Kid-friendly bar in Dongtan Namgwangjang for pizza and fried chicken

Today I'm sharing my visit to a well-known Dongtan bar, Sin Gagye Maekju Namgwangjang.

Location and hours of Sin Gagye Maekju Namgwangjang

• 📍Location: 9 Dongtanjungsimsanga 1-gil, Dongtan-gu, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, Units 103 & 104
• ⏰Hours 17:00 – 3:00 (next day) * Closed on Lunar New Year and Chuseok
• ☑️ Groups / takeout / reservations / parking available
• 🅿️ Parking: 2 hours free at the building's underground lot, 90 minutes free at Namgwangjang public lot

We went with family on a weekend evening looking for somewhere to have a light beer and a proper meal too. It's near Dongtan Namgwangjang so it's easy to find, and there's a public parking lot nearby, so I'd recommend it as a gathering spot.

So many good-looking menu items that I was already deliberating before even walking in, haha 🤭

Inside the place, and what is gamaek?

☝🏻Do you know Sin Gagye Maekju (Singamaek)? Gamaek is short for 'gage maekju' (store beer), a term that comes from gamaek bars that sold groceries as a store by day and beer by night — it apparently represents the drinking culture of Jeollabuk-do in the 1980s. Sin Gagye Maekju Namgwangjang has a big screen, so it's also a great spot to watch a game while having a drink.

True to gamaek style, you can enjoy affordable beer and snacks here, which is why it's popular with everyone regardless of age. I'd recommend it for a date, for drinks with friends, or as a simple meal-and-a-beer spot for families with kids. The interior is decorated in a modern hanok style inspired by Jeonju Hanok Village, with a cozy atmosphere.

The menu

Dried seafood / cooked dishes / soups / fried items / pizza / pork cutlet — so many different menu categories in one place!! First round, second round, third round, haha, there's plenty to eat no matter what time or who you're with.

What we ordered today

• 🐟Premium dried pollock (myeongpum meoktae) ₩18,900
• 🍕Gorgonzola pizza ₩15,900
• 🍟Boneless fried chicken & fries ₩13,900
• 🍺Kozel Dark ₩7,000

This is the fried hardtack (geonppang) they gave us as a basic snack. Total nostalgic treat — crispy on the outside, savory inside, dusted with sugar for sweetness. I kept reaching for more.

Kozel Dark with a cinnamon-sugar rim

I happily had exactly one beer 🍺 — it was so good I held back from ordering a second. They're actually running a discount right now, Kozel Dark ₩8,000 ➡️ ₩7,000. The glass rim comes coated in cinnamon and sugar, and combined with the sweet, nutty malt flavor of Kozel Dark, the cinnamon aroma made it feel more like dessert than beer. The bitterness typical of dark beer wasn't overpowering, it was smooth. Unlike regular beer, the carbonation wasn't harsh either, so it went down really easily. (Highly, highly recommend 👍🏻)

☑️Premium dried pollock (myeongpum meoktae)

This is the signature dish you absolutely have to order when you come to Sin Gagye Maekju. It's dried pollock that goes through a seasoning-and-aging process said to be unique in Korea, using a seasoning liquid perfected over a long time with various ingredients, bringing out both flavor and texture. They serve it with the crispy skin separated from the flesh. The crispy, nutty skin is delicious on its own, and the flesh has a good chewy-yet-soft texture. The savory, salty umami that builds up the more you chew was addictive 😋 Honestly, every single table had ordered this. One order of pollock per table is essential!! Even the kids ate it well.

☑️Gorgonzola pizza

A perfect match for beer and pizza. A thin, crispy crust piled high with savory, salty gorgonzola cheese. Thanks to the generous honey and pickles served with it, the sweet-and-salty combo made it excellent as both a meal and a snack.

☑️Boneless fried chicken + fries

It just wouldn't feel right to have beer without chicken. Being boneless meant no fussing with bones, and with its Japanese karaage-style texture — crispy outside, juicy inside — it satisfied both the adults and the kids. The generous portion of fries and the side cabbage salad (that old-school salad style you'd get with rotisserie chicken back in the day, haha) were also delicious and nostalgic. 👍🏻

Everything I ordered was really tasty and the portions were generous, so I'd highly recommend it.

Sin Gagye Maekju also has plenty of soups and cooked dishes, so come enjoy a drink with friends or family in this great-atmosphere spot~🍻