Myeongdong jokbal restaurant with Lotte parking: Miss Jokbal

Today I'm heading to Myeongdong, right in the heart of Seoul and one of my favorite areas! It's a shopping mecca packed with amazing restaurants. This weekend my husband and I went there to shop and eat some good jokbal~ The place I'm introducing today is 'Miss Jokbal Seoul Myeongdong Branch,' a well-known Myeongdong jokbal restaurant famous for its generous spread.

Where is Miss Jokbal Seoul Myeongdong Branch, and where do you park?

Miss Jokbal Seoul Myeongdong Branch is at 21 Myeongdong 3-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, across from Lotte Department Store's Myeongdong main branch, behind the Apple Store and next to Sulbing, so it's easy to find even on your first visit. It's open daily from 11:00 to 3:00 the next day (last order 2:00), and you can also book through Naver Reservations.

Given the nature of Myeongdong, there isn't really any dedicated parking, so we parked at Lotte Department Store instead. By subway it's a 3-5 minute walk from exits 5 or 6 of Euljiro 1-ga Station on Line 2, so it's also great for travelers relying on public transit.

Inside Miss Jokbal: the menu and why to book on Naver for weekends

The interior of Miss Jokbal, this Myeongdong jokbal favorite, felt cozy and warm. There were a lot of staff on hand and the energy was lively. Given how many tourists Myeongdong draws, there were plenty of foreign customers too, and it seemed like many of the staff were Chinese.

If you book ahead on Naver, you can be seated right away without waiting, so I'd really recommend reserving in advance for weekends or peak hours 😊

The menu features a range of Korean dishes: jokbal, bossam, octopus emperor's jokbal, original jokbal, perilla leaf spicy jokbal, cheese potato pancake, minari yukhoe (raw beef with water dropwort), and more. As a popular Myeongdong jokbal spot, booking ahead means you can skip the wait. Each table has its own kiosk, so we could browse the menu at our own pace before ordering. ❣️

Kimchi kalguksu and the three house sauces to start

Ooh, it came out fast. Starting with kimchi kalguksu! First up: the kimchi broth and the kalguksu noodles.

Then the set of 3 sauces arrives: mala sauce, salted shrimp, and ssamjang (seasoned soybean paste), so you can enjoy the jokbal in more varied ways depending on your taste.

They turn on the burner, and once the broth starts bubbling, in go the noodle strands!

The springy, well-cooked noodles and the broth you sip straight from the bowl weren't overpowering at all, just deeply savory~ It felt like the perfect way to whet your appetite before the main jokbal, haha.

What comes with the 58,000 won emperor's jokbal

Emperor's jokbal, ₩58,000. Wow! Today's main star, a jokbal spread that comes fully loaded~ It really is generous! It arrived set with lettuce wraps, perilla leaves, bossam kimchi, japchae, gimbap, and so many other side dishes that my eyes went wide — I couldn't help but say 'this is amazing,' haha. You get to try it all alongside a bunch of different side dishes.

Springy, glistening jokbal!

A closer look at the good stuff! The menu spread was seriously impressive. Two plump shrimp, tangpyeongchae (mung bean jelly salad), dubu kimchi (tofu with stir-fried kimchi), and more.

With so much gimbap and Korean food on the table, maybe that's why there were more foreign customers than Korean ones when I visited, especially Chinese tourists. The gimbap only had egg and carrot inside, mild and simple — right up our alley, haha.

Not a hint of gamey smell, just nutty and tender jokbal! The soft skin and the meat itself are impossible to resist. Chewy texture and such a generous spread — great for sharing with a group too~

Why Miss Jokbal suits foreign friends, and garlic jokbal next time

Miss Jokbal Seoul Myeongdong Branch stays open until 3am, and the menu is packed with Korean dishes like gimbap, tangpyeongchae, and dubu kimchi that foreign guests tend to enjoy without any picky reactions, so it seems like a great spot for foreign tourists too 😊

By the way, apart from the standard jokbal, Miss Jokbal is also known for its 'garlic jokbal,' a signature menu item generously topped with a spicy-sweet special garlic sauce that's said to be hugely popular. No wonder, looking around, everyone at the neighboring tables seemed to be eating garlic jokbal~ I'll have to try that one next time.