Jongno 3-ga outdoor Korean BBQ: Saturday 7pm waiting and table seats

As the weather started to warm up a bit, there were more and more days when I craved grilled meat at an outdoor table (야장). I've been having a lot of those days lately, so I looked around Jongno and ended up visiting Tapgol Gongwon Jongno 3-ga Branch, which looked like a solid Jongno 3-ga restaurant pick.

Jongno itself is famous for its outdoor dining atmosphere, and on nice days there's definitely something fun about eating at an outdoor table.

How long is the wait for outdoor BBQ in Jongno 3-ga?

When making plans in Jongno during outdoor dining season, seating is quietly the biggest worry. You hear about a great outdoor BBQ spot and head over, only to find there are barely any outdoor tables and now you're stuck waiting. On Fridays and Saturdays, waiting is basically a given after 5pm.

Tapgol Gongwon Jongno 3-ga Branch had a relatively manageable wait for the same time slot. What mattered most to me was the number of seats and the overall vibe, and the seating was spacious with generous gaps between tables, which I really liked.

• 111 Supyo-ro, 1st floor, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Daily 17:00 - 01:00 (next day)

Outdoor tables in front and table-number lamps

There's a wide row of outdoor tables set up in front of the restaurant, so on a nice day the whole vibe just shifts completely. Add in the unique Jongno Tapgol Park foot traffic passing by, and what started as a plain weeknight dinner suddenly felt a little like being on a trip.

Each table's lamp had a table number printed on it, and the system was to just tell staff your table number when paying. And with so many outdoor seats available, it looked like a great fit for groups of 2 to 4.

Beside the seats there was a basket with cutlery, wet wipes, and cups.

Ordering frozen pork belly for two and steamed egg

What caught my eye at Tapgol Gongwon Jongno 3-ga Branch was the meat menu. The main options were the Tapgol Set, frozen pork belly, and frozen flower pork collar, and we ordered two servings of frozen pork belly.

The basic side dishes — bracken fern, green onion kimchi, bean sprouts, kimchi — were generous and satisfying.

Here's the frozen pork belly and steamed egg we ordered! A meal isn't a meal without some protein.

Do I even need to explain the outdoor-BBQ-plus-meat combo? Sit outside, start grilling, and between the smell and the atmosphere, it's just perfect.

Put a piece of meat on the grill, chat while it cooks, eat a piece, chat some more — that's the whole charm of outdoor dining. Plus, since it was frozen pork belly, it cooked fast, so we didn't have to wait long, which I appreciated.

They grilled up the bracken fern, kimchi, and bean sprouts from the side dishes too, plus beer — which is non-negotiable at an outdoor BBQ spot!

Finishing with kimchi fried rice

There are also meal items like kimchi fried rice and stews, so you can round things off properly. We finished up full and satisfied with the savory kimchi fried rice.

Self-service corner and restroom location

The self-service corner was located inside the store on one side. Aprons, bottled water, and small plates were all available there.

The restroom was inside the store, at the end of the outdoor dining alley.

Who is this place good for?

Personally, what I liked most about Tapgol Gongwon Jongno 3-ga Branch was the atmosphere. Indoors, you focus on the food, but outdoors, you get to enjoy the surrounding vibe along with it.

The chatter from the next table, the passersby, the outside air — it all blends together naturally, and somehow the meal ends up feeling a little longer. It's a great fit especially for catching up with friends after a while or for a casual drink after work. It also seemed like a good option for a date, a friend gathering, or an after-work group dinner.

Personally, I'd recommend visiting during weather like this — not too hot, not too cold. I get why people flock to outdoor BBQ spots during this kind of season now. On nice-weather days, outdoor dining really is the way to go. If you're looking for a Jongno 3-ga restaurant plus outdoor dining plus meat combo, this is one I'd especially recommend. Just keep in mind the wait was about 10 to 20 parties on a Saturday at 7pm in early September!