Seongbuk group bar with 140 seats and a big screen: Yesulgwan

A while back I walked past Yesulgwan Sungshin Women's University Branch on a day there was a soccer match on, and the sight of a whole crowd cheering together at the huge screen stuck with me. It's always packed, so I'd been curious about this Sungshin bar, and this time I went early so I could eat at a leisurely pace. If you're looking for a good restaurant near Sungshin Women's University where you can enjoy great food and drinks together, this place is worth keeping in mind. 😊

Today's pick

Broth that's out of this world in the beef tendon hot pot, plus pork belly kimchi grill that's perfect with a drink — both the taste and the portions satisfied me at this Sungshin bar. 😊

Where Yesulgwan Sungshin Women's University Branch is and when it opens

Yesulgwan Sungshin Women's University Branch is at 29-6 Dongsomun-ro 20-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 1st floor. It's a 2-minute walk from Exit 2 of Sungshin Women's University Station on Line 4 and the Ui-Sinseol Line.

• Hours: Daily 17:00 – 05:00 the next day
• No parking ❌

Outdoor tables outside, a different mood inside

From outside, the red chairs and tables gave it a strong outdoor patio bar feel.

That cozy, old-school pub atmosphere made me think this was going to be a casual, comfortable kind of Sungshin bar — but once I stepped inside, the mood was completely different.

The soft lighting gave it an upscale feel, and the tables were spaced generously, so I could relax with a drink without worrying much about the table next to me.

A big screen for watching games as a group

What caught my eye most at Yesulgwan was definitely the huge screen. This is the place where I'd seen a group cheering together during a soccer match, and visiting in person, I got why it's so popular as a Sungshin bar. It seemed like a great spot to gather with a group and have a drink while watching soccer or baseball, and just as good for a casual hangout with friends.

Two floors of space that fit a large party

Looking around the place, I realized it's built as a duplex, so it's much bigger than it looks from outside. With room for up to 140 people, it seemed especially suited to anyone looking for a group bar near Sungshin Women's University. Being so close to the university, it would work well for student clubs or department gatherings, and for nearby office workers' dinners or year-end/new-year group parties too. With that huge screen, it seemed like a great space not just for group cheering but for big gatherings like wedding receptions as well.

Menu and prices at Yesulgwan Sungshin Women's University Branch

• 🔸 Pork belly kimchi grill ₩14,000
• 🔸 Korean beef bone beef tendon hot pot (spicy/mild/mala) ₩28,000
• 🔸 Clear beef hot pot ₩26,000
• 🔸 Whelk somyeon noodles ₩18,000
• 🔸 Tteokbokki loaded with fried snacks ₩13,000

The care that shows in how the food is prepped

After ordering, I looked around the place and got to see the food prep process too. In the kitchen, big pots of broth were constantly simmering, and meat was aging in a low-temperature fridge. True to a Sungshin bar, the fridge was packed with all kinds of drinks.

Seeing this firsthand, it didn't feel like a place that just sells drinks and snacks — it felt like real care went into every dish. So I was looking forward to what we'd ordered.

How the beef tendon hot pot tasted: soft and chewy

We ordered the beef tendon hot pot and pork kimchi grill. The basic side dishes came out first — chive kimchi, corn, perilla leaves, pickled radish, garlic, chili peppers, ssamjang and mayonnaise, and mustard sauce.

The chive kimchi looked really appetizing too — it seemed like it would go great with the beef tendon hot pot.

The Korean beef bone beef tendon hot pot can be ordered in three flavors: mild, spicy, or mala. We wanted to taste the tendon and bone broth in its natural form, so we went with mild. Finally, the Korean beef bone beef tendon hot pot arrived.

I first tried the soft, chewy tendon dipped in mustard sauce — it wasn't tough at all, just tender and really delicious.

Free broth refills, no need to feel awkward

After eating a good amount of the tendon, we asked for more broth to add the kalguksu noodles. They poured in a generous amount of the milky broth — I honestly lost count of how many times we asked for more that day. Every time, the staff topped it up generously without making us feel bad about asking. It wasn't just the taste of the food but this kind of generosity that made me think highly of Yesulgwan.

When they brought the kalguksu noodles, the staff also gave us minced garlic and told us it tastes even better added to the hot pot. That tip was a total game changer! 😆

Adding the garlic made the broth so much deeper and richer than eating it plain, and with the soft kalguksu noodles added in, it was seriously delicious. I definitely want to order the beef tendon hot pot again next time.

How Yesulgwan handles group reservations

While we were eating, a group reservation suddenly seemed to come in. The staff didn't miss a beat — they quickly arranged the seating and set up the tables carefully. Watching them handle a big group so smoothly, I understood why this place gets so much business as a group bar near Sungshin Women's University.

A hearty plate of Korean pork kimchi grill

The pork kimchi grill came out sizzling on a big pan.

I was a little surprised by how generous the portion was — plenty of both kimchi and pork, easily enough for two people.

Eating the meat and kimchi together made for a great drinking snack too.

Personally, I'd rank Yesulgwan's generosity among the best of the Sungshin bars I've been to.

We'd originally planned to finish off the kimchi grill and then try the kimchi fried rice and egg porridge made with the beef tendon hot pot broth, but between the beef tendon hot pot with kalguksu and the pork belly kimchi grill, we were already about to burst. Haha.

If you're planning to visit Yesulgwan, I recommend coming with a completely empty stomach. There's so much you'll want to try, so stomach space really matters here. 😆

We also ordered cold soju to go with everything. The atmosphere was relaxed and the food was delicious, so between chatting and sipping, we'd finished off the bottle before we knew it. The staff were friendly throughout too, which made for a really pleasant meal.

Still packed with customers on the way out

By the time we finished and headed out, more customers kept streaming in. I was glad I'd come early and eaten at a leisurely pace. Next time, even if there's a wait, I want to properly experience the busy hotspot energy of this Sungshin Women's University spot. I'm planning to film a proper mukbang and finally try the kimchi fried rice and egg porridge I missed out on this time. Haha. Next time I come to Yesulgwan, I'll make sure to jog along Seongbukcheon stream first to clear out some stomach space. Haha.

Final verdict on Yesulgwan Sungshin Women's University Branch

Overall, this was a Sungshin restaurant and bar with generous portions and a relaxed atmosphere. If you're looking for a spot for a group gathering or to cheer on a soccer match, Yesulgwan Sungshin Women's University Branch, a solid group bar near Sungshin Women's University, is worth considering. 😊