Myeongdong jokbal with buckwheat mak-guksu for two: Miss Jokbal

📍21 Myeongdong 3-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea, Miss Jokbal Seoul Myeongdong Branch ⏰11:00–03:00 (last order 02:00) 🙂

Miss Jokbal Myeongdong Branch keeps being chosen, again and again, by both tourists and locals riding that flow. It's got everything: a full meal put together without you having to think, easy access, and a relaxed atmosphere you can enjoy without pressure — which is why anyone visiting Myeongdong naturally ends up stopping by for a meal here at some point.

Miss Jokbal Seoul Myeongdong Branch on Myeongdong's main street: what kind of place is it?

Today I visited Miss Jokbal Myeongdong Branch, right on Myeongdong's main street. There were definitely a lot of foreign visitors around since it's such a foot-traffic-heavy spot, and plenty of foreign customers in the restaurant too! Even foreigners unfamiliar with jokbal (pork trotter) seek this place out — let's get straight into the review haha.

Seating, how big the restaurant is, and where the restroom is

Walking in, I found a spacious layout with plenty of tables — the sheer size gave off a relaxed, unhurried feeling!

Further inside there's another set of tables, so I think this is a great spot for larger groups 🙂 And best of all, the interior was so cool that the heat from outside disappeared instantly — really nice haha.

The restroom sign above tells you where to go — you head up the stairs to the 2nd floor. Good to know before you visit haha.

What's on the menu at Miss Jokbal Seoul Myeongdong Branch

The signature menu consists of Emperor's Jokbal, Emperor's Jokbo, and Emperor's Bossam, so ordering is nice and simple 😊 It looks like the main dish sits in the center with sides arranged around it in a circle!

There are also single main-dish options without the sides, so pick according to what brought you in that day!

First, kimchi kalguksu (noodle soup) comes as a complimentary starter — the broth and noodle strands arrive separately, so you boil the broth first and add the noodles yourself. Along with that came the 3 dipping sauces for the jokbal!

Emperor's Jokbal, 58,000 won: what comes on the platter and how it tastes

The Emperor's Jokbal (58,000 won) landed on the table and I was floored by how impressive it looked 🙂🙂 Starting with the main dish, the jokbal looked so tender and delicious, and the side dishes surrounding it were just as good.

There was even gimbap (seaweed rice roll) and japchae (glass noodle stir-fry), both iconic Korean dishes, so I thought this could be a place where foreigners really get to learn about Korean food haha. It wasn't just for show either — the taste held up too, which I appreciated.

Jokbal with a chopstick of mak-guksu buckwheat noodles

The mak-guksu (buckwheat noodles) we ordered alongside came with a sweet-and-tangy sauce, and mixed well, it was a genuinely perfect bite 😊 One piece of jokbal with a chopstick-full of mak-guksu — honestly the best combo 👍🏻

Wrapping jokbal + mak-guksu + dried radish + ssamjang (dipping paste) in lettuce made me laugh out loud, it was that good haha 😊 Miss Jokbal really seems like the kind of place that leaves foreign visitors with a great impression of Korean food haha.

Boiling the complimentary kimchi kalguksu at the table

I'd almost forgotten about the kimchi kalguksu, but the broth was already boiling, so I dropped in the noodle strands, waited a bit, then scooped them out. The spicy kick reset my palate perfectly, and I thought it paired really well with the jokbal haha.

How many people is the Emperor's Jokbal good for?

The portion was plenty for two adult men to finish, so if it's a group of women, I think even 4 people could manage! The jokbal itself is generous and the sides come in abundance too, so we ate until we were about to burst haha.

Miss Jokbal today was a spot that both foreigners and Koreans could enjoy and feel satisfied with. Beyond the clean interior and friendly staff, the Emperor's Jokbal set served as a full spread is something you can only get at Miss Jokbal, which makes it even more satisfying haha. Stopped by Myeongdong and craving jokbal? I recommend Miss Jokbal Myeongdong Branch!!