Seomyeon jokbal pub: cold & garlic set with draft beer, Naseong Jokbal

Jokbal + makguksu + squid stir-fry: this is where I settle for jokbal in Seomyeon

As the weather started getting warmer, I kept craving a cold beer with something tasty to go with it. Not long ago I met a friend in Seomyeon and looked for a good place for dinner and a drink, and we ended up at Naseong Jokbal. Jokbal, tray makguksu and squid stir-fry, all in one set!! Being able to enjoy it all at once made me really happy with this place.😊

• 📍 514-1 Bujeon-dong, Busanjin-gu, Busan
• ⏰ Daily 16:00–00:30 (closes 23:00 on Mondays)
• 🚗 1 hour of parking covered at Myeongdong Parking Lot
• 🎁 A drink or soft tofu stew offered for joining the review event

Where is Naseong Jokbal in Seomyeon, and what's the atmosphere like?

Naseong Jokbal is on 1beon-ga street near Lotte Department Store in Seomyeon, so it wasn't hard to find.

It's a good spot to drop by casually after work, and a decent place to pick for meeting up too.

Inside, it was bigger and cleaner than I expected, so the first impression was good. 🍺 It was dinner time and already quite full, but the mood was pleasantly lively rather than rowdy, just right for a drink. The tables were spaced generously too, so it was easy to talk.

Naseong Jokbal set menu and how to order half-and-half

The set menu at Naseong Jokbal comes with tray makguksu and squid stir-fry alongside the jokbal, and for ₩2,000 extra you can pick two kinds of jokbal half-and-half. This time we ordered the small half-and-half set with cold jokbal and garlic jokbal.

Looking at the menu, there were so many kinds, like warm jokbal, cold jokbal and garlic jokbal, that I struggled to decide.

I'd originally planned on warm jokbal, but it had gotten pretty hot out, so I went with the cold jokbal and garlic jokbal combo! Personally, it was a really good choice 😆

I especially liked how the set was put together. You get tray makguksu and squid stir-fry along with the jokbal, so it seemed perfect for people who want to try lots of dishes. And it's half-and-half for just ₩2,000 more!

What we ordered: small half-and-half jokbal set (cold jokbal + garlic jokbal), Suntory draft beer

The side dishes were dried radish strip kimchi and mustard leaf kimchi, and they went really well with the jokbal!

How does the garlic jokbal at Naseong Jokbal taste?

The garlic jokbal here leaned more on the sweet, savory depth of the garlic sauce than on any sharp bite. It's said to be Naseong Jokbal's popular dish, and it was better than I expected. Some places make garlic jokbal with a strong pungent kick, but this one went the sweet garlic sauce way.

🧄 The jokbal itself was moist and tender, matched the garlic sauce well, and I barely noticed any gamey smell. Personally, I liked the garlic jokbal more as a drinking snack.

Is the cold jokbal at Naseong Jokbal good for summer?

The cold jokbal here came with a really generous amount of vegetables. The tangy mustard sauce was applied in just the right amount, not overdone, and it cut the richness of the jokbal nicely.

🥗 The ratio of vegetables was good, so I never got tired of it, and the crunchy texture kept me reaching for more. I even thought that in summer I'd probably crave this more than warm jokbal.

What are the squid stir-fry and tray makguksu in the set like?

The squid stir-fry in the set comes out sizzling on a stone plate, and the smell was amazing. The spicy seasoning aroma hit right away and my chopsticks went straight in.

It had lots of onion, so it was sweet and crunchy, and the squid was chewy without being tough. 🌶️ The spicy seasoning made it a great drinking snack too.

The soft tofu that came with it was silky and totally a drinking snack! Isn't this set just the best?! ㅠㅠ

The tray makguksu had a subtle sesame oil aroma and was really good with the jokbal. Sweet and sour seasoning with springy noodles. Putting a slice of jokbal on top and eating them together was a solid combo.

Jokbal and Suntory draft beer

You can't eat jokbal without beer. Naseong Jokbal had Suntory draft beer, so I ordered it right away. The fizz was refreshing and the malt aroma was clean, so it went well with the food.

It paired especially well with the cold jokbal and also tamed the spiciness of the squid stir-fry. Chatting with my friend, I completely lost track of time.

Naseong Jokbal in Seomyeon: overall verdict

When one dish of jokbal feels like not enough, this was a satisfying Seomyeon dinner spot where we could enjoy cold jokbal, garlic jokbal, squid stir-fry and makguksu all together 😊 If you're looking for a restaurant in Seomyeon to have a drink with your meal, Naseong Jokbal is worth a visit.