Jeonju chicken shop for spicy soy half-and-half: Mannyeon Dakgangjeong

Let me introduce one of the Jeonju Hanok Village foods I pack up every single time and eat as a late-night snack at the hotel. It’s Mannyeon Dakgangjeong, which I truly eat whenever I visit Jeonju Hanok Village :) This time we were staying at N Bridge Hotel in Hanok Village, and of course we got hungry at night, so we packed a large half-spicy, half-soy order to eat in the room. But on the way back, I opened the box thinking, “Let’s just try one,” and ended up eating two-thirds right there... hahaha. Here’s my takeout review.

The portion was even more generous than two small chickens from a certain fried-chicken chain. Naturally it was best fresh, but even the dakgangjeong we saved kept its crisp texture after it had cooled.

Mannyeon Dakgangjeong Hanok Village Direct Store: the basics

Mannyeon Dakgangjeong Hanok Village Direct Store is on the first floor at 27 Taejo-ro, Wansan-gu, Jeonju. It is a takeout-only shop open 11:00–21:00 on weekdays and 10:00–22:00 on weekends. It is on the left side of Taejo-ro on the way to Gyeonggijeon and Jeondong Cathedral.

Jeonju Hanok Village is such an exciting destination every time I visit. The lanes filled with hanok (traditional Korean houses) have their own character, and if you slowly walk the stone-wall paths around Gyeonggijeon and Jeondong Cathedral, you can really feel Jeonju’s distinctive atmosphere :) But a huge reason I love Jeonju Hanok Village is also its always-new, delicious, endless(?) food.

Some people may find this commercial side a little disappointing, but! Having a proper meal such as Jeonju bibimbap or a Korean set meal is lovely, of course, yet I think kids especially enjoy wandering the alleys and picking whatever snack they feel like that day.

Where to find Mannyeon Dakgangjeong in Jeonju Hanok Village

I always try one new snack too, but Mannyeon Dakgangjeong is the place we never forget to stop by on every visit. Mannyeon Dakgangjeong Hanok Village Direct Store is on the main street across from Gyeonggijeon, just before the entrance to Jeondong Cathedral, so it is conveniently located. That means the wait can get a little long around evening takeout time~

There is no dining area; the shop is takeout only. In its open kitchen, it fries the par-cooked chicken to order and tosses it in sauce right away. With dakgangjeong, shrimp gangjeong, fried jjonddeugi (chewy Korean snack strips), and even slushy beer, you can put together the full late-night-snack set on a Jeonju Hanok Village trip! It is good value too: a large order is about the amount of two chickens, making it great as a meal for 3–4 adults.

What you can choose at Mannyeon Dakgangjeong

The signature item is, naturally, dakgangjeong! But there are plenty of other choices too.

• Dakgangjeong
• Shrimp gangjeong
• Dakgangjeong and shrimp gangjeong combo

There were also several flavors to suit different preferences.

• Mild
• Spicy
• Soy sauce
• Plain fried

You can order one flavor or choose a half-and-half combination.

• Sotteok sotteok (sausage and rice cake skewers)
• Cheese balls
• Fried jjonddeugi

There are so many side dishes too. I was surprised that fried jjonddeugi seemed popular enough that some customers were waiting specifically for it.

How was the large half-spicy, half-soy order?

We gave our child the choice, and they picked the large half-spicy-sauce, half-soy order. Since it is made to order, we waited about 10 minutes before receiving it. It is just enough time to look around Jeondong Cathedral right next door!

Because Jeonju Hanok Village is a tourist area, some foods can occasionally feel a little pricey for the amount you get. But I love Mannyeon Dakgangjeong because it feels truly generous and like amazing value. The smell was so delicious that I meant to take one bite as soon as it came out, then ate more than half of it—but the remaining dakgangjeong was still crisp and tasty when we ate it at the hotel.

Spicy sauce hotter than Shin Ramyun

First, the spicy sauce. It was hotter than I expected—think hotter than Shin Ramyun. Since it is a Cheongyang chili-based heat, at first the sweet dakgangjeong sauce makes you think, “Oh? This is manageable?” But the heat comes rushing in afterward, so spice beginners, beware.

Soy sauce flavor that is easy to share with kids

For eating with kids, the soy sauce flavor was definitely the safe choice. It had that salty-sweet balance without being overpowering, and the crisp dakgangjeong coating paired beautifully with the soy sauce. One bite of spicy, one bite of soy, and somehow you never get tired of either flavor and finish it all... magic. The kids mostly ate the soy flavor while the adults shared the spicy one, so one order could accommodate the whole family’s tastes to some extent.

Jeonju Hanok Village has so much to eat that deciding what to choose can actually be hard. The fact that this is a regular favorite I seek out every time tells you how good it is, right? +_+ It is easy to pack up, generously portioned, and most of all remains crisp even after cooling, so it is perfect for a hotel late-night snack. If you love heat, choose spicy; if you are eating with kids, choose soy sauce; and if neither is easy to give up, order half-and-half.

The large size we ordered was plenty for a family to share. It is in a great spot for picking up after looking around Gyeonggijeon and Jeondong Cathedral, right on the Hanok Village main street, so I would recommend it if you are looking for Jeonju Hanok Village takeout or Jeonju food to eat at your hotel. The next time I go to Jeonju Hanok Village, I am planning to order the fried jjonddeugi that looked so popular too and enjoy it again with the spicy dakgangjeong ♥