Hongdae jjimdak with glass noodles and Ongbap: Ongdarae Jjimdak

I had dinner plans in Hongdae, so I went to Ongdarae Jjimdak (옹다래찜닭), a popular jjimdak spot near Hongdae! It was close to Hongik University Station, so it was easy to find, and convenient for heading somewhere else after dinner too—such an easy place to make plans!

It is at 122 Yanghwa-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, and is open ყოველდღე from 11:00 to 23:00, with last orders at 22:00. They say Naver reservations come with a 10% discount coupon for invitation-card gatherings. Just show the owner your invitation card; the offer runs through September 31!

A more upscale Hongdae jjimdak restaurant than expected

Because it is a jjimdak restaurant, I expected a casual atmosphere, but it was more upscale than I thought—I checked once more to make sure I was in the right place! Hahaha.

All those different wines right as you walk in! Doesn’t it make the place feel like a restaurant?

The dining room was quite spacious, so it would be great for a visit with friends, as well as group work dinners or gatherings. The upscale atmosphere also makes it perfectly suitable for a date!

There are especially two private rooms that seat around 10 people, so I think using one would be nice when visiting with a larger group.

Salad and pickled radish before the jjimdak

The salad and radish that come out before you order! Of course the salad gets your appetite going, but that pickled radish was so good! It was not the intense kind of radish you get at chicken places; it tasted homemade, with the natural flavor of the radish coming through. There were cucumbers and peppers too, perfect for picking at between bites of jjimdak to reset your palate!

S-size jjimdak and extra glass noodles for two

We ordered three things: Ongdarae Jjimdak S (1–2 servings), extra glass noodles, and Ongbap! I worried it might not be enough, but unless you are a huge eater, the S size seems plenty for two people! If you are having only jjimdak without the noodles or Ongbap, though, I would recommend the M size.

Those glass noodles soaked in sauce were the highlight... You absolutely have to add the noodles here!! Haha. Jjimdak’s signature sweetness was joined by a salty soy-sauce flavor, plus a little kick of spice. We chose medium spice! If you love spicy food, the hot option might be good too, haha. Even medium was not very spicy! The seasoning was not overly strong, so it was not an intense flavor even without a bowl of rice.

I also liked all the ingredients that came with it. There were big pieces of potato, onion, and scallion, making them easy to pick up with the chicken. The potatoes especially were so delicious once they had absorbed all that jjimdak sauce!!

We ordered boneless chicken so it would be easier to eat! What I liked was that boneless and bone-in cost the same. The boneless version used only tasty cuts too, so we enjoyed it from beginning to end. I especially love chicken skin, so it was fun picking out all the pieces for myself, haha.

Ongbap mixed into the leftover jjimdak sauce

This is called Ongbap! Just as we had eaten a good amount of the jjimdak, they brought it out at exactly the right time. The aroma of sesame oil drifted up as soon as it arrived, and I could already tell it was going to be good.

Ongbap is a dish of nurungji (scorched rice) topped with seaweed, kimchi, sesame oil, and perilla leaves. It is a treat on its own, but the key is mixing it into the sauce left after finishing the jjimdak! You simply add the Ongbap to the leftover sauce and stir it all together. As the sauce soaks into the scorched rice, it adds a savory saltiness, while the nurungji keeps its distinctive crisp texture—it was much more of a treat than I expected.

If you like ending a jjimdak meal with fried rice or regular rice, I think you would be quite happy with Ongbap too. I actually especially liked that crispy nurungji texture.

Self-serve snacks after the meal

And then I spotted the self-serve bar on the way out after the meal! There were jars of assorted candies and chocolates, as well as barley snacks, tea, and coffee. I was about to pass by, but the owner kindly told us to take some snacks before leaving, so we left feeling good right to the end. The food was great, of course, but I really liked the kindness that came through in little details like this.

If you are looking for jjimdak near Hongik University Station

Overall, Ongdarae Jjimdak had a spacious, clean dining room that looked good not only for dates and get-togethers with friends, but also for group work dinners and family gatherings. With two rooms for around 10 people each, it also seems like a good choice when a larger group wants to dine quietly.

If you are visiting as two people like we did, I recommend the S-size jjimdak plus extra glass noodles. Once you have finished the jjimdak, definitely try the Ongbap in the leftover sauce too! The sweet, salty, lightly spicy jjimdak followed by crispy nurungji made for a very satisfying finish. If you are looking for a good jjimdak restaurant near Hongik University Station, this is worth a stop :)