Bar near Gaebong Station for a second round with parents: Apgujeong

After eating out near Gaebong Station this time, I felt like something was missing — like 2% short — so we decided to go for a second round!

I don't usually hang around bars in the Gaebong area, so I was wondering where to go, and ended up going to a bar near where we'd eaten. Drinking can't just stop there, right? haha

Moving far away felt like a hassle, and we were already decently full from good food, so I looked for somewhere good for a light extra drink. And luckily there was a place nearby with a relaxed vibe and plenty of side dishes to go with drinks.

So today I want to introduce a bar near Gaebong Station that nails taste, quality, and value all at once — Apgujeong Sinpocha (압구정신포차), where I visited with my parents and properly enjoyed a comfortable second round.

Location and parking for Apgujeong Sinpocha near Gaebong Station

Apgujeong Sinpocha, a bar near Gaebong Station, sits just a minute's walk from Exit 1 of Gaebong Station — super close to the station, so it's easy to get to on foot or by public transit.

🅿️ Parking — Not available on site. Use Gaebonggoga public parking lot (403-10 Gaebong-dong, Guro-gu, Seoul). Since there's no dedicated lot, you'll need a nearby paid public lot, and given it's a bar, walking or public transit is recommended over driving!

Apgujeong Sinpocha / Location: 20-10 Nambusunhwan-ro 97-gil, Guro-gu, Seoul, 2nd floor / Hours: 18:00–03:00

This bar near Gaebong Station is run by an owner with over 10 years of experience in the restaurant industry, offering everything from stress-relieving spicy dishes like buldak (spicy chicken), dakbal (chicken feet), and jeyuk (spicy pork) to Japanese-style dishes like okonomiyaki and assorted skewers, all at reasonable prices alongside a great drink selection.

The food has to be good for the drinks to go down smoothly, right? Every dish is cooked by the owner personally, with 13 years of restaurant experience — a place you can trust :>

What's the interior atmosphere like?

The interior is warm and cozy, centered on wood tones — wooden pillars and tables, wood partitions, and soft lighting come together for a snug, comfortable feeling rather than the noisy, cluttered vibe of a typical neighborhood pocha (street-style bar).

Cherry blossom decorations and hanok-style (traditional Korean house) touches add an emotional atmosphere, and the tables are properly spaced apart so you can relax and enjoy.

Menu lineup

☑️ Menu — Fire-grilled & stir-fried / Soups & stews / Japanese & specialty dishes / Fried & dried snacks / Sides / Alcohol & drinks

• Fire-grilled & stir-fried: Fire-grilled cheese buldak / Fire-grilled jeyuk (spicy pork) / Whelk somyeon (thin noodles) / Kimchi with whole tofu / Whole garlic gizzard stir-fry, and more
• Soups & stews: Spicy jjamppong stew / Assorted fish cake stew / Boneless spicy chicken stew / Kimchi udon / White jjamppong stew / Donkatsu kimchi hot pot (*add-ons: mozzarella cheese, rice balls, udon noodles, steamed egg, etc.)
• Japanese & specialty dishes: Butter-grilled scallops and shrimp / Okonomiyaki / Assorted skewers / Sweet raw shrimp sashimi, and more
• Fried & dried snacks: Grilled capelin / Grilled ginkgo skewers / Grilled dried pollack / Semi-dried squid / Giant grilled dried fish, and more
• Sides: Mochi tofu / Corn cheese / Janchi noodle soup / Pineapple sorbet / Old-style red bean shaved ice, and more
• Alcohol & drinks: Soju / Beer / Cass Zero / Chungha / Hallasan / Maehwasu / Byulbit Chungha / Hwayo 25 / Ilpum Jinro / Ballantine's 10Y / Balvenie 12Y / Johnnie Walker Black highball / Suntory highball / Coca-Cola / Coke Zero / Fanta Pineapple, and more

✔️ Ordering two dishes gets you soju for ₩3,000 / beer for ₩4,000

🍺 A wide range of drinks — beyond soju and beer, there's traditional liquor, whiskey, highballs, and more, so there's good stuff to suit any taste

📱 Phone charger available — handy if your battery is running low

Kimchi udon (₩13,000) / Jeju raw shrimp (₩25,000) / Soju (₩3,000) / Beer (₩4,000)

Table setting — napkins / spoon / chopsticks / trash bin

The basic side dish

The basic side dish is ppeongtwigi (puffed rice crackers).

Crunchy texture, nutty and light — I kept reaching for more.. and more..

How's the broth on the kimchi udon (₩13,000)?

Kimchi udon — chewy udon noodles in a spicy, refreshing broth loaded with kimchi, fried tofu, and fish cake.

It's not just plain kimchi udon — plenty of fish cake and fried tofu too~

The most important thing about kimchi udon is the broth!! Ooh.. spicy and tangy without the heavy, chalky taste some red pepper flakes leave behind, and refreshing too, good.

Not heavy at all, spicy and tangy but refreshing, with chewy, bouncy udon noodles and the savory depth from the fried tofu and fish cake — one bite and you just keep going, this alone is enough for at least one bottle of soju per person :D

Honestly, I think this kimchi udon beat the one at Tudari.. lol

Soju ₩3,000, beer ₩4,000

Order two dishes and get ✔️soju for ₩3,000 ✔️beer for ₩4,000. Really reasonable prices to enjoy drinks at :)

Dad shaking the soju bottle with enthusiasm :D At this point he's basically addicted to somaek (soju-beer mix).. tap it, pour it, ready to go~ cheers cheers cheers~!

Jeju-caught raw shrimp (ddakisaebi, ₩25,000)

🦐 Jeju-caught ddakisaebi (raw shrimp) — 100% from Jeju, bouncy and sweet raw shrimp. Served with cucumber, ginger, and wasabi.

Sauces are chojang (spicy vinegar sauce) and soy sauce.

Not fishy at all, clean tasting yet bouncy and chewy — the more you chew, the more the subtle sweetness and rich savoriness come through, good! Especially with the meat packed full, the texture is great to chew, light yet sweet — delicious even eaten plain without sauce.

Dipped in chojang or soy sauce, it's delicious too~

Also good eaten with the crisp, fresh cucumber and ginger. Oh, and they even give you a separate plate to toss the shrimp shells into — nice touch~!

A claw-machine draw before leaving

Before leaving, we tried the nostalgic claw-machine-style draw and got 5th place.. There's no losing draw, so even last place gets you a bottle of soju, and there were soju coupons too.. Great food and cheap drinks — I'll definitely be back~

Who should visit

• Looking for a pocha (street-style bar) near Gaebong Station?
• Want spicy food and soju?
• Looking for a good-value bar near Gaebong Station?
• Want to do rounds 1, 2, and 3 all in one place near Gaebong Station?
• Looking for a bar with cheap drinks?
• Looking for a bar with a wide variety of dishes and drinks?

If any of these apply to you, I'd recommend Apgujeong Sinpocha, a bar near Gaebong Station.