Jongno Korean restaurant for bibim kalguksu and fried dumplings: Jongga Mandu

The place I had visited a few times for dumpling hot pot near Jongno 3-ga Station, Seonggyeong Mandu Yori Jeonmungjeom, had changed its name to Jongga Mandu (종가만두). Seonggyeong Mandu had long been famous in Jongno 3-ga for dumpling hot pot, and it was one of my favorite spots for it—so I was startled, wondering if it had disappeared! Luckily, it is continuing on under the new name Jongga Mandu, so I went to check it out. Jongga Mandu uses handmade dumplings folded fresh every morning, so you can really taste the clean, satisfying flavor of dumplings packed full of filling.

Jongga Mandu location and visit information in Jongno 3-ga

It is quite easy to get to, too. It is about a five-minute walk from Exit 15 of Jongno 3-ga Station and about six minutes from Exit 4 of Euljiro 3-ga Station. If you are driving, paid parking is available at the nearby Jongno Sejong Parking Lot, but personally, I think public transit would be more convenient.

A 6:30 p.m. wait and the restaurant atmosphere

When I arrived at 6:30 in the evening, every table was full, but turnover was faster than I expected, so I got in after about five minutes.

There were so many people that it was hard to take proper photos of the interiorㅠㅠ Still, seeing how many people came here only made me look forward to the meal more :)

The self-service bar is neatly stocked with basic side dishes and all kinds of tableware. Just help yourself if you need more.

Jongga Mandu’s menu and dumpling hot pot options

Jongga Mandu, a handmade dumpling hot pot spot near Jongno 3-ga Station, offers several varieties of dumpling hot pot. You can choose the clean, mild clear-broth version; the spicy version with an appealing kick; a half-and-half broth hot pot that lets you enjoy both; or the spicy beef-brisket hot pot. Each hot pot comes generously loaded with handmade dumplings, vegetables, mushrooms, beef, and kalguksu (knife-cut noodles), and at ₩13,000, the value is good too. There are plenty of other dishes as well, including Korean soybean kalguksu, bibim kalguksu, and joraengi rice-cake dumpling soup :)

The day I ordered three dishes

Soy sauce and pepper were set out at every table, so it was easy to season the food to your taste.

The basic side dishes were fresh geotjeori (lightly seasoned fresh kimchi) and danmuji (pickled radish)! But the geotjeori was what really caught my eye here! It was crunchy and deliciously seasoned—honestly, such a gem!!!! It went so well with dumpling hot pot :)

This time, I ordered three dishes in total! I had already tried the dumpling hot pot several times, so I thought, let’s order dishes I do not usually get instead! The three I picked were steamed dumplings, fried dumplings, and bibim kalguksu. Which one was the tastiest? Let me introduce them one by one! 🥟💕

Bibim kalguksu paired with fried dumplings

Bibim kalguksu ₩12,000

Bibim kalguksu is chewy knife-cut noodles mixed with a nutty, sweet sauce! 🤤 Best of all, it came topped with two seriously crispy fried dumplings, so it looked delicious from the start. The sweet and nutty sauce worked beautifully with the chewy noodles, and eating them with the crisp dumplings added another layer of texture—it was such a special dish. Being able to enjoy chewy noodles and crisp dumplings in one bite made this one I really, really enjoyed! ❤️

The combination of the nutty sesame oil in the bibim kalguksu, the sweetness of the sauce, and the crunch of the fried dumplings was honestly amazing.. First, the sesame oil’s nutty aroma came through gently, then the sweet sauce clung nicely to the chewy kalguksu noodles, and I just kept reaching for more. With the crunch of the fried dumplings on top, I got chewy, nutty, and crispy textures all at once, plus the fragrant perilla leaf—such a treat. If I came with a group and everyone ordered hot pot, I would absolutely order this as a side, haha.

They did not get soggy at all—they stayed properly crisp......

They told me to cut the fried dumplings into small pieces like this, so I cut up the noodles too and scooped them up together. I regretted being the version of myself who had only ever eaten the hot pot! Seonggyeong Mandu—no, Jongga Mandu—is a great dumpling hot pot spot in Jongno 3-ga, but the dumplings with bibim noodles are truly delicious too.

Steamed dumplings packed with filling

Steamed dumplings ₩9,000

The steamed dumplings were, as expected from handmade dumplings, insanely good…! 🤤 From the first bite, I could really feel the pleasantly chewy dumpling wrapper and the abundant flavor of the filling. They were packed full, yet every ingredient came together so well—so delicious. They were not aggressively seasoned, but had a clean flavor and plenty of savoriness that kept me reaching for another one! Maybe because they are folded by hand, they definitely felt different from ordinary dumplings. Can you see how full that kimchi dumpling is?? What more is there to say......

Crispy fried dumplings that tasted freshly fried

Fried dumplings ₩9,000

I had especially high expectations for the fried dumplings!! From the very first bite, their crunch was incredible! 🤤 The outside was fried to a beautiful golden brown and was properly crisp, while the filling was moist and mild, so I kept reaching for them. They were especially delicious while warm, as though they had just come out of the fryer—the crispy texture really came alive. They were good on their own, but a light dip in soy sauce added a savory salty note and another kind of appeal. Anyone who loves crispy fried food would be very satisfied! 👍

These candies did not mean anything, but they were cute, so I took a photo haha.

This time, instead of the dumpling hot pot I always get, I ordered steamed dumplings, fried dumplings, and bibim kalguksu for something different! All three were delicious, but the pairing of crispy fried dumplings and bibim kalguksu was particularly memorable. 🤤 It is a great option before or after an outing in Ikseon-dong, Cheonggyecheon, or Insadong, and its mild, clean flavors also make it a fine choice for nearby office workers at lunch or for a drink with dinner. When you are craving dumpling hot pot in Jongno 3-ga, I really recommend Jongga Mandu (formerly Seonggyeong Mandu Yori Jeonmungjeom)!