Sunday lunch at a Myeongdong jokbal restaurant for two: Miss Jokbal

Hi, this is Aki. This weekend I took a little trip to Myeongdong. For lunch, we went to get jokbal (braised pork trotter), which my husband loves, at Miss Jokbal Seoul Myeongdong Branch.

I've had really good memories eating at Miss Jokbal with my husband before, so this time we visited the Seoul Myeongdong branch, which is very close to Euljiro 1(il)-ga Station.

Check Point: Miss Jokbal Seoul Myeongdong Branch

• Close to Euljiro 1(il)-ga Station Exits 5 and 6
• Soft, moist meat in every single piece
• A wide variety of side dishes served
• Comes with spicy kimchi kalguksu (noodle soup)

Where is Miss Jokbal Seoul Myeongdong Branch, and when is it open?

Miss Jokbal Seoul Myeongdong Branch is at 21 Myeongdong 3-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, 178 meters from Exit 5 of Euljiro 1(il)-ga Station on Line 2. It's open daily from 11:00 to 03:00 the next day, with last order at 02:00.

Coming out of Exit 5 and taking the first alley, walk straight a little and you'll spot the sign on your right. I found the pretty Miss Jokbal sign with its pig logo wearing a pink necklace and heels!

The location is so convenient it would make a great meeting spot. There were a lot of foreign tourists in front of the shop checking out the menu, so I waited a while before taking a photo.

Sunday lunch at Miss Jokbal: mood and seating

Miss Jokbal Seoul Myeongdong Branch has a full window wall on one side, so it felt open and airy rather than cramped. The 4-person tables are laid out nicely, so it would be great for group visits too.

We visited on a Sunday for lunch and there was just one table free when we arrived. There were plenty of foreign customers as well as Korean diners, so I could tell it's a really popular spot.

Emperor's jokbal, 58,000 won: what comes on the platter for two

What we ordered: Emperor's jokbal (₩58,000), zero-sugar cola (₩2,500)

What we ordered was the emperor's jokbal, one of Miss Jokbal's signature menu items. It was even more impressive in person than in photos. With so many side dishes as well, we wondered if the two of us could really finish it all.

It wasn't just a huge portion — the meat was genuinely delicious! Every part was tender and odor-free, with no dry or tough sections, so it went down really easily.

The side dishes were so varied — shrimp salad, tofu kimchi, lettuce wraps, garlic-chili pickle, two kinds of bossam kimchi, cellophane noodle salad, japchae, gimbap (seaweed rice roll), and muk (acorn jelly) salad. It would be a great place to bring foreign friends, since you could introduce them to so many different Korean side dishes at once, and the spread looks so generous too.

How to eat the emperor's jokbal at its best

Starting with cool kimchi kalguksu noodles

While waiting for the jokbal, we could whet our appetites with a hot, spicy kimchi kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) first. The chewy noodles and refreshing broth would be perfect for anyone having a drink alongside.

A bite of sweet, crisp bossam kimchi

The bossam kimchi came in two kinds, napa cabbage and radish. The seasoning wasn't overdone, sweet and mildly spicy, and it paired really well with the meat.

The side dishes at Miss Jokbal, one by one

It was fun mixing and matching things into wraps, or trying different flavor combinations with the meat. With so many flavors and textures on hand, a meat dish that could otherwise feel a bit rich was even more enjoyable.

Two people, empty plates: why we would return to Miss Jokbal

A full spread of emperor's jokbal, generous and completely free of odor.

We wondered if the two of us could finish it all, but bite after bite, marveling the whole way, we ended up cleaning the plate. I can still feel the satisfaction of that big, soft piece of jokbal in my mouth.

I'd strongly recommend this to anyone craving a hearty jokbal spread, or looking for a restaurant to bring foreign friends to! The location is really accessible too, so it would be great to book for a work dinner or gathering around Euljiro.

Next time, I'd like to come back to try the lunch set menu.