# Korean restaurant date in Gwanghwamun: neungi chicken gomtang at SABAL

- By Saeon (https://superchart.com/en/@seoul-window-supper/)
- Written Sep 19, 2026
- Local places › Restaurants › Jongno, Seoul
- Sponsored: This visit was sponsored by the business.
- English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@seoul-window-supper/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date/
- Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@seoul-window-supper/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date/index.md)

## In short

SABAL is a Korean restaurant in Jongno, Seoul, tucked into the Gyeonghuigung-ui Achim alley between Gyeongbokgung and Gwanghwamun stations. On this return visit the order was gamtae (dried seaweed) perilla oil bibimbap with mini noodles, neungi mushroom chicken gomtang (chicken soup) and a side of tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), and the sweet-spicy rice cakes went surprisingly well with the mild main dishes. With neat plating and a calm room, SABAL suits a date or a meal with parents, and reservations are recommended because the restaurant is well known.

## Good to know

- **Location**: Walking distance from Exit 7 of Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3) or Exit 1 of Gwanghwamun Station (Line 5), Gyeonghuigung-ui Achim Complex 3
- **Hours (Sat–Sun)**: 11:30–19:50, break 14:50–16:30 (last orders 14:10 and 19:10)
- **Hours (Mon–Wed)**: 11:30–20:50, break 14:50–17:00 (last orders 14:10 and 20:10)
- **Parking**: Available
- **Dogs**: Allowed
- **Ordered on this visit**: Gamtae perilla oil bibimbap with mini noodles, neungi mushroom chicken gomtang, side tteokbokki
- **Reservations**: Recommended, as SABAL is a well-known restaurant

*as written by the visitor on Sep 19, 2026*

![Cover image of SABAL, a Korean restaurant in Gwanghwamun](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date-01-a3yqj-900.webp)

Hi everyone!!🫡 If you're looking for a good Korean restaurant near Gwanghwamun, let me recommend SABAL, which is right nearby!! I go there pretty often even on regular days, and I also recommend it for a special date. This time again I ate so well that I really wanted to write it up as a review!! (Even though it's already super famous🤭)

This actually wasn't my first visit — it's already my umpteenth return visit — and what I notice every single time is

![Visit photo of SABAL, known for its tidy table settings](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date-02-1r8ft-900.webp)

## Where is SABAL? An alley between Gyeongbokgung and Gwanghwamun stations

SABAL is a Korean restaurant in the alley between Gyeongbokgung and Gwanghwamun stations, inside Gyeonggyunggung-ui Achim Complex 3. You have to turn slightly off the main street, so first-timers might wander a bit. But the food is consistently tidy and clean, which is exactly why it keeps coming to mind..!

Still, that quiet, relaxed atmosphere makes it great for a date course, and it's also just right for taking your parents along

![View of SABAL's entrance in the Gyeonggyunggung-ui Achim alley](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date-03-1lad0-900.webp)

Oh, and since it's already so famous haha🥹, I'd recommend making a reservation if you can!! (Especially if it's a special occasion)

- 📍SABAL
- 📌 Address: 34 Sajik-ro 8-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
- 🚇 Location: Walking distance from Exit 7, Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3) or Exit 1, Gwanghwamun Station (Line 5)
- 🕒 Hours Sat–Sun: 11:30–19:50 (break time 14:50–16:30 / last order 14:10, 19:10)
- 🕒 Hours Mon–Tue–Wed: 11:30–20:50 (break time 14:50–17:00 / last order 14:10, 20:10)
- 🅿️ Parking: Available
- 🐶 Dogs welcome: Yes

## Terrace seats and the mood at SABAL

![Terrace seats at SABAL with trees in view](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date-04-jblz5-900.webp)

![SABAL's terrace tucked between buildings](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date-05-abqto-900.webp)

If the weather's nice when you visit SABAL, I highly recommend the terrace seats. Especially these days when the weather is soooo good~~😏👍 Since it's tucked in an alley between buildings, it has a nice private feel, and with all the green trees right in front, just sitting there puts you in a good mood~

The interior is styled in a sleek black tone, and on the shelves

![SABAL's black-toned interior](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date-06-oqkbm-900.webp)

![SABAL's interior with ceramic decor on the shelves](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date-07-1sgwr-900.webp)

there are little ceramic pieces that are fun to look at too. You can tell they put a lot of thought into the interior, so it's great for photos, and the lighting is really nice too haha. That's why I recommend it as a date spot. I visited during the day this time, but the mood here in the evening is really great too haha

![A softly lit table at SABAL](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date-08-1obbt-900.webp)

![Interior mood at SABAL during a daytime visit](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date-09-zrb6i-900.webp)

![Interior view of SABAL, a good spot for a date](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date-10-1in3k-900.webp)

![Seating and decor details at SABAL](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date-11-1opis-m-900.webp)

## What we ordered: gamtae perilla oil bibimbap, neungi chicken gomtang, tteokbokki

Out of all the menu options!! This time we ordered the gamtae (dried seaweed) perilla oil bibimbap + mini noodles, the neungi mushroom chicken gomtang, and as a side, the tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) too! (The tteokbokki seems to be a surprisingly popular item — the group behind us couldn't order it because they'd run out of ingredients..🫣)

![Table set after ordering at SABAL](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date-12-2b2sm-900.webp)

Before the food arrives, a sweet pumpkin porridge and some simple side dishes are set first!

![Sweet pumpkin porridge and side dishes served before the meal](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date-13-1wh0n-900.webp)

It's got a sweet~~ flavor, so it totally wakes up your appetite haha. While you're eating that, your ordered food comes right out. First, the gamtae perilla oil bibimbap looked packed with ingredients just from looking at it

![Gamtae perilla oil bibimbap piled high with toppings](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date-14-1lqaa-900.webp)

### Gamtae perilla oil bibimbap: the seaweed is the kicker

SABAL's gamtae perilla oil bibimbap comes with a generous pile of toppings on the rice, and the gamtae (dried laver seaweed) is served separately on the side! The nutty aroma of perilla oil combined with the mild flavor of the vegetables makes the whole thing lean toward savory rather than strong or sharp.

Especially when you wrap the bibimbap in the gamtae, a subtle ocean aroma gets added and the flavor changes again.

With perilla oil and sesame seeds, it could easily get greasy, but the vegetables and seaweed balance it out nicely.

![Gamtae served separately alongside the bibimbap](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date-15-df6h5-900.webp)

The gamtae was really the kicker!! It's delicious even eaten on its own!

![A bite of perilla oil bibimbap wrapped in gamtae](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date-16-p7vtu-900.webp)

The mini noodles that came alongside had a clear, warm broth, so it was nice to take a bite of that between spoonfuls of bibimbap. That kind of combination is exactly SABAL's charm~~😏

![Mini noodles served with the bibimbap](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date-17-1je6m-m-900.webp)

![A bowl of mini noodles in clear broth](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date-18-usx3q-900.webp)

### Neungi mushroom chicken gomtang: a clean, clear broth

The neungi mushroom chicken gomtang was the dish I especially liked this visit at SABAL. The clear broth was loaded with chicken, neungi mushrooms, and chives, and the broth had a rich, deep flavor! And it wasn't heavy or murky at all — it was clean👍

![Neungi mushroom chicken gomtang with chicken and mushrooms](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date-19-1rin7-900.webp)

![Chicken gomtang broth topped generously with chives](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date-20-1p0mi-900.webp)

![Spooning up the neungi mushroom chicken gomtang](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date-21-oet02-900.webp)

The neungi mushroom aroma also rose up subtly, the kind of flavor that makes you keep spooning up the broth on its own. There was a generous amount of chives too, which added a fragrant note that made it even better haha.

### Side tteokbokki: how it pairs with SABAL's milder dishes

And then the side dish we ordered turned out to be a surprisingly good match — the tteokbokki!

![Side tteokbokki ordered at SABAL](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date-22-e46ov-900.webp)

Maybe because it's tteokbokki at a Korean restaurant, it wasn't overly intense but had a sweet-spicy sauce flavor, and eating the chewy rice cakes together with fish cake and vegetables made it a nice side to pair with the meal. I'm a wimp with spice so it was a bit spicy for me haha;; hehe but it's sweet enough that you keep reaching for it, you know that feeling~?😏 When we'd ordered only mild dishes like bibimbap and gomtang, adding one order of tteokbokki in the middle kept things from feeling monotonous — it was surprisingly good.

![Table with bibimbap, gomtang, and tteokbokki together](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date-23-f6ts0-900.webp)

## Why SABAL is worth a return visit for a date

Above all, what I love about SABAL is that even after visiting multiple times, the food stays tidy and the overall clean feel never changes🤭 The dishware and plating are neat too, so it's great for food photos, and the table atmosphere is calm enough for a relaxed meal! Especially on nice-weather days like these, eating at the terrace seats seemed like it would make the mood even better haha. That kind of feeling where love blossoms~~!!

![A calm moment at the end of a meal at SABAL](https://img.superchart.com/images/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date/sabal-gwanghwamun-korean-dinner-date-24-1yd1z-1200.webp)

If you're looking for a Korean restaurant with atmosphere near Gwanghwamun, or a clean-menu spot for a date, this is the kind of place that will come to mind. Personally, my satisfaction has stayed high every time I've returned, so I think I'll keep coming back from time to time haha✨️

## Where it is

- SABAL (사발)
- 34 Sajik-ro 8-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea (Gyeonggyunggung-ui Achim Complex 3, Unit 142)
- 서울특별시 종로구 사직로8길 34 경희궁의아침 3단지 사발 142호
- 37.5735857, 126.9724791
- Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EC%82%AC%EB%B0%9C/@37.5735857,126.9724791,17z

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