Seocho chicken spot for a hearty after-church lunch: Seocho Jeonggye

The weather has suddenly turned chilly and I was craving something hot and brothy. My husband and I said, "It's the weekend, so lunch has to be hearty!" and on our way home from church we headed to Seocho Jeonggye (서초정계)!! My husband's work friends mostly work around Seocho Station, and they all raved that Seocho Jeonggye is a really dependable place, so we hurried over!

Where is Seocho Jeonggye?

Seocho Jeonggye is at 20 Beobwon-ro 1-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the 1st floor of the Mido Building, close to Seocho Station, so we found it easily! Being near the station makes it easy to get to, and handy to get around before and after your meal.

Atmosphere and seating at Seocho Jeonggye

The restaurant has wood-tone interiors and bright lighting, so it feels clean and pleasant. My only thought as we walked in was, "Ooh, this place is really clean!" ✨ It was so comfortable that my mood lifted without me noticing. (And even though it's a dakhanmari place, there's no smell, and it's pretty 💖)

There's also a cozy, private-feeling seating area at the back! Traditional lattice-window decor, soft lighting, and a shelf lined with all sorts of liquor bottles make great accents. The interior sense was totally my style. Looks great for a get-together or a company dinner, right?

Is Seocho Jeonggye good for eating alone?

You order from a tablet at each table, and the solo meal menu is really well put together. It looked perfect for office workers nearby eating a Seocho lunch alone! For people trying to save lunch-break time, a detail like this is so precious...😭

Honestly, looking at the tablet, I was a little tempted by the spicy-sweet dakbokkeumtang (braised chicken stew)!! (My indecision kicked in, haha) It was nice that you can try so many different chicken dishes!!

Our final choice was the classic milky-broth dakhanmari! 🍗

Side dishes at Seocho Jeonggye: Korean-grown kimchi and vegetable salad

The basic side dishes are neat radish pickles and napa cabbage kimchi. You know a place is the real deal when the kimchi is good, right? It had a clean taste that showed the pride of a Korean restaurant near Seocho Station.

I only found out on the way out, but apparently the kimchi at Seocho Jeonggye is 100% Korean-grown!! These days there are so many worries about cabbage and chili powder that restaurant kimchi can feel iffy, so being able to eat it without worry really moved me 😭👍 No wonder even the aftertaste was refreshing and delicious. Good ingredients, good result!

And this is the magic vegetable salad the owner strongly recommends eating alongside! Crunchy cabbage and chives, with a special sauce based on mild mustard poured generously over it, and it's ready to go with the chicken. 😎

How was the dakhanmari at Seocho Jeonggye?

The dakhanmari comes in a big pot loaded with chicken, potatoes and rice cakes. The more it boils, the richer the broth gets, and it's the real deal...✨

The chicken arrives already slow-cooked from the kitchen, so there was no long wait! Just look at how tender that chicken is 😭 Since it's fully cooked from the start, the meat slides right off the bone, so even someone who's clumsy with chopsticks like me could eat it super easily!

Like this: lay the sauce-soaked vegetable salad on top and pop it in with a spoon in one bite! "Just eat it this way!" The sweet-tangy crunch with the mild chicken is insane 👍

A portion too big to add noodles or porridge

The dakhanmari was so generous that we ended up unable to add the kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) or juk (porridge). With a broth this rich, adding noodles or porridge is a must-do step, right? The broth was so good that I'd been planning to order some midway... but the portion was so huge and I was so stuffed that I couldn't. 😭 Such a shame, but next time I'll go with an empty stomach and clear the noodles and porridge too!

Can you have a drink at Seocho Jeonggye?

On one side of the restaurant is a drinks fridge packed with soju, beer and all kinds of traditional Korean liquors. Look at how gorgeous they look...✨ We'd just come from church on a weekend afternoon, so we held back, but a hot, rich broth like this feels incomplete without a drink, right? My husband and I promised each other to come in the evening next time and have a traditional liquor with the meal, haha

Finishing with sikhye at Seocho Jeonggye

On the way out, there's cool, sweet sikhye (sweet rice drink) waiting for you! After a hot, filling dakhanmari, that cold sikhye combo needs no explanation 😭 (pure heaven ✨) It was so good that I almost had two cups, but held myself back, haha. One sweet, cool cup and my mouth was perfectly refreshed!

My husband even said, "Let's just make this our regular spot." And the fact is, we ate until we burst and then dozed off all afternoon... haha (It's the rule that after eating your fill at a real good restaurant you get sleepy, right? 🤣)

If you're wondering what to eat for lunch near Seocho on a weekend or weekday, or craving a hot, filling Korean meal, just trust Seocho Jeonggye. From the taste to the atmosphere, I don't think you'll regret it! 💖