Jongno 3-ga Korean BBQ: bracken fern on the grill, Tapgol Gongwon

The weather for outdoor BBQ (yajang) lately is just insane, right? Once evening hits, this cool breeze starts blowing and naturally you end up saying 'let's go to a yajang today!' with your friends haha. This time my friend and I were hanging out in Jongno and decided to go find a yajang spot — and we ended up at Tapgol Gongwon Jongno 3-ga Branch!

Where Tapgol Gongwon Jongno 3-ga Branch is and when it opens

Tapgol Gongwon Jongno 3-ga Branch is at 111 Supyo-ro, 1st floor, Jongno-gu, Seoul, open daily from 17:00 to 01:00. It's a place where you can grill meat outdoors while looking at the stone wall right next to Tapgol Park, which was perfect for weather like this autumn evening.

It's fairly close to Jongno 3-ga Station too, and since it's along the stone-wall path of Tapgol Park, it wasn't hard to find at all. It really only has outdoor seating, so it stands out immediately to anyone looking for Jongno 3-ga yajang pork belly.

A weekday 5:30pm arrival meant a waiting number in the 20s

I got to Tapgol Gongwon Jongno 3-ga Branch around 5:30pm on a weekday and... wow... there was already a wait, haha. Numbers already in the 20s! Considering it opens at 5pm, seeing this many people already shows just how popular Jongno 3-ga yajang has become these days.

I was starving and couldn't get in right away, so I ended up killing time nearby with a simple beer before finally getting seated around 7pm. So personally, if you're planning a visit, I'd recommend either timing it right at opening, or aiming for around 7pm, which seems to be a slightly quieter window.

There are also recent reviews mentioning the weekend evening wait being quite long, so it's probably best to go in with a relaxed mindset!

Grilling pork belly with a view of the Tapgol Park stone wall

Since Tapgol Gongwon Jongno 3-ga Branch sits right next to Tapgol Park, you can grill meat at a seat where the stone wall is right in front of you, and it was more atmospheric than I expected. The vibe here was really great — a totally different mood from the busier main yajang street of Jongno 3-ga!

Each table has its own light, and as it gets darker after sunset, these lights turn on and make the mood even prettier. During the day it's just an outdoor BBQ spot, but at night with the lighting added, the whole atmosphere really comes alive. Lots of friend groups were there, and plenty of couples on dates too.

Tapgol Park's stone wall + red outdoor tables + lighting + sizzling frozen pork belly. This combo is basically eating for the atmosphere alone haha.

Three servings of frozen pork belly and the self-serve banchan bar

We didn't hesitate that day — we ordered three servings of frozen pork belly plus beer. Tapgol Gongwon Jongno 3-ga Branch first sets you up with basic side dishes, and if you need more you can grab them yourself from the self-serve bar.

Side dishes like kimchi, bean sprouts, and bracken fern (gosari) come out, but here's the key thing — you don't just eat them on the side, you grill them right on the pan together with the meat!

Grilling kimchi, bean sprouts, and bracken fern in the fat rendered from the pork belly changes the flavor completely. I especially loved grilling the bracken fern and bean sprouts — the fern soaks up a bit of the meat fat while the bean sprouts keep their crunch, so paired with the pork belly I just couldn't stop reaching for more. The kimchi, grilled golden on the pan, was also a perfect match with the pork belly, of course.

A thin slice of pork belly topped with grilled kimchi and bracken fern, one bite, then a sip of beer! That's when the beer just goes down so easily 🍺

Side dishes served in woven baskets add to the outdoor mood

Something else I quietly liked was how the side dishes were served — in a woven basket. Even this small detail matched the outdoor BBQ atmosphere really well.

There are plenty of sleek, pretty BBQ restaurants these days, but places like this seem to have their own charm in that slightly rustic vibe. Meat sizzling on the pan, beer being poured next to you, and Tapgol Park's stone wall right in front — it's definitely a different kind of fun from eating pork belly at an indoor BBQ spot.

Why Tapgol Gongwon Jongno 3-ga Branch is best in autumn

With the night breeze this cool lately, it feels like a waste not to go to a yajang. Jongno 3-ga especially is famous for its outdoor BBQ scene, so as evening fell people kept gathering and the mood kept building. The biggest draw of Tapgol Gongwon Jongno 3-ga Branch is being able to eat pork belly with a stone-wall view right beside Tapgol Park!

And once the table lights turn on, the nighttime mood really comes through. It's great for a casual beer with friends, and also a nice atmosphere for an autumn date with your partner.

That said, it gets so busy these days that you should be ready to wait. I went at 5:30pm and got a number in the 20s, so I'd recommend either timing your visit right at opening or avoiding peak hours!

An autumn night of outdoor Korean BBQ by Tapgol Park

If you've decided 'let's go to a yajang today' in Jongno 3-ga, the Tapgol Park area is definitely worth checking out too. Grilling meat next to the stone wall, feeling that cool breeze, taking a bite of pork belly with grilled kimchi, bracken fern, and bean sprouts, then a sip of cold beer... ah, that's exactly what an autumn yajang is about, haha.