Highballs and mozzarella fritters at Konkuk University bar Simsuljip

It felt like I hadn't been to a Konkuk University bar in almost five years, and even after all this time, the area was still buzzing.

Among all the Konkuk bars, I wanted somewhere with proper food to go with the drinks, so I visited Simsuljip. Let's get into the review :)

Where is Simsuljip near Konkuk University Station, and what are the hours?

Simsuljip Konkuk University Entrance Main Branch is located at 11-11 Hwayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. It's open 16:30–02:00, every day, with no parking available.

Tips to know before visiting Simsuljip

The streets around Konkuk get crowded starting from evening.

If you're visiting on a Friday or weekend during peak hours, it's a good idea to call ahead and check if there's a table available.

It also helps to think about what kind of dish you want beforehand, since that makes ordering much easier.

• If you want something hearty → hot pots
• If you want something light → fried dishes

Simsuljip near Konkuk has a wide variety of dishes, and you could really tell the owner takes the food seriously — almost more than the alcohol itself, honestly.

The dish that best represents Simsuljip is definitely the beef hot pot — the reviews made it look so good that I came specifically to try it today!

Simsuljip also has a restroom inside the venue! It was quite clean.

Simsuljip's menu and what we ordered

Simsuljip's menu has plenty of options that work well for a first round and just as many that work for a second round. We came in hungry, so let's order right away.

• Beef hot pot
• Whole mozzarella fritters
• Highball
• Saero

What the atmosphere is like for drinks at Konkuk University

As the complimentary snack, we got chicken leg-shaped crackers that pretty much everyone likes — the kind of snack you keep munching until it's suddenly gone, haha.

The highball arrived first. Thanks to its refreshing crispness, a highball goes well with almost any dish, but it paired especially well with the rich, oily mozzarella fritters.

You start with a highball but end with soju and beer mixed together. By the way, Simsuljip's highball is nicely sweet and really tasty.

Side dishes that go well with the beef hot pot came out too. Apparently the rice noodles and broth are unlimited refills — such great value for a dish.

I don't often see bars serve side dishes, and it was surprising that these were actually tasty too. They went really well with the beef hot pot.

Beef hot pot: how much meat, and the free rice noodle refills

Simsuljip's signature beef hot pot is served simmering warm in a pot at your table, so it works well whether you're eating it with rice or as a drinking snack.

Above all, there was so much beef in it that it wasn't just a broth you sip — it was really filling.

The broth kept staying hot, and that made me want to reach for the soju pretty fast.

On top of that, the rice noodles paired really well with the broth.

The meat was very tender and clean-tasting. The longer it boiled, the more the flavor of the ingredients seeped into the broth, and it got deeper and richer over time.

A restaurant worth knowing near Konkuk University Station — the beef was thin and never chewy, and as I kept eating, I even found chewy tendon (sujebi-style) in the broth, which I loved since I'm a big fan of tendon.

The separate dipping sauce was also a real highlight — it matched perfectly.

Eaten with the broth, it's salty and warming — I feel like I could drink soju endlessly with this ;

A restaurant worth knowing near Konkuk University Station — even if the broth reduced or ran low while simmering, the staff refilled it right away whenever we asked, which I really appreciated.

Whole mozzarella fritters: crispy and loaded with cheese

A restaurant worth knowing near Konkuk University Station — the currently trendy whole mozzarella fritters also arrived. If you visit Simsuljip near Konkuk, definitely order these too!

A must for anyone who loves cheese — crispy fried on the outside, with mozzarella cheese packed generously inside, so nutty and rich.

You really need to eat it while it's hot — the cheese stretches so much, which makes both the visuals and the taste even better.

Biting into the crispy exterior brings out a nutty flavor, and it paired especially well with the highball.

A restaurant worth knowing near Konkuk University Station — the price was so reasonable that I'd order more if only I weren't already full.

The beef hot pot gets tastier the longer it boils, and it was such a satisfying, filling dish.

A restaurant worth knowing near Konkuk University Station — Simsuljip's main branch is a great place to visit if you're looking for somewhere in Konkuk to chat and drink with friends, or to share snacks on a date.

Who Simsuljip is best for

• Anyone looking for a bar in Konkuk
• Fans of beef-based drinking food
• Anyone who wants to pair snacks with a highball
• Anyone looking for one bar to cover both the first and second round in Konkuk