Jongno 3-ga Korean BBQ at sunset with all-outdoor tables: Tapgol
In short
Tapgol Gongwon Jongno 3-ga Branch is an all-outdoor Korean BBQ restaurant across from the east gate of Tapgol Park in Jongno, Seoul. Because there is no indoor seating, there is no rush for a table: Tapgol Gongwon serves Grade-1 quick-frozen pork belly at 18,000 won, grilled at a stone-wall-view outdoor table with kimchi, bean sprouts and bracken fern cooked in the rendered fat. Between the sunset and the cool evening breeze, Tapgol Gongwon is a fine place for outdoor grilling in Jongno.
Good to know
- Location
- 111 Supyo-ro, 1F, Jongno-gu, Seoul — 166m from Jongno 3-ga Station Exit 5, across from the east gate of Tapgol Park
- Hours
- Daily 17:00 to 01:00 the next day
- Seating
- No indoor seats, all outdoor tables
- Parking
- Nagwon Arcade parking lot right in front, or the public parking lot, a 2-minute walk away
- Naju Grade-1 quick-frozen duck loin
- 18,000 won
- Grade-1 quick-frozen sow pork belly
- 18,000 won
- Grade-1 quick-frozen marbled pork neck
- 19,000 won
- Melt-in-your-mouth beef brisket (chadolbagi)
- 20,000 won
- Inquiries
- Phone calls rarely get through, so Naver Talk Talk is recommended
as written by the visitor on Sep 6, 2026
There are so many places worth checking out around Tapgol Park in Jongno, so while I was wandering around and the weather turned cool, I really wanted to enjoy some outdoor BBQ (yajang), so I visited Tapgol Gongwon Jongno 3-ga Branch.
Right by Tapgol Park — is this really a pork belly restaurant?
Tapgol Gongwon Jongno 3-ga Branch sits right in front of Tapgol Park, so you might wonder if it's really a Korean BBQ restaurant — but it is! The smell of grilling pork belly was wafting right there in front of the park.
Parking and the mood around Tapgol Park
There's a Nagwon Arcade parking lot right in front, plus a public parking lot, so I parked and walked about 2 minutes. I was surprised by how many people were there. It seems like more and more foreign visitors are coming to Jongno these days.
Location and opening hours
The address is 111 Supyo-ro, 1F, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea, 166m from Exit 5 of Jongno 3-ga Station, across from the east gate of Tapgol Park. It's open daily from 17:00 to 01:00. Phone connections aren't great, so I'd suggest reaching out through Naver Talk Talk.
No indoor seats: every table is outdoors
Tapgol Gongwon Jongno 3-ga Branch has no indoor seating at all. Everything is outdoor tables, so there's no scramble to grab a seat — everyone gets to enjoy the outdoor BBQ vibe.
Menu and prices
- Naju Grade-1 quick-frozen duck loin ₩18,000 — a premium duck loin made from raw Grade-1 duck produced in Naju, South Jeolla, and quick-frozen
- Grade-1 female pork quick-frozen pork belly ₩18,000 — fresh raw pork belly quick-frozen to preserve juiciness and savory flavor
- Grade-1 quick-frozen flower pork collar ₩19,000 — juicy, tender texture, freshness locked in through quick-freezing
- Melt-in-your-mouth beef brisket (chadolbagi) ₩20,000 — cooks fast on the grill, savory and tender
Side dishes that arrive as soon as you order
As soon as I ordered, out came green onion kimchi (pajimchi), spicy radish salad (musaengchae), seasoned squid, and kimchi, bean sprouts, bracken fern — plenty to enjoy alongside the pork belly! Every side dish was neat and clean, and everything tasted great.
Quick-frozen pork belly served in a clay jar
I can't stand waiting, so I ordered the quick-frozen pork belly. It came out in a little jar (hangari), which felt even more Korean and charming — this is definitely a place I'd want to bring a foreign friend to.
Stone-wall view and the sunset over Jongno
Grilling pork belly while gazing at the stone wall felt so unique. Watching the sun go down over the trees along the wall while eating pork belly — is that not the perfect evening?!
How did the quick-frozen pork belly taste?
I tried the golden-grilled pork belly plain first, with no dip, and it was savory yet clean-tasting. It's thin, so it's never chewy — it bites through soft, and the edges got nice and crispy for fun texture. The more you chew, the more that distinct pork savoriness spreads through your mouth, and you just keep reaching for more.
Kimchi, bean sprouts and bracken fern grilled in the fat
Grilling side dishes like kimchi, bean sprouts, and bracken fern (gosari) in the fat rendered from the pork belly took the flavor up another level. Kimchi soaked in fat turned tangy yet savory, and well-cooked bracken fern was chewy and fragrant — a perfect match for the quick-frozen pork belly. Pairing it with green onion kimchi cut through the richness too, so I kept trying new combinations. The meat quality was better than expected, so I couldn't put my chopsticks down. Eating with a gentle breeze blowing made it taste even better.
Indoor self-serve bar with wrap greens and sides
I stepped inside briefly to use the restroom and found a self-serve bar. There was lettuce for wraps and all the side dishes kept neatly stored, so I grabbed more whenever I needed.
Lettuce wraps with a dab of wasabi
You can't skip the lettuce wraps. Piling a piece of well-grilled pork belly on lettuce with kimchi, garlic, and ssamjang (dipping sauce), then taking a big bite, hits savory, salty, and crunchy all at once. Adding a bit of wasabi brought a clean, sharp kick — a delicacy in its own right.
Outdoor BBQ in Jongno: would I come back?
Above all, quick-frozen pork belly's charm is that, unlike thick-cut pork belly, it's thin and cooks fast, so you get that crispy grilled finish easily. Walking around Jongno, I kept thinking, why didn't I come here sooner? I'd recommend Tapgol Gongwon Jongno 3-ga Branch to anyone looking for a Jongno date spot or a great BBQ restaurant near Tapgol Park!
Where it is
111 Supyo-ro, 1F, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea서울특별시 종로구 수표로 111 1층
