Sindang Station Korean restaurant for mul-makguksu: Gyeryugwan

There's a Sindang restaurant I keep thinking about after just one visit — Gyeryugwan. I fell for the oak-fired chicken with neungi mushroom (능이) last time, so I went back haha. This is a place that makes you wonder, can chicken really taste this good?

Oak-fired chicken with that proper smoky aroma, plus makguksu and dakgaejang — I walked out stuffed again. This time I went on a weekday evening and got seated right away without a reservation.

Last time, on a Friday evening, I waited about 30 minutes to get in. So the wait really depends on when you go. If you're looking for good food near Sindang, hope this review helps!

Where is Gyeryugwan, and how far is it from Sindang Station Exit 2?

Gyeryugwan, this Sindang Station favorite, is tucked inside the alley of Seoul Jungang Market. It's a quick walk from Sindang Station Exit 2, so it's not hard to find.

Right at the entrance you can see chickens being grilled over oak firewood, so it's easy to spot even on your first visit. Watching the flames roar and the chickens spin round and round — there's no way you won't get hungry looking at that haha.

No reservation needed: seated right away on a weekday evening at Gyeryugwan

I visited Gyeryugwan on a weekday evening and thankfully got seated right away with no reservation. Last time I came on a Friday evening, I waited about 30 minutes.

So if you're planning to visit in the evening, it's worth factoring in a possible wait. Especially at busy times like Friday evening, it's better to arrive with a little extra time built in. This time I sat down right away and ordered.

What we ordered from the Gyeryugwan menu

This time at Gyeryugwan I ordered the oak-fired chicken with neungi mushroom (₩23,000), mul-makguksu (₩13,000), and dakgaejang (₩13,000).

I originally planned to just get the oak-fired chicken, but looking at the menu gets you greedy haha. "Should I try this too?" "Maybe a soup too?" — and I ended up with three dishes.

Oak-fired chicken with neungi mushroom, 23,000 won

Of course, a visit to Gyeryugwan isn't complete without the oak-fired neungi chicken. I always order this first when I come here. Grilled over oak firewood, the chicken carries a subtle smoky aroma.

It's definitely different from your typical roast chicken. The outside is golden brown and the meat stays moist, so it's great to tear off piece by piece. And you can't skip the neungi mushroom and glutinous rice packed inside.

You're not just eating the chicken — the rice inside makes it a full meal on its own. The oak aroma comes through gently, and combined with the neungi mushroom, the pairing works really well. I ordered it again because I loved it last time, and it was just as good this time.

The side dishes and sauces that come with it pair really well too, and there's enough variety to enjoy in different ways :)

Mul-makguksu cold buckwheat noodles, 13,000 won

Gyeryugwan's mul-makguksu was pretty unique. It felt a little different from the makguksu noodles I usually eat. The noodles themselves have a distinct texture, and the broth is on the mild side, which actually reminded me a bit of pyeongyang naengmyeon.

It leans clean and light rather than sharply salty or tangy. My first thought was "oh, this is milder than I expected," but after a few bites it really grew on me haha.

Taking a bite of mul-makguksu between bites of the oak-fired chicken cleaned my palate, so I was glad I ordered it alongside. And since the noodles are different from typical makguksu, it felt like something you can only get at Gyeryugwan.

Dakgaejang spicy chicken soup, 13,000 won

And the soup dish I ordered — dakgaejang! The portion is seriously huge.

It's packed with chicken and glass noodles, so it's more than just a soup — it's a full meal on its own. The broth is spicy and hot in a satisfying way, and it paired really well with the oak-fired chicken.

And if you ask separately, they'll bring you rice too! I scooped up all the glass noodles and then had rice with the broth on top haha. No way you leave hungry after this.

I'll definitely be back. If you're someone who loves chicken, this is the kind of place where working through the menu one dish at a time is genuinely fun haha. Hope this helps if you're planning a visit :)