Udon noodles in gopdoritang at Yeongdeungpo Station bar Yeokjeon

Yeongdeungpo Station restaurant find: Yeokjeon Pojangmacha Yeongdeungpo — spicy gopdoritang followed by pineapple sherbet to finish 🍍

While looking for somewhere to have dinner near Yeongdeungpo Station, I ended up at Yeokjeon Pojangmacha Yeongdeungpo! It has that retro pojangmacha (street food tent) feel, so the atmosphere was relaxed, and with such a wide menu it was a great spot for a group. We ordered gopdoritang as our main, and finished things off with a refreshing pineapple sherbet :)

Gopdoritang: a spicy, deeply savoury stew

The gopdoritang came out looking really generous in portion, which I liked right away. You keep it simmering while you eat, and the broth was genuinely delicious. It's a red broth so it looks spicy, but it wasn't just heat for heat's sake — more of a deep, savory kind of spicy!

Inside Yeokjeon Pojangmacha Yeongdeungpo: mood and menu

Walking in, it felt different from the sleek, polished restaurants you see so much of these days — this place had that genuine retro pojangmacha feel. Not overly styled, just comfortable and familiar, which made it a nice place to hang out with friends over good food :)

The menu was really varied too — everything from soup dishes to lighter bites, so there were plenty of options even for a group, letting everyone order to their own taste.

Chicken and gopchang in one pot — how does the broth taste?

The longer it simmers, the more flavor comes out of the chicken and gopchang (beef tripe), making the broth even richer. With both chicken and chewy, savory gopchang in the pot, it felt like getting two dishes in one.

The broth itself was my favorite part — spicy with a real depth of savory flavor, the kind where you keep going back for another spoonful haha. Pick up a piece of chicken, then some gopchang, then a spoonful of broth — that combo was just right. The portion of ingredients was generous too, plenty for a group to share. If you're ever craving something warm and spicy, I'd recommend the gopdoritang!

I thought a red broth like this might just be harsh, one-note spicy, but that wasn't the case at all. It was just spicy enough with strong savory depth — the kind of flavor that kept pulling me back in. It got noticeably richer the longer it simmered compared to the first bite.

The chicken had soaked up the broth nicely, so it was tasty even on its own. And on top of that, the chewy, savory gopchang meant you could enjoy several different flavors in one dish. A bite of chicken, a piece of gopchang, then a spoonful of the spicy broth — it really doesn't stop haha.

With a broth this good, you keep reaching for your spoon even after all the solid ingredients are gone. That was exactly the case here. Especially on a day when you're craving something warm and spicy but still filling, the gopdoritang is a solid choice.

Why adding udon noodles to gopdoritang is a must 🤍

Partway through the gopdoritang, we added udon noodles!

Personally, I think udon noodles go really well with gopdoritang. By the time you add them, the broth has already deepened from the chicken and gopchang, so the noodles soak up all that seasoning properly. Simmer it a little longer and the chewy udon strands are laced through with that spicy broth — it almost feels like a completely different dish.

It was way better than eating udon from the start, because adding it in later meant the broth was already rich and concentrated. If you love noodles, definitely add the udon!

I was already pretty full just from the chicken and gopchang, but adding the udon made it feel like a proper, hearty meal. Scoop up noodles soaked in broth, slurp them down, then back to the broth for another spoonful haha. The gopdoritang is great on its own, but adding udon noodles took it to another level.

Pineapple sherbet to finish the meal 🍍

After all that spicy, rich gopdoritang, something cool and refreshing was naturally on my mind. So we ordered pineapple sherbet — such a great choice for a finish.

It felt like the pineapple sherbet swept away all the lingering spice from the gopdoritang! Cold and refreshing with that distinct sweet-tart pineapple flavor, I kept scooping more. It's not a heavy dessert, so even after eating a big meal it went down without any weight to it.

A refreshing dessert like this really suits a spicy, rich dish like gopdoritang. Funny enough, even after being completely full from the gopdoritang and the added udon, the pineapple sherbet somehow found its own separate space haha.

Looking for something spicy near Yeongdeungpo Station?

This visit, I thoroughly enjoyed everything from the gopdoritang to the added udon noodles to the pineapple sherbet. Above all, what stuck with me most was the gopdoritang broth — spicy with great depth of flavor.

You get chicken and gopchang together, and once the broth thickens up you can add udon noodles for the noodle experience too, so the portion was quite substantial. Finishing with cool pineapple sherbet cleanly wrapped up the spice — the whole combination worked really well.

If I visit again, I think I'd order in the exact same order: gopdoritang → add udon → pineapple sherbet haha.

If you're craving a spicy broth dish near Yeongdeungpo Station, or looking for somewhere to eat well with friends in a relaxed setting, give Yeokjeon Pojangmacha Yeongdeungpo a try :) Especially if you love noodles, don't skip adding udon to the gopdoritang! 🍜🤍