Solo rice bowl in Chungmuro: spicy pork jowl set with udon at Haekbap

I wanted a quick meal, so I wandered around the area and ended up at Haekbap Dongguk (핵밥 동국대본점) in Chungmuro.

• Haekbap Dongguk: 11 Seoae-ro 1-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
• Hours: weekdays 10:00–21:00
• Break time: 15:00–16:30

What kind of place is Haekbap Dongguk?

Haekbap Dongguk is a Japanese food restaurant near Dongguk University, close to Chungmuro Station. The menu is wide, with rice bowls (donburi), ramen, udon, soba, curry and katsu, and lots of people were eating alone.

I'd passed other Haekbap branches a few times, but this was my first time at the original one, so I was extra curious, haha.

It's near Dongguk University, so it seemed popular with students, and quite a few people were dining solo.

As a Japanese food specialist with rice bowls, ramen, udon, soba, curry and katsu, it has a nice wide choice of dishes.

One-line review: a great Japanese rice bowl spot for eating solo in Chungmuro

If you're looking for a good restaurant in Chungmuro, it's worth a visit at least once.

Is Haekbap Dongguk comfortable for solo diners?

The restaurant has lots of seats good for one person and the tables are spaced just right, so eating alone was easy. Overall it felt clean and tidy.

With plenty of solo-friendly seats and well-spaced tables, I could eat comfortably.

When I visited, there were really a lot of people eating alone in Chungmuro. The menu portions were just right for a single diner too.

It also looked fine for students hunting for a Dongguk-area restaurant or for an office lunch.

Overall it was a no-frills space where you can just focus on your meal. The vibe is easy if you end up here while searching for a restaurant near Chungmuro Station.

What comes with the pork jowl donburi set?

Haekbap Dongguk's pork jowl donburi set comes with the pork jowl rice bowl plus udon, rice cake and 2 pieces of fried chicken, so the whole table fills up. I really wanted rice that day, so I ordered it without a second thought, haha.

The set was more generous than I expected.

Besides the pork jowl bowl, you get udon, rice cake and 2 pieces of fried chicken, so the table was packed. I'm calling it a great-value spot near Dongguk 👍🏻

How does the pork jowl donburi taste? (₩14,900)

Haekbap's pork jowl donburi has a moderately spicy sauce, and the pork jowl keeps its signature chewy texture, so it goes really well with rice. The menu price for the pork jowl donburi was ₩14,900.

The main pork jowl bowl had a moderately spicy sauce. The pork jowl's chewy texture was still there, and it paired really well with the rice.

From the very first bite, the rice just keeps disappearing. A total rice thief, haha

Personally, I think students would absolutely love this dish.

So if you come here while searching for a restaurant near Dongguk, the pork jowl donburi is worth trying. Even among Chungmuro restaurants, it was a hearty dish for a full meal.

I heard the meat is pan-seared the moment you order, and maybe that's why the meat had such good flavor. It felt like a proper signature dish of Haekbap.

Is the udon in the set a big portion?

The udon that came with the pork jowl donburi set was bigger than I expected. It had plenty of plump noodles and the broth was clean.

At first I thought the rice bowl alone would be enough, but after finishing the udon too, I was really full.

I think it suits anyone near Chungmuro Station who wants a hearty meal.

It was a portion that students looking for a good-value place near Dongguk would be happy with.

Haekbap Dongguk: overall verdict

Haekbap Dongguk is a place where you can enjoy Japanese rice bowls and udon without any fuss. It was easy to visit alone and the menu was well put together.

The pork jowl donburi set in particular was satisfying, with a generous portion and a great lineup.

I think it suits people looking for a solo-friendly restaurant near Chungmuro and Chungmuro Station, and students after a good-value place near Dongguk.

I totally get now why Haekbap runs so many branches. Next time I'm around Chungmuro, I'll try the other dishes too!

• Anyone looking for a solo-friendly restaurant in Chungmuro
• Anyone wanting a hearty meal near Chungmuro Station
• Students looking for a good-value place near Dongguk

Another happy, full belly today~