Seongbok-dong chicken pub worth a revisit: Gorae Byeoljang Set

They say a truly good restaurant isn't one you visit once and forget, but one you keep thinking about. That's how I felt about Gorae Byeoljang Suji Branch in Seongbok-dong, which I'd visited not long ago. The chicken was great, but the tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) and yukjeon (egg-battered pan-fried meat) won me over too, so this time I went back without a second thought.

Sometimes a revisit doesn't hit as hard as the first time, but this time I was even more satisfied. I was reminded all over again why this place has a reputation as a Seongbok-dong chicken favorite.

Gorae Byeoljang Suji Branch hours and parking

Gorae Byeoljang Suji Branch (고래별장 수지본점) is at 80 Seongbok 1-ro, Suji-gu, Yongin, Gyeonggi, South Korea (1F, Unit 103), a 3-minute walk from Seongbok Community Service Center. It's open daily from 5 PM to 2 AM, until midnight on Sundays, and last order is 1 hour before closing.

• Address: 1F, Unit 103, 80 Seongbok 1-ro, Suji-gu, Yongin, Gyeonggi (3-minute walk from Seongbok Community Service Center)
• Hours: daily 5 PM to 2 AM / Sundays: until midnight
• Last order: 1 hour before closing
• Parking: Seohui Starhills building parking lot or parking by the stream

It's open late, so it works for dinner from opening time and also as a second or third round! Best of all, parking in Seongbok-dong is often a headache, but here I could park for free, which made the visit so easy. (If you're having a beer, leave the car at home ^^)

Where is Gorae Byeoljang in Seongbok-dong, and what is the interior like?

Another plus is the location! It's near the stream, so it's perfect for a drink after a walk!! haha It's right next to Chilseong Jemyeonso (칠성제면소).

The whale greets you so coolly, doesn't it!? I want to go swimming with the whale ^^ hoho

The inside of Gorae Byeoljang Suji Branch is roomier than I expected, and the tables are spaced far apart, so it's good for chatting. You can't even see the people at the next table ^^

Sitting down and ordering by table tablet like this is so convenient, isn't it? Love it~

Gorae Byeoljang menu and prices

At Gorae Byeoljang Suji Branch, Eoldap-hara Chicken (응답하라 치킨) is ₩18,000, and the sets combining chicken, tteokbokki and pork yukjeon run from ₩25,000 to ₩38,000. Here's the menu.

• Eoldap-hara Chicken ₩18,000 (they say they've given up on making money from chicken, haha)
• Seafood soft tofu stew ₩23,000
• Gorae Tteokbokki with sundae (Korean blood sausage) ₩9,000
• Jeonju-style pork yukjeon ₩14,000
• Shrimp + oat or Yantai highball, 2-drink set ₩29,000
• Stew (choose one: roe stew / soft tofu stew / pork kimchi stew) + soju set ₩22,000
• Jeon (choose one: pork yukjeon or chicken and scallion jeon) + 3 kinds of makgeolli ₩18,000
• Gorae Set (chicken + tteokbokki) ₩25,000
• Byeoljang Set (chicken + pork yukjeon) ₩30,000
• Gorae Byeoljang Set (chicken + tteokbokki + pork yukjeon) ₩38,000
• Gorae 3-Flavor Boneless Chicken (one and a half chickens' worth: scallion, onion, seasoned)

Why I ordered the Gorae Byeoljang Set again on my revisit

I was curious about the other dishes while looking at the menu, but I ended up ordering the Gorae Byeoljang Set (chicken + tteokbokki + pork yukjeon) for ₩38,000 again. That's because I was so happy with this combination. If you've tried it, you'll understand.

It's far more varied than ordering just chicken, so satisfaction is high. The set comes with three things: ✔ chicken ✔ tteokbokki ✔ pork yukjeon. It's great as drinking food, but I'd also recommend it to people who come for a meal, like me.

Full minutes after opening: Gorae Byeoljang's basic side dishes

It had only been a few minutes since opening, but people kept streaming in while I ordered, and the place filled up like this.

Not long after I ordered, the basic table setting came out first. It was neatly prepared with sauces, which got me excited before I even started eating. It's a small thing, but places that get the basics right often turn out to be satisfying overall.

Everything is better with rice, so I ordered a bowl of rice too~ haha

What does Gorae Tteokbokki with fried sundae (blood sausage) taste like?

The Gorae Tteokbokki in the set has a spicy-sweet sauce topped with fried sundae (Korean blood sausage). Honestly, I came thinking only about the chicken, but halfway through the tteokbokki became the star. The sauce is seriously addictive, and the fried sundae on top makes the texture even more fun.

The nutty richness of the sundae went really well with the spicy tteokbokki sauce.

Eat it with the chicken and you get the perfect sweet-and-salty combo. I kept reaching for it, even the sauce, and it was the kind of dish I kept thinking about after finishing.

The rice cakes are so chewy!!

My kid and my husband loved it too, haha

Mixing rice into the salty tteokbokki sauce is so good, and I'm drooling even as I write this!!

Why Gorae Byeoljang is a Seongbok-dong chicken favorite

The chicken here is big and crispy outside, juicy inside. The chicken I'd been waiting for finally arrived, and it looks great even the second time around.

Chicken prices keep climbing these days, and a lot of places skimp on the portions. But the chicken at Gorae Byeoljang has a lot of actual meat. It's the classic crispy-outside, juicy-inside style.

There's barely any oily smell and it isn't greasy, so I could enjoy it to the very end. The moment I took a bite, these words came out naturally.

I'm so glad I came back.

What satisfied me most was that even on a revisit, it tasted exactly like the first time.

If you get it to go, it comes packed to the brim like this, haha

Jeonju-style pork yukjeon (pan-fried pork slices) is still the best

Gorae Byeoljang's Jeonju-style pork yukjeon is thin pork dipped in egg batter and pan-fried, served with shredded scallions. It was another hit, with a wonderfully soft, moist texture.

Top it with the scallions and the greasiness is cut while the savory flavor stands out more. Dip it lightly in the sauce and the flavor gets even better. It holds its own between the chicken and the tteokbokki. I even thought there must be people who order the set just for this yukjeon.

Eaten this way or that way, even as a side dish with rice, it was really, really good.

Why Gorae Byeoljang Suji Branch is worth a second visit

Chicken, tteokbokki and yukjeon were all satisfying, so this is a place where you're unlikely to go wrong no matter who you bring. There's plenty of tasty food, but food that makes you come back is rare, and Gorae Byeoljang is the kind of taste that pops back into your head a few days later.

The atmosphere works for family visits, drinks with friends, and even company dinners.

Who Gorae Byeoljang is best for

• Anyone looking for a good restaurant in Seongbok-dong
• Anyone looking for a great chicken place in Seongbok-dong
• Anyone looking for a good restaurant in Suji
• Anyone looking for a pub in Seongbok-dong
• Anyone planning a company dinner
• Anyone looking for a family dining spot
• Anyone looking for a date-friendly place with good atmosphere
• Anyone who likes good-value set menus

Plenty of restaurants disappoint on a revisit, but Gorae Byeoljang Suji Branch was satisfying, very satisfying, the second time too!! The chicken was still crispy and juicy, the tteokbokki was addictive and I kept reaching for it, and the yukjeon with scallions never got old to the very last bite.

If you're looking for a good place in Seongbok-dong, I recommend visiting at least once. Really. Next time I'd like to try other dishes, but honestly I'll probably order the Gorae Byeoljang Set again. It's that reliable, and satisfying no matter who you go with.

If you want great chicken, hearty side dishes and a good atmosphere in Seongbok-dong, Gorae Byeoljang Suji Branch should be a satisfying choice. Do visit once ^^