Hanwoo mulhoe and mungtigi for two at a Jonggak bar: Umi Hoegwan

As quitting time approaches, you start wondering what to eat tonight. Then there are days when you're craving something properly meaty. September 14 was exactly that kind of day for me. While looking for a good dinner spot near Jonggak Station, I ended up at Umi Hoegwan Jonggak Main Branch.

It's close to Cheonggyecheon, so a lot of people use it for company dinners or small gatherings, which made me curious. Today I'll give you an honest rundown of the menu, the atmosphere, and the prices, all from firsthand experience.

What Umi Hoegwan Jonggak looks like inside: a calm, wood-toned room

Walking into Umi Hoegwan Jonggak Main Branch, the wooden tables and chairs catch your eye first. The lighting is soft, so it felt more like a calm spot for conversation than a noisy bar. There's a drinks fridge on one side, so you can pick out whatever alcohol suits your mood that day. The tables weren't cramped together either, which made conversation easy, and the staff were friendly. It's a space that works fine whether you're having a casual drink with coworkers after work or a quiet meal for two.

Ordering by tablet: mungtigi and hanwoo mulhoe for ₩76,000

You order using the tablet on the table. You can browse menu photos, and the screen shows a clean summary of what you've added, the quantity, and the total, which made it easy to double-check before confirming. We picked the two signature items.

• Mungtigi (200g) ₩48,000
• Spicy-tangy-refreshing hanwoo mulhoe ₩28,000

The total came to ₩76,000. The menu listing said "butchered fresh every morning," so my expectations were already up before I even hit the order button.

Mungtigi (₩48,000): raw hanwoo with vivid red grain

Mungtigi came out first. The meat, plated in a round swirl, was a truly vivid red. It had a sheen to it and the grain of the meat was clearly visible, so freshness was obvious just from looking at it. For anyone trying mungtigi for the first time, it's a Daegu-style raw beef dish — unheated hanwoo cut into thick pieces and eaten with seasoning.

I picked up a piece with the side vegetables and tried it. A chewy bite gave way to a mild, nutty flavor. There was no gamey smell at all, so it felt clean and easy to eat, and the sprouts and vegetables kept my palate refreshed, which kept me reaching for more. It also worked well as a drinking snack — pairing it with soju or traditional liquor seemed to bring out the nutty flavor of the meat even more.

Hanwoo mulhoe (₩28,000): spicy, tangy and true to its name

If there's one dish I'd tell you not to skip at Umi Hoegwan Jonggak Main Branch, it's the hanwoo mulhoe (cold raw beef soup). When you hear mulhoe, you usually think of raw fish, but here they top it with hanwoo for a different kind of combination. The bowl was piled high with ice, with vegetables packed underneath — it looked cool and refreshing just from the visual.

After mixing the seasoning and vegetables evenly and taking a bite, the spicy and tangy notes hit first, followed by a cooling sensation. The crunchy vegetables, tender meat, and cold ice all came together for a fun eating experience. It also served to reset the palate after the richness of the mungtigi, so I was glad we ordered both dishes together.

Is ₩76,000 enough food for two at Umi Hoegwan?

The two dishes together came to ₩76,000. Considering it's same-day-butchered raw hanwoo, the price felt reasonable. The portion was also just right for two people eating it as both a meal and a drinking snack. If there are more people, adding a menu item or two to adjust the amount would work well.

Who Umi Hoegwan Jonggak suits best

• Anyone looking for an evening bar spot near Jonggak Station
• Anyone craving a raw hanwoo dish that's different from a typical grilled meat restaurant
• Anyone looking for a company dinner or small gathering spot near Cheonggyecheon
• Anyone wanting to reset their palate with a spicy, cooling mulhoe

Final verdict on Umi Hoegwan Jonggak Main Branch

This was a place where you could enjoy fresh hanwoo two ways: as mungtigi and as mulhoe. The menu lineup isn't common, so it's the kind of place that comes to mind when you want a special dinner. If you're weighing dinner options near Jonggak Station, it's worth a visit. Next time, I'd like to try some of the other menu items.