Date night at a Hongdae chicken restaurant, Seoul: Goobne Red Road

My husband and I headed out for a dinner date in Hongdae, and this time we got to try Goobne Chicken Hongdae Red Road (굽네치킨 홍대레드로드점) as part of a sponsored tasting. I already order this brand for delivery all the time, so I was really excited to finally try it freshly baked in the restaurant.

The exterior of Goobne Chicken Hongdae Red Road — a hip pub vibe

Goobne Chicken Hongdae Red Road is a spacious restaurant that takes up the entire 1st and 2nd floors on Jandari-ro 2-gil. When we arrived, it looked totally different from a typical fried chicken shop. The sleek black-toned building with red lighting made it feel like we'd walked into a trendy pub.

The signboard out front advertised cocktail deals and draft beer, which made it look like the perfect place for a casual drink alongside dinner. There was also an outdoor staircase leading straight up to the second floor, which made getting around really convenient.

Second-floor window seats and the self-serve bar — the interior vibe

The 1st floor of Goobne Chicken Hongdae Red Road has bar tables and stylish neon signs that give off a cozy yet lively energy. We were led up the inside staircase to the 2nd floor, where the space was much bigger and the seating a lot more spacious.

The window side had floor-to-ceiling glass, so it was really nice looking down at the street outside while chatting with my husband. There was also a tidy self-serve bar off to one side where you could grab water or extra pickled radish, which I really appreciated.

How to order? QR ordering and menu prices

At Goobne Chicken Hongdae Red Road, you scan a QR code attached to the table and order through your phone. You don't even need to call a staff member over — payment is linked right into the process, which felt super convenient and very of-the-moment.

There were plenty of half-and-half options, like Half Duck + Half Galbi (₩22,900) or Half Volcano + Half Galbi (₩23,900), along with drumstick-only menus. True to a well-known Hongdae chicken spot, the lineup was solid, and my husband and I had a fun time debating what to order.

The basic setup — bone bin, pickled radish, two forks each

On the table was a plastic-covered mini bin for bones, set out neatly. After ordering, we grabbed small plates, two forks each, and crunchy cold pickled radish and salt from the self-serve bar. Having two forks per person made picking the meat off the bone so much easier.

Both the dishware and the table were spotless and completely grease-free, which put me in a good mood before the food even arrived.

Starting with draft Budweiser

Before the chicken arrived, our two glasses of cold draft Budweiser came out first. The white foam filling the glass and the clear golden bubbles underneath were refreshing just to look at.

With people passing by outside the window and the soft lighting around us, my husband and I clinked glasses. The crisp, clean finish and refreshing carbonation felt like the perfect backup to cut through the richness of the chicken to come.

Namhae Garlic Basasak chicken — the taste of freshly baked oven chicken

The Namhae Garlic Basasak chicken at Goobne Chicken Hongdae Red Road is baked in the oven rather than deep-fried. When the golden-brown main dish finally arrived, piled high in a basket, the seasoning on the surface and the crunchy skin looked especially crisp.

I picked up a steaming drumstick and took a bite — a satisfying crunch, followed by hot juices flooding my mouth. Maybe it was the fact that it had just come out of the oven, but it was so much lighter and juicier than what I get delivered, and I couldn't stop eating.

The savory, slightly spicy flavor had soaked deep into the meat, and I really felt the appeal of this well-loved Hongdae chicken spot.

Down to the last piece — sauce and salt combos

Chatting away with my husband as we picked at the chicken, we somehow finished the whole basket down to just bones in no time. The parchment paper underneath stayed relatively grease-free, so we could eat down to the very last bite without feeling weighed down.

We dipped pieces into the slightly sweet-and-spicy sauce, tried some with just salt, and mixed up the combos so much that we practically scraped the basket clean.

Who is this place for?

With its spacious, stylish interior and great second-floor views, Goobne Chicken Hongdae Red Road works well not just for dates but also for after-work hangouts with friends or coworkers — a solid Hongdae chicken spot either way. Above all, the juiciness of the freshly baked chicken really stood out, and I can see myself coming back for another beer whenever I'm out in the area.

• Anyone wanting a date in a trendy, hip atmosphere
• Anyone who prefers crispy-on-the-outside, juicy-on-the-inside oven chicken over fried
• Anyone who wants a cold draft beer with a spacious, bright second-floor window view

Goobne Chicken Hongdae Red Road visit info

• Name: Goobne Chicken Hongdae Red Road
• Address: 17 Jandari-ro 2-gil, B1 and 1st floor, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: Mon/Tue/Wed/Thu/Sun 11:00–02:00, Fri/Sat 11:00–03:00
• Parking: Not available