Makgeolli bar near Goto Mall: corn Okju and raw sweet shrimp at Dameun

I went to Goto Mall to buy clothes this time and found a genuinely delicious Korean bar nearby!!! After three grueling hours of shopping at Goto Mall... and dutifully waiting for a Hanjeongseon queue... dutifully... let me introduce Dameun Goksokteomineol Bonjeom, where I ended up!

Location and hours of Dameun Goksokteomineol Bonjeom

Dameun Goksokteomineol Bonjeom is right in front of you when you come out Exit 8-2 of Express Bus Terminal Station, on the basement level of Banpo Shopping Town. I'd just finished shopping like crazy at Goto Mall and bought all sorts of things, and it was perfect timing! If you want a good drink nearby after shopping, go for it lol...

• Hours: Daily 15:00–24:00

What's the atmosphere like?

Dameun Goksokteomineol Bonjeom is in the central part of the basement level, so it was easy to find, and even though we went right when it opened, there were already quite a few people! It's also known as a celebrity favorite near Express Bus Terminal, and apparently a lot of celebrities have come by too!! So cool!! The interior is really clean and the design is pretty, so it's great for a date or a group get-together too~!

Dameun menu and prices

Let me sum up the menu at Traditional Dining & Bar 'Dameun'! A complimentary starter of Gunsan pickled ulwe (a local pickled vegetable) comes with every order! Kimchi note: all kimchi dishes at Dameun use 'Deo Naeun Kimchi' from Suncheon, Jeollanam-do (100% domestic ingredients, natural). (Side kimchi is not provided free — it's sold separately for ₩3,000)

Jeon (pan-fried dishes)

• Assorted jeon platter (kimchi jeon, yukjeon, giant shrimp, zucchini, tofu, crab stick, old-school sausage, 7 kinds): ₩32,000 (add 1 more type of jeon for platter orders only: +₩7,000)
• Choice jeon (pick 2 kinds, half and half): ₩27,000
• Don Dameun pork yukjeon + kkosiraegi (seaweed) pickle: ₩21,000
• Squid sundae jeon + kkosiraegi (seaweed) pickle: ₩22,000
• Buchujeon (chive pancake): ₩19,000
• Wangwang shrimp jeon: ₩21,000
• Ongjin barley shrimp and minari (water celery) jeon: ₩19,000
• Pure domestic aged kimchi jeon: ₩19,000

Soups and stews

• White pollack roe and hwangtae (dried pollack) clear broth: ₩25,000
• East Coast jjaebok clam jjolmyeon-style jjamppong: ₩25,000
• Pure domestic aged kimchi jeongol (hot pot): ₩22,000
• Busan seafood eomuk-tang (fish cake stew, Samjin Fish Cake): ₩23,000 (add-ins — Spam, tofu, udon, ramyeon, mini sausages: +₩3,000)

Sides (available with a main order)

• Raw sweet shrimp sashimi: ₩13,000
• Namwon gimbugak (fried seaweed) with perilla oil garlic dip: ₩12,000
• Jeju red shrimp hangover ramyeon: ₩14,000
• Perilla oil soy sauce soba: ₩10,000
• Sesame creamy tofu (mochi-tofu): ₩8,000
• Grilled stingray wing with mixed nuts: ₩11,000
• Basil honey tomatoes: ₩7,000
• Gisundo soy sauce cucumber tang-tangi: ₩7,000
• Deo Naeun kimchi or jeotgal (salted seafood — pollack roe or octopus): ₩3,000
• Instant rice: ₩2,500

Makgeolli 101 (What even is makgeolli?)

• Tiger yuzu makgeolli (Hwaseong, 750ml, 5%): ₩9,000
• Nurungji (scorched rice) makgeolli (Buyeo, 900ml, 6%): ₩7,500
• Golmok original makgeolli (Yesan, 750ml, 6%): ₩10,500
• Gongju chestnut makgeolli (Gongju, 750ml, 6%): ₩8,000
• Hottang (Hwaseong, 750ml, 6%): ₩8,000
• Okju (Seoul, 500ml, 9%): ₩14,500
• Baengnyeon Snow (Dangjin, 750ml, 6%): ₩8,000
• Byeongyeong Seolseong raw makgeolli (Gangjin, 750ml, 6%): ₩6,500
• Jipyeong makgeolli (Yangpyeong, 750ml, 5%): ₩6,500
• Neurin Maeul (Pocheon, 750ml, 6%): ₩8,500
• Gapyeong premium pine nut makgeolli (Gapyeong, 750ml, 6%): ₩7,500
• Rice To Meet You (Yongin, 450ml, 6%): ₩11,000
• Palpal (Gimpo, 750ml, 6%): ₩13,000
• Honey makgeolli (Gwangju, 750ml, 6%): ₩8,000

Makgeolli intermediate class (Makgeolli's getting fun!)

• Sunjin takju strawberry (Busan, 750ml, 6%): ₩13,000
• Ferris wheel (Cheorwon, 500ml, 12%): ₩22,000
• Sobaeksan makgeolli (Danyang, 750ml, 6%): ₩6,500
• Sindong makgeolli (Chilgok, 750ml, 6%): ₩7,500
• Tiger makgeolli (Hwaseong, 750ml, 6%): ₩8,000
• Seonho makgeolli (Gimpo, 750ml, 6%): ₩8,000
• With the clouds (Mungyeong, 750ml, 6%): ₩8,000
• Yes, the day (Namyangju, 750ml, 5.5%): ₩7,500
• Daedaepo makgeolli (Damyang, 600ml, 6%): ₩11,000
• Mungyeong omija (schisandra berry) makgeolli (Mungyeong, 750ml, 6.5%): ₩8,000
• Nerdy Punch (Sangju, 700ml, 5%): ₩16,500
• Gaedo makgeolli (Yeosu, 750ml, 5%): ₩7,500
• Naru raw makgeolli (Seoul, 800ml, 6%): ₩13,500
• Huiyangsan 9-degree (Mungyeong, 650ml, 9%): ₩13,500
• Jiranjigyo fig makgeolli (Sunchang, 500ml, 12%): ₩37,000

Sparkling takju

• Boksoondoga Dry (Ulsan, 935ml, 6.5%): ₩31,000
• Boksoondoga (Ulsan, 935ml, 6.5%): ₩25,000
• Kkotjam makgeolli (Jirisan, 1000ml, 6%): ₩23,000
• Byeolsan mulberry sparkling (Yangju, 800ml, 6%): ₩24,000
• Unexpectedly Apple (Yeongwol, 935ml, 6%): ₩18,000

Bottled beer

• Cold brew stout (355ml, 4.0%): ₩10,500
• Mimi Sour (355ml, 6.0%): ₩10,500
• Stella (355ml, 5.3%): ₩8,000
• Peroni (355ml, 5.0%): ₩8,500
• Asahi (355ml, 6.0%): ₩8,500
• Cass (500ml, 4.5%): ₩6,000

Every region's makgeolli is all gathered right here!! And the side dishes range from seafood to jeon to soups, so there's so much variety it was really hard to decide what to order ㅠㅠ

Okju, Don Dameun pork yukjeon, and raw sweet shrimp sashimi for two

There were two of us, and we dutifully drank our way through Okju, a corn-based makgeolli, along with Don Dameun pork yukjeon and raw sweet shrimp sashimi!

The yukjeon is made with pork, and the meat was really thin and tender, so I was satisfied!! I didn't get to eat jeon this past Chuseok, but I made up for it here, eating my fill haha

The raw sweet shrimp sashimi was really soft and delicious, and to think it was this price!! It's genuinely amazing lol lol lol It was so good!

Easy for makgeolli beginners to choose too?

The corn makgeolli Okju was really, really delicious!! Even though I can barely drink... it has a sweet flavor that's easy for lightweights like me, so I drank it just fine haha. With alcohol content and sweetness marked by region, even I, who knows nothing about makgeolli, could pick something easily!

I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a private bar near Banpo with a huge variety of drinks! The vibe is great and there are so many types of alcohol, plus a wide range of side dishes, so it seems perfect for a date or a get-together with friends! If you're a fan of Korean bars near Express Bus Terminal or you're serious about makgeolli, you have to check this place out!!