Jongno bar with hammer-cracked rice crust anju: Ari Gyegok Jonggak

Today I went out for dinner and drinks near Jonggak, to a spot called Ari Gyegok Jonggak. From the spicy hangover chicken hot pot to a rice-crust monkfish liver hoe combo I'd never tried before, the menu was full of character and the vibe was great, so let me introduce it!

Where is Ari Gyegok Jonggak, and what are the hours?

📍 Location 41 Ujeongguk-ro 2-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 1st floor About 188m from Jonggak Station Exit 4

⏰ Hours Monday–Thursday, Sunday 16:30 – 2:00 (next day) Friday–Saturday 16:30 – 3:00 (next day)

📝 What we ordered Spicy hangover chicken hot pot Rice-crust monkfish liver hoe Omija highball Zero-sugar cola

What does Ari Gyegok Jonggak look like inside and out?

Ari Gyegok Jonggak is in a great spot for a walk from Jonggak Station. The entrance stood out right away — a different feel from a typical bar — and the interior had a really good atmosphere too.

Overall the lighting was on the dim side, cozy, with each table given a decent bit of separation. There were bar-style seats as well as bigger tables for groups, so it looked great for anything from a date to a gathering.

Each table had basic dishware and small plates neatly set out, and you order via the table's QR code! The menu had a lot of items that were different from what you usually see at a typical bar, so it was fun just picking.

What's on the menu at Ari Gyegok Jonggak?

I've attached the menu info, so check it out before you visit~! That day I ordered the spicy hangover chicken hot pot, the rice-crust monkfish liver hoe, an omija highball, and a zero-sugar cola. The names alone had me curious, so I ordered excited to find out how they'd taste!!

How do you eat the rice-crust monkfish liver hoe?

Everything I ordered arrived! Doesn't it look delicious just from the visuals?

The rice-crust monkfish liver hoe (raw beef tartare) looked totally different from the hoe I usually eat. It came with the hoe and rice crust together, plus monkfish liver served on the side.

You crack the rice crust yourself with a mini hammer, break it into small pieces, then pile it on top of the hoe. The hands-on hammer-cracking made it fun to eat too, and it stuck with me. Honestly, up until I ordered I wasn't sure rice crust, hoe, and monkfish liver would even go together, but that thought completely changed once I tried it.

The crunchy rice crust paired really well with the soft hoe, and topping it off with a bit of the rich monkfish liver added a nutty depth — way tastier than I expected. It was clearly different from eating hoe alone, and the rice crust made the texture a lot more fun. Honestly this was the dish that stuck with me the most that day — highly recommend!

Spicy hangover chicken hot pot: the broth and how to cook the chicken tenderloin

Next up, the spicy hangover chicken hot pot arrived. It had a big whole chunk of chicken in it, so the visuals were impressive from the start. The broth had a spicy style reminiscent of yukgaejang (spicy beef soup), but rather than just being hot and sharp, it had a deep flavor drawn out from the meat and vegetables.

The chicken tenderloin that comes with it isn't added from the start — you put it in once the broth starts boiling and cook it there. As the chicken cooks, the broth deepens in flavor bit by bit, and the tenderloin comes out nice and tender.

I picked apart the big chunks of chicken piece by piece too, and the spicy broth had soaked in well — really tasty.

It's exactly the style you'd crave when you're drinking and suddenly want a spicy broth, so I got why it's called the spicy hangover chicken hot pot. If you're looking for a bar near Jonggak Station for a drink, ordering one hot pot and taking your time with it would work great!

Omija highball and zero-sugar cola: what are the drinks like?

I've been seeing omija (schisandra berry) flavors a lot lately, so I ordered the omija highball, and my friend got a zero-sugar cola.

It had a sweet, tangy omija flavor without a strong alcohol smell coming through. My friend, who isn't a big drinker, took a sip and said it was sweet and tasty, easy to drink without feeling burdened! It also paired well as a refreshing drink to sip between bites of the spicy hot pot.

And something small but that I really liked — the zero-sugar cola! A lot of places just hand you a can when you order cola, but here they brought out an ice cup too. Being able to pour it over a cup packed with ice and drink it cold — even a small detail like that made me happy.

Is Ari Gyegok Jonggak worth a visit?

From the spicy hangover chicken hot pot to the unusual rice-crust monkfish liver hoe, every dish at Ari Gyegok Jonggak had real character! In particular, the combo of hoe and monkfish liver with rice crust worked out better than expected and stuck with me. If you're looking for a bar near Jonggak Station where you can enjoy unusual anju and drinks in a great atmosphere, give this place a visit!