Gangseo bar for chicken and soju after dinner: Daily Beer Balsan

It felt a little too early to head home after dinner, so we decided to go for a light second round. We were fairly full, but figured we could still manage chicken with a shot of soju, so while looking for somewhere near Balsan Station, we stopped by Daily Beer (Saenghwal Maekju) Balsan Station Branch.

Honestly, when I think of Daily Beer, beer and chicken come to mind first. But since this was our second stop, I thought beer would make us way too full, so I chose soju instead.

Still, I went in justifying it to myself with, “Isn’t chicken and soju a classic?” And in the end, crisp chicken and soju turned out to be a pretty good pairing too, haha. If you want a casual post-work drink or a second stop after a meal, this is a good chicken spot near Balsan Station to keep in mind!

Daily Beer Balsan Station Branch: location and getting there

Daily Beer Balsan Station Branch is about a five-minute walk from Exit 2 of Balsan Station.

As you head into the alley, the Daily Beer sign is visible from a distance, so it was easy to find. Its accessible location also makes it easy to get to when you are looking for a second-round beer bar around Balsan Station.

The exterior has a distinctive container-like look that stands out in the alley, and there are around two tables out front that can be used like outdoor pub seating. On a nice day, it would be great to sit outside with some chicken and drinks.

A casual interior with a screen

Inside, the seating runs along in arrangements for two to four people. It is not an especially large space, but the tables are laid out well, so it looked fine for visiting with a group too.

The red-toned interior stands out overall, and the neon-sign-style details here and there feel fitting for a chicken bar. It seemed to come alive a little more in the evening.

There is also a screen on one side, so it looked like a nice place to come watch a sports game over chicken and drinks.

So rather than being simply a place to eat chicken, it felt more like a casual space where friends can get together, watch a game, and have a drink.

Personally, when I am looking for a second-round beer bar near Balsan Station, I prefer somewhere like this where you can sit comfortably and chat rather than somewhere overly quiet. It was easy to walk into without any pressure.

A menu centered on chicken and sides

True to the name Daily Beer, the menu centers on chicken and side dishes that go well with drinks. From the signature Angry Bird Chicken to Original, Red Sauce, Black, Crunch, Sriracha, and Honey Golden, there are plenty of chicken flavors to choose from according to your taste.

Beyond chicken, there are various drinking snacks such as Buffalo wings and fries, crispy tenders and shrimp, and Sausage and Friends. There were also heartier options such as tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) and golbaengimyeon (spicy whelk noodles).

If ordering just one chicken feels a little lacking, or if you visit with several people, the sides make it easy to add more and share different flavors. Since the menu is focused on things that pair well with beer, I could see why so many people come here for a second-round beer stop near Balsan Station.

Half Original & Half Red Chicken with soju

We ordered Half Original & Half Red Chicken for ₩23,000 and Saero soju for ₩6,000. Since this is Daily Beer, I briefly wondered if we should order beer, but we had already eaten our first meal and I thought beer would leave us completely stuffed. So we boldly went with soju that day and gave the chicken-and-soju pairing a try. While we waited, popcorn came out as the complimentary snack, and it was surprisingly addictive.

The half-and-half chicken looked generous for a second-round menu, with lots of big pieces piled onto the plate. The coating was nicely crisp, and that crunchy texture came through first with every bite. It was crisp outside and the chicken inside was fairly moist, giving it a different feel from chicken with only a thick coating. The pieces themselves were substantial too, so chicken lovers would likely be happy with the portion.

The Original chicken had a clean, savory flavor that was easy to eat with soju. The crisp coating held up, so it was good even without an extra sauce, and I kept reaching for it as lightly as I would for popcorn. The large pieces would be nice for sharing with several people too.

The Red portion on the other side is Daily Beer’s special seasoned chicken. It has a familiar sweet-and-spicy sauce: sweet seasoning comes through first, then the heat builds toward the end, giving your appetite a little kick as you keep eating.

After eating the Original chicken, having a piece of Red changed the direction of the flavors, and I was glad we had ordered half and half. Above all, the Red flavor was great as a drinking snack and went well with soju too.

With beer, the crisp fried coating and cold beer would make a great combination, but choosing soju for a second round as we did that day worked better than expected. So if you are looking for chicken near Balsan Station to have with soju as well as beer, you should be able to stop in without hesitation.

A Balsan Station second stop worth returning to after dinner

Overall, Daily Beer Balsan Station Branch has a great atmosphere for casually having chicken and drinks with friends! When looking for a second stop around Balsan Station, it is conveniently located and offers everything from chicken to a range of drinking snacks, so the menu looked easy to choose from even with people who have different tastes.

The option to enjoy an outdoor-pub feel at the tables out front on a nice day was another appealing point, and on game days, it would be a good place to eat chicken and drink while watching the screen. Personally, it is somewhere I would like to revisit on a day when I have had dinner first and start craving a little chicken.

Next time, I want to arrive with enough room for beer and try the proper Daily Beer combination of chicken and beer. If you are looking for a chicken spot near Balsan Station or a second-round beer bar there, this is somewhere I would remember as an easy place to drop by.

What I liked

• It is easy to reach on foot from Balsan Station.
• You can enjoy half Original and half seasoned chicken.
• There is a wide range of side dishes to go with chicken.
• You can enjoy an outdoor-pub atmosphere on a nice day.
• The screen makes it good for having a drink while watching a game.