Hapjeong pub for octopus rice balls and group rooms: Dambaek Jujeom

Dambaek Jujeom: a Korean pub for group dinners in Hapjeong

I went to Dambaek Jujeom for a group get-together in Hapjeong. While looking for somewhere friends could gather between Hapjeong and Sangsu ☺️, I found this restaurant that's known for boiled pork (suyuk) and Korean home-style dishes 💓. The menu worked perfectly whether you wanted dinner or just drinks. Especially as a dinner spot, it's easy on both digestion and calories, so I'd definitely recommend it for group meetups.

What Dambaek Jujeom looks like outside and in

Dambaek Jujeom is on the second floor, but since it's on a busy alley full of people, I found it easily and got there quickly on foot from Hapjeong Station :-)

The exterior already gave off that classic Korean pub feel.

Once inside, there was a warm wood-tone atmosphere! If you're thinking about a group meal near Hapjeong, they also have private group rooms, so 6 or 8 people are no problem at all. I've been looking for a 6-8 person spot for a Hapjeong get-together lately, and having that kind of separated space really felt great. It's a Hapjeong bossam (boiled pork wrap) place that everyone seems to like, haha.

We settled into a window table since it was a group of four.

Side dishes and the full order for four

Each table has its own menu. There's currently a Naver review event running too, offering free soju or beer plus a side dish — totally worth it 🔥

Dambaek Jujeom also runs a lunch menu, so you can try pork belly or pork jowl suyuk as a single serving. It's a great-value set that even comes with kalguksu noodles.

I visited on a Friday night, starving because I hadn't had dinner yet 🤤🤤, so I ordered a full spread of dishes to fill up. I wanted to try one of everything.

• Pork jowl suyuk (1 serving): ₩16,000
• Pork belly suyuk (1 serving): ₩18,000
• Stir-fried octopus + rice balls: ₩22,000
• Pork belly tofu kimchi: ₩20,000
• Soju (Saero): ₩6,000
• Beer: ₩6,000
• Zero-sugar cola: ₩2,000

The barley tea that comes automatically was a pass from me right off the bat. My friends kept chanting for Saero soju since they'd had a hard day apparently.

They set a burner and salted shrimp in the middle of the table.

We got the basic lettuce wraps, plus radish kimchi, garlic, peppers, and ssamjang (dipping sauce) to eat alongside the bossam. The kalguksu ingredients came out early, and they kindly explained how to cook them once we'd finished the pork.

After a bit of a wait, the pork jowl and pork belly suyuk came out straight from the kitchen, still steaming hot. Once it was all plated up, I was seriously salivating.

I couldn't decide what to try first. All that meat is so exactly my type, honestly. Dambaek Jujeom is definitely a Korean pub I'd recommend for group meetups.

Pork belly tofu kimchi, 20,000 won: the first dish to arrive

After debating, we decided to try Dambaek Jujeom's pork belly tofu kimchi first. The tofu chunks were big and plentiful.

The pork belly was cooked so well that even on its own it went down smoothly, with no gamey smell at all, and paired with the kimchi it was absolutely perfect as a drinking snack.

We loaded up individual plates with tofu, kimchi, and pork belly, and even the plating looked really pretty. I think I need to come back just for the Hapjeong bossam.

Stir-fried octopus with rice balls, 22,000 won: how spicy is it really?

Next up was the stir-fried octopus, appealingly spicy, and the fun part is that it comes with rice balls too.

The finely sliced perilla leaves on top toned down the spiciness, so even I, who can barely handle spicy food, managed to eat plenty of the plump octopus. I really believe any Korean menu needs something spicy — it's a must, lol.

Eaten together with the rice balls, it was genuinely an eye-opening flavor. This is exactly why a Korean pub like this works for both lunch and dinner.

Pork jowl and pork belly suyuk by the single serving, then kalguksu in the broth

The suyuk with both pork jowl and pork belly was fantastic as a main dish. Just look at that glossy shine and you'll understand.

The tender pork jowl was completely my favorite.

It also went great wrapped with napa cabbage or perilla leaves for a crunchy bite.

The regular pork belly had exactly the lean-to-fat ratio I wanted, and the dried radish strips went really well with it too — my friends kept reaching for it with kimchi. Truly a Hapjeong bossam favorite 😘😘

Once we finished eating, the staff cleared away the steamer basket. That's because you're supposed to finish with kalguksu noodles cooked in the broth underneath as a final drinking snack 💞

If you ask the owner, they'll bring the kalguksu noodles right away — just drop them in once the broth is boiling. Then it's pure magic how easily the beer and soju go down with it 🫕

If you're looking for a group meal in Hapjeong, a wedding-invitation gathering with a private room, or just a private vibe, I'd recommend Dambaek Jujeom as a Korean pub worth trying.