Gwangju izakaya near Uncheon Station: ₩31,000 chankonabe at Mutha

Where is Mutha in Gwangju?

Mutha is an izakaya located at 16 Sangmudae-ro868beon-gil, 1st floor, Seo-gu, Gwangju, open from 17:30 to 03:00 (last order 02:00). On a day I wanted a drink at a good-vibe bar in the middle of the city, I headed to Mutha, an izakaya buzzing as a new hotspot in Ssangchon-dong.

After searching around, I found this neighborhood is called the Uncheon Reservoir dining alley, packed with izakayas and bars — and apparently Mutha is the rising star among them, so my expectations were high.

You can tell from the exterior alone that they put effort into recreating a Japanese local vibe — this is Mutha, the izakaya everyone's talking about near Uncheon Station.

Inside Mutha: movable tables and comfortable chairs

Inside Mutha, all the tables are movable, so they could flexibly accommodate our group, and the chairs were comfortable enough to sit in for a long time without any strain. Settling in among tables of people chatting away, I was struck by how cozy the interior felt — the kind of place that'd be great to visit on a rainy day.

What free side dishes does Mutha serve?

Once seated at Mutha, we were served dressed cabbage and peas, plus sarubia-flavored crackers with cream cheese as the basic side dishes. Dipping the crackers into the cream cheese turned out to be a surprisingly delicious combo. A bar that nails the basic sides always puts me in a good mood from the start.

The place is so pretty and the atmosphere so nice, I bet it'd be great to visit on a rainy day. (I'm one of those people who loves the sound of quiet rain ^0^)

What we ordered at Mutha and what it cost

• Chankonabe ₩31,000
• Chocolate ice cream ₩6,000
• Asahi draft beer ₩9,000
• Zero-sugar cola ₩2,000

We ordered chankonabe (₩31,000), chocolate ice cream (₩6,000), Asahi draft beer (₩9,000), and zero-sugar cola (₩2,000).

The draft beer arrived first! To my taste, Asahi draft has less smoothness than Suntory or Kirin draft but a sharper, more refreshing bite, and the creamy foam really stood out. I love beer with this creamy a texture, so good...

The zero-sugar cola came with a pretty ice cup, and filling it up with ice made the fizz feel even stronger — loved it.

While waiting and looking around the place, I saw the owner focused and looking very professional, which made me even more excited for the food haha

What's in Mutha's ₩31,000 chankonabe hot pot?

The chankonabe at Mutha, the izakaya near Uncheon Station, is ₩31,000. The chankonabe I'd been waiting for wins you over with looks alone before you even take a bite.

Mutha's chankonabe was generously loaded with beef intestine, shrimp, thin-sliced beef, chicken, mushrooms, and tofu. The chicken in particular wasn't dry breast meat but plump chicken thigh, and the tofu was torch-seared for extra aroma. Beef intestine and thin-sliced beef can get greasy, but paired with the spicy, refreshing broth, I kept reaching for more.

The chicken again — plump chicken thigh, not breast~! And the tofu was torch-seared for great aroma too, ha

Dessert at Mutha: chocolate ice cream, ₩6,000

Chocolate ice cream studded with chocolate chips!

The chocolate ice cream we ordered to finish had chocolate chips scattered throughout and a smooth, milky flavor — exactly my style.

What to know before visiting Mutha

The biggest strength of Mutha, the well-loved izakaya in Ssangchon-dong, is definitely the generous composition and broth flavor of the chankonabe. With beef intestine, shrimp, thin-sliced beef, chicken, mushrooms and tofu all packed in without holding back, it satisfies both as a side dish and as a full meal. The movable tables make it flexible for group visits, and with comfortable chairs and a cozy interior, it's a great spot to linger.

That said, there's no dedicated parking lot, so if you're driving, check nearby parking in advance, and given the nature of the Uncheon Station dining alley, there may be a wait on weekend evenings.

Overall: ★★★★★ A new izakaya near Uncheon Station in Ssangchon-dong with delicious chankonabe, a variety of desserts, and smooth draft beer to round it all off.