Mangwon-dong pub for pork kimchi stew with ramyeon: Jeongju Ilga

Today I'm introducing a bar I go to often when I want a drink with genuinely good food to match — Jeongju Ilga (정주일가). From the vibe of the place to every single menu item, plus the friendly staff and even the indoor bathroom, everything about it is satisfying, so it's one of the spots I return to again and again in the neighborhood.

Where Jeongju Ilga is, plus hours and parking

Jeongju Ilga sits right on a street near Mangridan-gil, so it's not hard to find. Hours are Mon–Fri 18:00 to 2:00 AM, weekends 17:00 to 2:00 AM, with last order at 1:00 AM.

There's no dedicated parking space, so you'll need to use a nearby public parking lot. Finding a place to park in Mangwon-dong is... a whole thing.

The 8-person window table and chargers at every table

We went on a weekday and it was still pretty busy. We usually sit further inside, but the window table was open and the weather was nice, so we grabbed a spot by the window. Two 4-person tables push together there to seat up to 8, and with the window open in this kind of weather it's breezy and has a nice mood — quite lovely.

Each table even has chargers set up by connector type, so you can charge your phone right at your seat while eating comfortably — this is such a great touch. Usually if you hand your phone to staff to charge, you have to go find it partway through and it's a hassle, but Jeongju Ilga has a charger at every table. Consideration for guests and a smart move by the owner! Arigato.

Jeongju Ilga menu prices (the Jeongju Yeojido menu)

Here's the Jeongju Yeojido (Jeongju's map of dishes) menu, which raises expectations before you even order.

• Jeongju bossam (boiled pork wraps): large ₩35,000 / medium ₩27,000
• Pancakes: mixed pancake ₩20,000, shrimp minari pancake ₩20,000, beef pancake ₩19,000, cheese mustard-leaf kimchi pancake ₩18,000, bulgogi chive pancake ₩18,000, pepperoni potato pancake ₩18,000
• Raw beef & seasoned dishes: Korean beef cheese yukhoe ₩22,000, seasoned squid with minari ₩20,000, seasoned chicken ₩18,000, seasoned whelk ₩18,000
• Soups & stews: beef brisket doenjang hot pot ₩22,000, seafood fish cake soup ₩21,000, pork kimchi jjaglee ₩21,000, Boryeong clam wine steam ₩19,000
• Stir-fries: beef brisket and bean sprout stir-fry ₩20,000, squid and pork belly stir-fry ₩19,000, Chodang tofu kimchi ₩18,000

From bossam to pancakes, seasoned dishes and stir-fries, there's a wide range of Korean food that pairs well with drinks, plus plenty of makgeolli (rice wine) and distilled spirits to match. Prices are all right around the sweet spot too.

What we ordered: pork kimchi jjaglee with added ramyeon sari, and an egg roll.

Pork kimchi jjaglae: a stew that keeps bubbling on the burner

Pork kimchi jjaglee (a thick, concentrated stew), something we'd never ordered before at Jeongju Ilga. Looks pretty good, right? It comes out with a burner so you can keep it simmering as you eat. Neither of us had had dinner, so we ordered it to fill up a bit and because something a little spicy sounded good — very satisfying!!

Big chunky pieces of tofu piled on top, and true to a jjaglee, the broth is thick and concentrated, with the pork and kimchi inside tasting amazing and pairing so, so well with drinks. My sister can't handle soju well so she had beer, and I had soju.

Can you add ramyeon noodles halfway through?

After picking through some of the solid ingredients, we added the ramyeon sari (instant noodle add-in). Since it's a jjaglee the broth runs a bit low, so I was worried we should've added the noodles right at the start — but when we ordered them partway through, they came with extra broth, so it worked out fine.

Put the ramyeon sari into the pork kimchi jjaglee, let the seasoning soak into the noodles, and eat them while they're still a little chewy — ah... so good.

The egg roll that arrives whole and uncut

The egg roll we ordered as a side also came out huge, really thick, with a neat, pretty shape. It doesn't arrive pre-sliced, so you cut it yourself with a spoon and scoop it up — but coming out whole means the inside stays moist, so it actually tastes even better that way.

Is Jeongju Ilga worth a second visit?

The ingredients that go into the menu are genuinely fresh, and even though it's a bar, every single side dish is at the level of a proper restaurant. Jeongju Ilga is one of the bars I keep going back to in the neighborhood, again and again. If you're in Mangwon-dong and want good Korean food with your drinks, I'd recommend giving it a try :)