Seongbuk chicken shop: crispy fried, not greasy or gamey: Hidongi

[Seongbuk chicken favorite] Hidongi Chicken Seokgwan Branch

I was really craving chicken, so I headed to Hidongi Chicken Seokgwan Branch (히동이치킨 석관점) in Seokgwan-dong, Seongbuk. Fried chicken is my favorite kind, so I ordered the crispy fried chicken without a second thought.

Where is Hidongi Chicken Seokgwan Branch, and what is the shop like?

Hidongi Chicken Seokgwan Branch is inside Dolgoji (돌곶이) Market in Seokgwan-dong, Seongbuk. Inside, the smell of oil wasn't strong and the place felt clean overall, so the first impression was a good one.

Payment options and current events

I also loved that you can pay in lots of ways: Onnuri, Danggeun, Seoul Pay, Zero Pay, KakaoPay and more!

They were running a takeout prize draw, and a Naver receipt event too.

Hidongi Chicken menu and takeout discount

For takeout, Hidongi Chicken takes ₩3,000 off one chicken and ₩7,000 off two. Besides the chicken, there are plenty of side dishes too, which looked great for sharing.

The takeout discount is what I liked most. If I lived nearby, picking it up would be a really good choice. Chicken prices feel pretty heavy these days, so a discount like this was very welcome.

How was the crispy fried chicken?

The crispy fried chicken at Hidongi Chicken had a thin yet crunchy coating and moist meat inside. The one I ordered was

a golden color that looked delicious just sitting there. The coating was thin but crunchy,

and when I took a bite, there was a loud "crunch" and juicy chicken filled my mouth.

It's really crunchy outside and moist inside, so it never felt dry, and I enjoyed it to the very end.

Clean oil, not greasy

The oil must be in good shape, because above all the chicken wasn't greasy. Fried chicken can taste very different depending on the oil, and I was happy that I could finish Hidongi Chicken cleanly to the end.

It wasn't salty either, with just the right seasoning, so it was tasty even without dipping it in lots of sauce.

Fresh chicken with no gamey smell

The chicken itself felt fresh. It was juicy, with a nutty flavor the more I chewed, and I barely noticed any gamey smell typical of chicken. If you like the true taste of chicken, this style will especially suit you.

The chicken radish (chicken-mu, pickled radish cubes) served with it was crunchy and cold, great to nibble between bites, and it went really well with a fizzy soda.

After one piece I kept reaching for more, and before I knew it I had almost finished a whole chicken.

Who would I recommend Hidongi Chicken Seokgwan Branch to?

If you usually love fried chicken or are looking for crunchy chicken, Hidongi Chicken Seokgwan Branch is worth a visit. If you're hunting for a good chicken place around Seongbuk or Seokgwan-dong, I can happily recommend it. It's also close to Dongdaemun, so it looked fine for delivery or takeout too.

This was my first visit, but next time I'd like to try the yangnyeom chicken (sweet-spicy glazed chicken) and other menu items. A place that gets the basics right makes you look forward to everything else. If you're looking for good chicken in Seongbuk, Seokgwan-dong or near Dongdaemun, I recommend trying the crunchy crispy fried chicken at Hidongi Chicken Seokgwan Branch. Thanks to chicken made with care from fresh ingredients and clean oil, it was a very satisfying meal.

Hidongi Chicken Seokgwan Branch at a glance

• Location: 561 Hancheon-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 1st floor
• Hours: weekdays 3:00pm to 6:30am; weekends and holidays 12:00pm to 6:30am (open daily)
• Ordered: crispy fried chicken
• Crunchy, light fried chicken made with clean oil and fresh ingredients
• Takeout discount (₩3,000 off 1 chicken / ₩7,000 off 2)
• Freshly fried chicken cooked after you order
• Tidy shop and friendly service