Yuja draft beer and dakmuchim at Jeongju Ilga, Mapo bar

My friend and I caught eyes on the way home from work and decided on a spur-of-the-moment meetup 🍻 We found a seriously, seriously good Korean bar in Mangwon-dong. Genuinely an incredible Mangwon-dong spot, I'm telling you.

Jeongju Ilga location and hours

• 📍 Address: 서울 마포구 포은로 66 1층 정주일가 (66 Poeun-ro, 1F, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea)
• 🕧 Hours: Mon–Fri 18:00–02:00, Sat–Sun 17:00–02:00 (last order 01:00)
• 🅿️ Parking: Not available
• 📱 Reservations: Catchtable

Jeongju Ilga is tucked in an alley near the Mega Coffee on Mangridan-gil, close to Mangwon Harmony Mart. I went on a weekday so there was no wait, but it looked like it'd get pretty packed on weekends. I looked it up and apparently it's even been on a variety show..!? Wild. You can also reserve online through Naver for weekdays, so booking ahead is a good idea! For group reservations, you can call the store directly for details 📞

So many traditional liquors — the reason's in the name

So many traditional liquors — the reason's in the name

Jeongju Ilga (정주일가) roughly means "the first house selling proper Korean liquor" — 정(正, proper) 주(酒, liquor) 일(一, first) 가(家, house). Makes sense, then, that they had a huge range of traditional liquors, from makgeolli to distilled spirits. There were also highballs made with traditional liquor, and of course soju and beer too 😉

They had set meal menus that pair well with drinks, plus a bunch of different side dishes! Genuinely every single item on the menu seemed to go perfectly with alcohol, so I agonized over what to order for a good while. Whew. Oh, and table use is capped at 3 hours!

You could order by QR code or in person. They said you get a free Spam fry if you write a photo review, so keep that in mind when you visit 🍳

Hanok-style interior and window-side outdoor-style seating

The interior was hung with all kinds of traditional paintings and had a hanok-style feel, so it really felt like a Korean traditional bar. There was also a wide row of seats by the window, giving it an outdoor-drinking (yajang) vibe. Drinking there with the windows open in spring or fall... sounds like pure happiness.

And what I thought was a really thoughtful touch: every table had a phone charger. Sometimes you need to charge your phone while you're out, and it's so handy to have one right there.

There was also a restroom inside!

The complimentary snack side dish alone got a refill

This is the complimentary snack side dish that comes out, and it's honestly the ultimate beer snack. So good it's ridiculous ;; kind of like a dried-fish-flake snack? Salty-sweet, so I refilled it once before our actual food even arrived.

You have to order the yuja draft beer

We ordered soju and yuja (citron) draft beer, and I really recommend the yuja draft beer 🍻 It's cool, sweet, and the citron flavor isn't too overpowering, so it goes really, really well with beer. You'll find your beer disappearing in no time flat.

Dakmuchim and pepperoni potato pancake

Dakmuchim (spicy seasoned chicken) and pepperoni potato pancake! The dakmuchim had a wonderfully nutty sesame oil aroma and the seasoning was spot on. The pepperoni pancake with the soy sauce and Tabasco they gave alongside it — genuinely the best. At some point I realized I'd stopped drinking and was just... eating a full meal. Jeongju Ilga has fully earned its spot as a top Mangwon-dong bar.

We met up planning for a light drink and ended up with an amazing meal and drinks, happily heading home afterward. If you're on Mangridan-gil or in Mangwon looking for a Korean bar, a great Mangwon spot to drink, or a place for a group meetup or company dinner with friends — go to Jeongju Ilga, seriously!!!!!!!!!