Korean set-menu restaurant near Meokgol Station, Jungnang: Sanchaega

Today I went to Sanchaega Hanjeongsik near Meokgol Station with my parents-in-law! It's supposed to be a famous hanjeongsik (Korean set-menu) restaurant in Jungnang, so I went in with high expectations — and it really was a good spot for a meal with parents, so let me jump straight into the honest review!

Location and parking at Sanchaega Hanjeongsik

• 📍 Location: 30 Dongil-ro 157-gil, Jungnang-gu, Seoul
• 🕰️ Hours: 11:00-22:00 (break time 15:30-17:00)
• 🚗 Parking available
• 🐶 No pets allowed

Sanchaega Hanjeongsik is really close to Meokgol Station! It's not far from the station at all, so it's easy to find, and it seemed like a great place to bring parents to.

Set menus, special sets, and even samgyeopsal

There was a regular set menu and a special set menu — and surprisingly, they also sell samgyeopsal (grilled pork belly)! We visited in the evening and the delicious samgyeopsal smell was wafting around, so even though I came for hanjeongsik, I suddenly wanted samgyeopsal too haha. But we'd already reserved the hanjeongsik that day, so the samgyeopsal will have to wait for next time!

The atmosphere and who eats here

This was the vibe inside Sanchaega Hanjeongsik! True to its reputation as a Meokgol Station favorite, there were quite a lot of customers — especially ones around my parents' generation enjoying their meals haha. So I felt good about bringing my in-laws along!

There was also a must-read sign at the entrance about how to enjoy Sanchaega Hanjeongsik best haha. Since we had a reservation, the food came out right after we sat down! We ordered the gondeure set menu and the gondeure special set menu that day.

The gondeure set spread — how it tasted

Almost everything was already set on the table when we arrived, so there was no waiting before we could dig in haha. From the side dishes to the main dishes, Sanchaega Hanjeongsik's seasoning was mild and comforting overall, like home cooking. I felt this kind of clean, tidy hanjeongsik was especially good for eating with parents!

My father-in-law's favorite: deodeok gui and hwangtae gui

And the dish my father-in-law enjoyed most — deodeok gui (grilled deodeok root) and hwangtae gui (grilled dried pollack)! He kept praising it as delicious, which made me quietly proud haha. The deodeok gui had a subtle fragrance and wasn't over-seasoned, so it was easy to eat without feeling heavy, and the hwangtae gui went great with rice too.

Wrap vegetables and jeyuk

Next came a series of fresh wrap vegetables — not wilted at all, which I liked. Among everything, I especially enjoyed the jeyuk (spicy stir-fried pork)! It wasn't too salty or too spicy, seasoned just right, with no gamey taste from the meat at all — perfectly to my taste. Wrapping it up with the vegetables, a whole bowl of rice disappeared in no time haha.

A whole grilled fish per person

Then came the grilled fish — and get this, it was one whole fish per person!! haha. With hanjeongsik you often end up sharing a small piece of grilled fish among everyone, so it was great that each of us got our own.

Doenjang jjigae and gondeure rice

And the dish I especially enjoyed at Sanchaega Hanjeongsik — the doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew)! Its savory, salty flavor paired really well with the gondeure rice. The gondeure rice wasn't too mushy either, with just the right texture of rice grains to eat alongside the side dishes! Topping the gondeure rice with a different side dish each time, I ended up eating quite a lot of rice before I knew it haha.

Finishing with nurungji

While we were still happily eating, they even brought out nurungji (scorched rice tea) at the end!! haha. I guess the proper way to finish a hanjeongsik meal is with nurungji? Ending with the warm, savory nurungji left me feeling full and satisfied. Overall, there were more tidy, comforting home-cooking-style dishes than intense flavors, which made me think this is a great place to eat with parents.

Final thoughts

🙋🏻‍♀️ A hanjeongsik spot in Jungnang worth knowing, also great for jeyuk bokkeum. If you're looking for a place to eat with your parents, Sanchaega Hanjeongsik near Meokgol Station is worth a visit!