Whelk stew and 4-makgeolli flight at Buchigom, a Yeongdeungpo bar

As the weather cools down, I've been craving more evenings drinking outside in the breeze rather than indoors. This time I headed to Buchigom, a patio bar near Yeongdeungpo-gu Office Station.

It's the kind of place where you can enjoy Korean pancakes, makgeolli, and cool soup-based snacks all together, which made it a great spot for an evening drink.

Where Buchigom Yeongdeungpo-gu Office Branch is and what the pub feels like

Buchigom Yeongdeungpo-gu Office Branch is located at 7 Dangsan-ro 32-gil, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, South Korea (Heungbu Building), and is open from 4:00 PM to 1:20/1:30 AM. It's about a 3-minute walk from Exit 4 of Yeongdeungpo-gu Office Station, so subway access was great. Group visits are welcome and there's patio seating too.

The set menu lineup is really solid, isn't it? It's a set that goes well with pretty much any drink 👍

It's set a little way down the alley, but easy enough to find. Being so close to the station, it's a convenient spot to swing by after work or meet up with friends.

Walking in, the seating was more spacious than I expected, with plenty of room between tables. I'd pictured a cozy little jeonjip (Korean pancake pub), but the interior turned out to be quite roomy, making it a good fit for groups. It felt right for a night out with friends, a work dinner, or a relaxed evening gathering.

Buchigom menu and prices

• Signature wild minari pancake ₩13,000
• Signature whole whelk clam stew ₩25,000
• Signature Buchigom drinking set ₩52,000
• Signature home-style drinking set B ₩37,000
• Signature cockle salad bossam (frozen cockles) ₩29,000
• Signature wild raw whelk salad ₩22,000
• Signature Buchigom handmade assorted pancakes ₩29,000
• Signature wild whole whelk + white whelk ₩35,000
• Home-style drinking set A ₩37,500
• Minari salad bossam ₩26,000
• Mixed bossam ₩26,000
• White whelk clam stew ₩38,000
• Mountain of blanched cockles ₩20,000
• Grilled stir-fried pork cartilage ₩15,000
• Bossam tofu kimchi ₩22,000

Whether you're drinking makgeolli, soju, or beer, the food here works well with any of them, so there was plenty to choose from.

They give you peanut ssamjang and cabbage as basic sides. And honestly, the fact that Buchigom has patio seating is a big draw — in nice weather like this, eating pancakes and makgeolli outside in the cool air just hits differently. Being able to enjoy both the comfort of the indoor space and the patio vibe makes this a place I'd recommend to anyone looking for a bar near Yeongdeungpo-gu Office.

The soup set's whole whelk stew: how many whelks are in there?

That day I ordered Buchigom's soup set. It comes with the original minari pancake and whelk stew together, so I got to enjoy several dishes at once ☺️

Both the pancake and the soup-based dish pair well with makgeolli or soju, so I was happy with the menu choice from the start 👍

First off, the whelk stew came packed with plump whole whelks. Each one was substantial and sizeable, with a real chewy bite. You'd normally think of whelk stew as being mostly about the broth, but Buchigom's version had so much whelk that you could really enjoy the solid ingredients too.

On top of the whole whelks, there were clams scattered throughout, adding that fresh seafood tang to the broth, and cheongyang chili and radish made the soup clean-tasting but spicy. At first it tastes refreshing, and then the sharp heat of the cheongyang chili creeps up, which made it a great pairing for drinks 👍 This is a soju snack, no question..!

Especially after eating the pancake, a spoonful of the whelk stew broth felt refreshing in the mouth. The portion was generous too, good for sharing with a group, and it was the perfect thing to reach for when you want something warm while drinking 😋

The whelk meat slid out easily, which made it easy to eat, and I was amazed at how consistently large and firm every single piece was. That chewy texture was the best part 👍👍👍

They also give you chojang (vinegar-chili sauce) for dipping.

A menu I'd recommend to anyone who likes soup-based drinking snacks!

What does the original minari pancake taste like?

Now for the original minari (water dropwort) pancake. Just looking at it, it seemed like it wouldn't just be crispy — it would be shatteringly crunchy.

The original minari pancake that came with the set tasted like it deserved the word 'original' in its name. The most striking thing was the crispy texture. It was fried crisp right to the edges, and biting into it, you could actually hear the crunch along with a nutty flavor.

The distinct fragrance of minari came through subtly too, pairing nicely with the pancake's nuttiness. It's a fried dish, but the fresh scent of minari kept it from feeling too heavy, and with a crispy outside and a moist-enough inside, I couldn't stop reaching for more 👍

Dipped lightly in soy sauce, the nutty flavor came through even more clearly, and alternating with the whelk stew made for a nice balance 👍👍👍 If you're looking for a jeonjip near Yeongdeungpo-gu Office, Buchigom's original minari pancake is one I'd definitely recommend ordering alongside everything else.

Tasting the four-kind makgeolli flight

Anyone else who isn't much of a drinker but still wants to try a bunch of different drinks? That's me.

At Buchigom you can also order a four-way makgeolli flight, letting you try several kinds at once — a great option if you like makgeolli but don't want to commit to just one flavor!

Being able to sip small pours of four different makgeolli made it fun to compare their flavors and aromas 👍 Each one had a slightly different level of sweetness, acidity, and body, so pairing them with the pancake felt different each time. Getting to enjoy several kinds in one reasonably priced set felt like good value to me.

Final verdict on Buchigom

For a drink near Yeongdeungpo-gu Office, Buchigom is a great pick thanks to:

• Its location close to Exit 4 of Yeongdeungpo-gu Office Station
• Spacious indoor seating
• Patio seating on top of that

It was a comfortable place to settle in for a drink. The whelk stew from the soup set came loaded with big, chewy whole whelks, and the broth — with cheongyang chili and radish — was both refreshing and spicy 👍

The original minari pancake stood out for its crispiness, and the four-way makgeolli flight let me enjoy a range of flavors — the menu overall was satisfying. If you're after a patio bar near Yeongdeungpo-gu Office Station with both pancakes and soup-based snacks, or just want to enjoy a nice evening outside, Buchigom is worth a visit.