recommended
- Bubbling cheese potato pancake 18,900 won / Beef tripe soft tofu hot pot 23,900 won / Kkakdugi (radish kimchi) bingsu 8,900 won
- Seating
- Two floors (1F and 2F) with group tables; restroom inside on 2F
as written by the visitor on Aug 19, 2026
I finally visited Ari Gyegok Jonggak, a bar I'd been dying to try for its traditional-style chicken hot pot! It's a Korean-style bar with tons of chicken dishes that also works great as a proper meal spot. Perfect for group gatherings.
Where is Ari Gyegok Jonggak and what are its hours?
Ari Gyegok Jonggak is just 3 minutes from Jonggak Station Exit 4 — 185m away. Jongno 3-ga Station and Euljiro 1-ga Station are also close by.
18-3 Gwancheol-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
- Sun-Thu 16:30 - 02:00
- Fri-Sat 16:30 - 03:00
- No parking
- Paid corkage available
They're open until 3am on Fridays and Saturdays, and until 2am the rest of the week. There's no parking on site, but you can use the public parking lot near Jonggak Station, and paid corkage is available.
Inside Ari Gyegok Jonggak: two floors and group tables
I visited on a weekday evening! The exterior really stands out — Korean-style, unique, and pretty.
Reservations are available through Catch Table. The toad statue greeting you at the entrance is so cute haha.
This is right as you walk into the first floor. There are two floors, 1F and 2F.
The Korean, traditional-style interior fits perfectly with the Jongno neighborhood. There's group seating too — great for work dinners.
This is the overall feel of the second floor — plenty of seating. The restroom is also indoors on the 2nd floor.
The 2nd floor has lots of seats too.
There are pretty stone pagodas, sand, and such a Korean feel throughout — the interior is gorgeous. I absolutely love this kind of atmosphere.
Ari Gyegok Jonggak menu and prices
- Signature menu ✅ Original chicken hot pot 22,900
- ✅ Cheesy fire chicken hot pot 23,900
- ✅ Mud duck pancake 19,900
- Recommended menu ✅ Bubbling cheese potato pancake 18,900
- ✅ Beef tripe soft tofu hot pot 23,900
- ✅ Kkakdugi (radish kimchi) bingsu 8,900
- Drinks ✅ Traditional liquor, makgeolli, soju, etc.
Ari Gyegok's signature dish is the chicken hot pot! It comes in mild, spicy, and perilla seed versions, plus a limited-edition duck pancake. There are so many chicken dishes overall!
Beyond the main dishes, there's a wide range including potato pancakes and soup-style dishes — the menu is huge. Being a Korean-style pub, they have traditional liquor, makgeolli, soju, and more, plus dessert too! The kkakdugi bingsu, a mango bingsu twist, is pretty unique.
Original chicken hot pot with raw tenderloin: a hot-weather stamina meal
What I ate
- ✅ Original chicken hot pot 23,900
- ✅ Cheesy fire chicken hot pot 23,900
This is the original chicken hot pot, where raw tenderloin comes served separately!! With lacquer tree, jujube, ginseng and more mixed in, it looks like the kind of dish that would give you serious energy!
It being sam-bok (one of the hottest days of summer, traditionally marked with nourishing meals), I came here to properly recharge. This is a chicken hot pot specialist worth visiting on sam-bok too. How did it taste? The broth was clean and deep with no artificial flavoring, and dipping the raw chicken tenderloin into it was absolutely amazing!
We added rice crust and udon noodles too and had it as a full meal. Dipped in the spicy-tangy special sauce, it's pure bliss!
What does the earthenware-pot cheesy fire chicken taste like?
We also devoured the cheesy fire chicken hot pot. Honestly, how am I supposed to resist this visual???? haha
Dip it deep into the two-cheese blend and all your stress melts away with that spicy kick haha. The udon noodle add-on is also a total highlight.
The visuals are just insane haha. It tasted amazing too. It works great both as drinking food and as a full meal. A lot of bars seem to half-ass a wide variety of dishes just to cover their bases, but Ari Gyegok felt like it really focuses on doing Korean chicken dishes properly — that's why I wanted to visit so badly, and since it was deep and delicious without any artificial taste, I want to come back again ☺️👍
Is Ari Gyegok Jonggak worth it? Final verdict
- ✅ A Korean-style pub great for group dinners
- ✅ Plenty of traditional liquor that pairs well with the Korean menu
- ✅ Healthy, deep flavor with no artificial taste
Where it is
41 Ujeongguk-ro 2-gil, 1st floor, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea서울특별시 종로구 우정국로2길 41 1층
