Yeonsan-dong pub with boneless chicken and stew set: Yetnal Tongdak

Today I'm sharing my review of Yetnal Tongdak & Tang Yeonsan Main Branch, a place famous as a Yeonsan-dong chicken restaurant. It's been well known for so long that I was excited even before visiting. Once I actually tried it, the dak-dori-tang (spicy braised chicken stew) was delicious and I could enjoy fried chicken alongside it, so I understood why so many regulars keep coming back.

Yetnal Tongdak & Tang: a 16-year-old Yeonsan-dong pub near Yeonsan Station Exit 10

Yetnal Tongdak & Tang Yeonsan Main Branch is close to Yeonsan Station Exit 10, so it's convenient to reach by public transit. The exterior already gave off that old-school neighborhood restaurant vibe, and even though I visited in the early evening, there were already quite a few customers. They say this place has been running for a whopping 16 years.

What comes in the N-Tang, boneless N-Tang and gizzard N-Tang sets?

The signature recommended menus are the N-Tang, boneless N-Tang, and gizzard N-Tang combos. N-Tang comes with a whole dak-dori-tang plus half a whole fried chicken, while boneless N-Tang pairs a whole dak-dori-tang with a small size of boneless fried chicken. Gizzard N-Tang lets you enjoy a whole dak-dori-tang together with gizzards.

Beyond these, you can also order fried chicken as a standalone item, and dak-dori-tang or Andong jjimdak are available as single dishes too, so there's plenty of choice depending on your taste.

We ordered the boneless N-Tang. The basic side dishes were pickled radish, cabbage salad, and shrimp chips — that familiar lineup you'd see at old-school chicken places, which felt oddly nostalgic.

If you like this kind of atmosphere, this Yeonsan-dong chicken spot will win you over even more.

What does the dak-dori-tang broth taste like?

The dak-dori-tang we ordered first arrived, and it looked appetizing from the get-go. It came piled high in the pot, so the portion was quite generous. Above all, the broth was rich, appropriately spicy, and sweet, making it hard to stop reaching for more.

It wasn't just aggressively spicy — you could really taste the savory depth drawn out from the chicken and various ingredients, the kind of broth that naturally makes you want a drink.

There were quite a lot of glass noodles too, plus a generous amount of long tteokbokki rice cakes, so it was fun picking through everything. The chicken was incredibly tender, probably from long simmering, and the seasoning had soaked in all the way through. Dipping the moist chicken into the thick sauce paired well with rice too.

There was also fried rice on the add-on menu, but we were already quite full from the dak-dori-tang and fried chicken alone, so we didn't get to order it. Next time I visit, I definitely want to try the fried rice mixed into the leftover sauce. If you love dak-dori-tang, I recommend this Yeonsan-dong chicken spot, Yetnal Tongdak & Tang :)

Is the small boneless fried chicken enough for two people?

The boneless fried chicken that came with it was a small size. At first I wondered if it might be a bit skimpy, but since the dak-dori-tang itself was so generous, the small size was plenty when eating both together.

The boneless fried chicken was crispy outside and moist and tender inside — a solid, no-frills version of classic old-school fried chicken. Alternating between a few bites of chicken and spoonfuls of the spicy, rich dak-dori-tang broth cut through the greasiness nicely, and the two dishes paired really well together.

I understood why this has been a popular Yeonsan-dong chicken spot for so long. I also liked being able to eat fried chicken and dak-dori-tang together in one sitting. It's filling enough for a proper meal, and also great for evenings when you want to drink and share a variety of dishes.

If you're looking for a good chicken restaurant or dak-dori-tang spot in Yeonsan-dong, or a pub with tasty drinking snacks, I recommend Yetnal Tongdak & Tang Yeonsan Main Branch.

With a hearty dak-dori-tang and crispy fried chicken to enjoy together, this was a great Yeonsan-dong spot for a drink with friends too.