Seongbok-dong chicken pub with minari whelk noodles: Gorae Byeoljang

Is Gorae Byeoljang Suji Branch busy on weekday evenings?

Gorae Byeoljang Suji Branch is a hidden neighborhood gem in Seongbok-dong that fills up quickly even on weekday evenings. On weekends you'll see lots of families who bring their kids along and have a beer.

I went on a weekday evening. I was surprised that there were already customers right at opening time, and by the time I left about an hour later, around 6:20, the place was full and there was even a wait.

Is parking free at Gorae Byeoljang Suji Branch?

The parking lot is large and always free. I think easy parking is one of the biggest perks. You can hang out for hours without worrying about parking fees.

Seongbok-dong stream view: why it suits autumn chicken and beer

It's on the first floor, but because of the slope it feels like a second floor, so you sit up high with the stream right in front and a wide-open view. It's nice to step out for some fresh air after a glass of beer, which makes it perfect for chicken and beer in the cool autumn weather like now.

Gorae Byeoljang has everything from chicken to soups to rice dishes, so it's also a good place to drop by for a light drink with a meal, not just for chicken and beer.

Seating and atmosphere at Gorae Byeoljang Suji Branch

The space is bigger than I expected, and the seats are well separated by partitions, so it's easy to chat with your group. Probably because lots of people come with kids, it isn't loud like a typical pub, which I liked.

One side has sofa seats, and the tables can be moved, so large groups often sit together.

In the middle of the restaurant there's popcorn, the free basic snack, which you can help yourself to. It's fried fresh on the spot, so it's secretly addictive and tasty.

Gorae Byeoljang menu and prices

Gorae Byeoljang is known as a Seongbok-dong chicken place, but the menu is really big. Still, the signature dishes and set menus all include chicken, so they clearly take chicken seriously, haha.

There's also a jeon (Korean pan-fried pancake) + makgeolli (rice wine) set for ₩18,000 with drinks included, which makes this a total bargain for people who like a drink.

The chicken comes in many flavors, from plain fried to tartar onion chicken and green onion chicken, so order whatever suits you. I usually alternate between fried and seasoned.

There are plenty of other anju (drinking snacks) too, from mussel soup and fish roe soup that go well with beer to pork jeon, whelk noodles and dried snacks.

What we ordered at Gorae Byeoljang

• Eungdap Hara Chicken ₩18,000
• Whelk noodles feat. water dropwort ₩20,000

When you order, they bring popcorn, pickled radish and Gorae Byeoljang's own signature chicken sauce.

Minari whelk noodles at Gorae Byeoljang: how big and how spicy?

The whelk noodles feat. water dropwort (₩20,000) come loaded with thin wheat noodles, water dropwort and whole whelks, so the portion is huge. What arrived first was a massive pile of whelk noodles and seasoned water dropwort.

Some places give you whelk noodles that are mostly noodles and cucumber, but here it's packed with noodles, water dropwort and whelks.

The whelks aren't cut up but go in whole, so there's really a lot, and the chewy texture is so good.

They give you plastic gloves so you can mix it by hand easily. When I mixed it myself, the portion seemed even bigger.

You can't adjust the spice level on the whelk noodles. The whelks and veggies weren't spicy for me, but when I took a big bite of noodles it felt super spicy, haha. I think it's because I can't handle spice, since my husband said it wasn't spicy at all. Still, the kick went really well with the chicken.

Is the ₩18,000 Eungdap Hara Chicken good value for chicken and beer?

A generous whole Eungdap Hara Chicken is ₩18,000, so even with beer it's just over ₩20,000. Today's star: the chicken! These days a whole chicken is nearly ₩30,000 with delivery fees, so I don't think there's a better place for budget chicken and beer.

Judging by the drumstick, the chicken is really big, and it's fried so juicy and crispy that it's delicious. Dipped in Gorae Byeoljang's signature garlic sauce, the salty-spicy flavor is really, really good and ridiculously addictive.

Usually when two of us order one chicken, we leave two or three pieces, but at Gorae Byeoljang my husband and I polished off the whole chicken even while eating the whelk salad, haha.

Is Gorae Byeoljang Suji Branch worth a return visit?

Among Seongbok-dong chicken places, Gorae Byeoljang Suji Branch has a great location and great parking, so it's a wonderful spot for chicken and beer. I'm satisfied every time, and my husband and I always end up saying it was delicious, we ate well, let's come again^^ If you're looking for budget chicken in Suji's Seongbok-dong, I highly recommend it!

• Hours: daily 17:00–02:00
• Parking available (always free)
• Address: 80 Seongbok 1-ro, 1st floor, Unit 103, Suji-gu, Yongin, Gyeonggi, South Korea