Jongno 3-ga Seoul Korean BBQ with grilled kimchi: Tapgol Gongwon

The weather's been so nice lately, isn't it? I wanted to feel that full outdoor BBQ vibe in Jongno 3-ga, so I visited Tapgol Gongwon Jongno 3-ga Branch! The meat here is good, but honestly I felt like this is a place you go to eat the atmosphere as much as the food.

Where is Tapgol Gongwon Jongno 3-ga Branch, and what are its hours?

Tapgol Gongwon Jongno 3-ga Branch is at 111 Supyo-ro, 1F, Jongno-gu, Seoul, open daily from 17:00 to 1:00 the next day. It's an outdoor BBQ restaurant with tables spread through one of Jongno 3-ga's characteristic old alleys.

That old-alley feel unique to Jongno 3-ga plus the outdoor tables, add the smell of grilling meat and beer, and just sitting there was fun in itself ❤️

How long is the wait at 5:40pm on a weekday?

I visited Tapgol Gongwon Jongno 3-ga Branch around 5:40pm on a weekday, and there were about 20 teams waiting ahead of me. After roughly an hour of waiting, I got in. When I came back from a quick walk around, the wait had already piled up to about 50 teams!

Since it's a place where people eat and drink outdoors, table turnover wasn't exactly fast. So if you're planning to visit, I'd personally recommend an opening-run. Especially on weekends or in the evening, it's worth expecting a wait. Still, watching the Jongno scene while waiting was fun enough that we didn't get too bored.

What we ordered at Tapgol Gongwon and what it cost

Here's what we ordered at Tapgol Gongwon Jongno 3-ga Branch.

• Quick-frozen pork belly (₩18,000) x3 servings
• Steamed egg (₩5,000)
• Kimchi fried rice (₩6,000) x1 serving
• Beer (₩6,000)

First things first — you can't have meat without beer! Cheers! +_+ Drinking it outdoors somehow made the beer taste even better than usual, haha.

The side dishes: grilled kimchi is the real highlight

Tapgol Gongwon Jongno 3-ga Branch serves a pretty wide variety of default side dishes! Kimchi, bean sprouts, salted seafood, green onion kimchi, cheongyang peppers, lettuce, and more — plenty of sides that go well with the meat, so I could mix and match to my taste.

I'm someone who cares a lot about the kimchi when eating meat, and here, the grilled kimchi (kimchi cooked right on the grill) was really delicious. Grilling it together with the quick-frozen pork belly confirmed once again that kimchi is the ultimate pairing for meat, haha.

Three servings of quick-frozen pork belly, with black pepper

The quick-frozen pork belly at Tapgol Gongwon Jongno 3-ga Branch is thin, so it cooks quickly, making it great for eating while chatting with a group. It's tasty plain, but I found it even better with a light sprinkle of pepper, haha. Adding pepper aroma to the thin pork belly made it savory with even more depth of flavor!

Putting meat on lettuce with kimchi and other sides on the side, I kept craving more beer. And beyond the meat itself, the atmosphere here really felt like part of the flavor. Sitting right there outdoors, hearing the sizzle of grilling meat while sipping a drink, everything just tasted better somehow!

Why the steamed egg is a must-order

We also ordered a steamed egg (₩5,000), and its fluffy texture was great. Taking a spoonful of steamed egg between bites of meat was soft and warm — a perfect pairing to break things up. I always order steamed egg at a BBQ restaurant, and this one didn't disappoint either! I'd definitely recommend ordering it >.<

Wrapped some in green onion kimchi, wrapped some in lettuce too, haha.

Finishing the meal with kimchi fried rice

The finale had to be the K-dessert — fried rice! The fried rice itself was good, but I loved it even more once I piled the grilled kimchi on top. Eating the fried rice together with grilled kimchi hit the seasoning perfectly and added extra savory depth, so I couldn't stop reaching for more. Finishing off with fried rice after the meat felt like a proper conclusion to the meal, haha.

The friendly service that stayed with me

Beyond the food, what stuck with me most about Tapgol Gongwon Jongno 3-ga Branch was how kind the staff and owner were! With such a long wait and slower table turnover since it's an outdoor drinking spot, both the staff and the owner treated us so kindly that the whole meal felt pleasant. Even in what must be a busy, chaotic situation with so many people, they still handled everything with warmth, and I really appreciated that, haha.

If you want to feel that outdoor BBQ atmosphere in Jongno 3-ga with quick-frozen pork belly and a beer in hand, this is a place worth visiting. Great meat, a lively outdoor vibe, and beer all together made Tapgol Gongwon Jongno 3-ga Branch a fun experience 👀❤️