Pressure-cooked gopdori-tang at Balgil, a Sadang Station bar in Seoul
In short
Balgil Sadang Station Main Branch is a Korean bar a 4-minute walk from Exit 10 of Sadang Station in Dongjak, Seoul. Arriving at 6:30pm on a Friday meant no wait for pressure-cooked jinjja gopdori-tang (spicy braised beef tripe and chicken, 34,900 won) and crispy yuringi (fried chicken with chili-soy sauce, 23,900 won), and the pressure cooker left the tripe tender rather than chewy. It is easy to taste why gopdori-tang is the signature dish at Balgil.
Good to know
- Address
- 1F, Unit 101, 44 Dongjak-daero 7-gil, Dongjak-gu, Seoul
- Hours
- Mon–Thu 17:00–02:00 / Fri–Sun 16:00–03:30 the next day
- Closed
- Public holidays
- Parking
- No on-site parking; use nearby Sadang Public Parking Lot No. 1 or No. 2
- Reservations
- Available through Naver Reservation
- Table time limit
- 2 hours 30 minutes
- Pressure-cooked jinjja gopdori-tang
- 34,900 won
- Crispy yuringi
- 23,900 won
- Terra beer (3 bottles)
- 18,000 won
- Chamisul soju (2 bottles)
- 10,000 won
as written by the visitor on Sep 21, 2026
Balgil Sadang Station Main Branch at a glance
- 📍 Address: 44 Dongjak-daero 7-gil, 1F, Unit 101, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, South Korea
- 📍 Hours: Mon–Thu 17:00–02:00 / Fri–Sun 16:00–03:30 next day
- 📍 Closed: Public holidays
- 📍 Parking: No on-site parking (use nearby Sadang Public Parking Lot No.1 or No.2)
- 📍 Reservations: Available via Naver Reservations
I had plans in Sadang and was trying to figure out where to go, so I ended up visiting Balgil Sadang Station Main Branch through a nice opportunity :) Turns out it's already well known enough to have been featured on TV!?
Which Sadang Station exit? Directions and parking
Balgil Sadang Station Main Branch is a 4-minute walk from Exit 10 of Sadang Station. Being close to the station made it easy to find, and convenient whether arriving late or heading home afterward.
There's no dedicated parking lot at the restaurant, so if you're driving you'll need to use a nearby public lot! Sadang Public Parking Lot No.1 and No.2 are the closest options, so keep that in mind if you're coming by car :)
How long is the wait on a Friday evening?
I arrived around 6:30pm on a Friday, and since it was still early we got seated right away with no wait! Once inside, though, there were already quite a lot of customers. If we'd come just a bit later we might have had to wait 😂
As time passed the wait grew noticeably! The waitlist system was writing down your phone number and party size. Naver Reservations is also available, so if you're planning to visit, I'd recommend booking ahead on Naver rather than risking the wait :)
The outdoor terrace and the mood inside Balgil
Balgil Sadang Station Main Branch also has outdoor terrace seating, which looked great for that yajang (outdoor drinking) feel on a nice day like these lately! Sitting out there with a drink in cool weather... the atmosphere seemed perfect haha
The interior was cozier than I expected. Also, table time is limited to 2 hours 30 minutes, so keep that in mind when you visit!
The menu and how to order
The menu lineup was huge, so it was fun just choosing! Honestly there were a lot of dishes I already love, so I was looking forward to this place even before we arrived lol. From set dishes to jeon (savory pancakes) to sides, it had it all... 😋
Each table had a tablet, so ordering was easy! There was also a crocodile teeth toy game on the table, and we ended up playing a drinking game with it, which was pretty fun lol
- Crispy yuringi (₩23,900)
- Pressure-cooked jinjja gopdori-tang (₩34,900)
- Terra beer, 3 bottles (₩18,000)
- Chamisul soju, 2 bottles (₩10,000)
We ordered the pressure-cooked jinjja gopdori-tang in the original flavor! It came with dashilgi (small river snails) as a complimentary side dish, which I found surprising for a free starter haha
While waiting for our order we started with a drink first. But honestly, isn't this exactly the kind of menu that makes you want to drink?! I couldn't wait to eat haha
Crispy yuringi, 23,900 won
It finally arrived! The crispy yuringi (Korean-style fried chicken with tangy sauce) came piled on cabbage, topped with the yuringi and chili peppers together. Thanks to the chili it had a slight kick and never got tiresome — I kept reaching for more!
It paired especially well with beer, and the tangy special yuringi sauce kept it light and never greasy haha
Can you tell how tender the inside looks even from the photo? The chicken meat inside was moist and soft, while the crispy batter had soaked up just enough sauce to stay juicy — fantastic ⭐️
Pressure-cooked jinjja gopdori-tang, 34,900 won: how tender is the tripe?
I could see exactly why the pressure-cooked jinjja gopdori-tang is the signature dish. True to its name, it comes out served right in the pressure cooker!!
The staff cut the whole beef tripe into bite-sized pieces with scissors, and thanks to the pressure-cooker cooking method, the tripe was genuinely so tender! Not chewy at all — I think anyone who loves tripe would be satisfied haha
It wasn't just the tripe — the chicken inside was tender too, and there were potatoes in there as well, making it quite filling! The spice level was just right — pleasantly spicy without being harsh on the stomach — so the drinks kept flowing 😗 And the portion of tripe was bigger than I expected, which was great!
Is Balgil worth a visit? Final verdict
I don't usually drink much, but the food was so good I ended up overdoing it lol. The pressure-cooked jinjja gopdori-tang is a must-order! I want to come back for a date on the terrace before it gets too cold haha
If you love gopdori-tang and yuringi, or you're looking for a great Korean bar near Sadang, Balgil Sadang Station Main Branch is worth a visit :)
Where it is
44 Dongjak-daero 7-gil, 1F, Unit 101, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, South Korea서울특별시 동작구 동작대로7길 44 1층 101호
