Jeonju Maggoli (전주 막걸리)

Type: Maggoli bar

Price: 1st set 20.000 (3 bottles + side dishes) then one bottle 3.000

+ : delicious side dishes that change every week

– : only one type of maggoli

Location: Near Sangsu exit 1, behind Jamaica wang

One night, after dinning in Zion Boat with other students from my Korean class, we decided to do the 2nd round in a maggoli bar. Most of my classmates had been in Korea for a short time and didn’t try this Korean rice wine yet. The taste (and the color) can be a bit strange at first, but once you get use to it maggoli bars are nice places to drink while eating. Like wine, there is multiple varieties to taste, and unlike wine (in Korea), you can afford it when you are a student ;).

So after our dinner I asked the owner of Zion Boat if he knew any good places in the neighborhood and he sent me to Jeonju Maggoli. It is located in the basement right behind Jamaica Wang, and the place looks like any basic Korean restaurant: no decoration and cheap furniture. But since it was a recommendation we sat done and decided to order. (I later saw on the wall that famous Hongdae band went there, like Crying Nuts so it seems to be kind of famous.)

A thing that is a bit surprising is that your first order has to be a set (maggoli or beer). It is only after this that you can order by bottle. A set is 20,000 won and it comprised 3 bottles of beer or maggoli (the latter is served in giant tea-pot) and side dishes.

This can seem a bit inconvenient, but the reason behind this is that the place serves country side style side dishes: you get a lot of them and it is delicious. And on top of it some of them change every week (it was so good that we go back there regularly). In general you get some fried mushrooms (still frying when they get on the table) a soup (with chicken inside sometimes), a vegetable Korean pancake, and many other ones that can include sea food, spam, tteokpoki etc.

So yeah if you want to experience country side drinking food in Seoul the place is a must. Food is delicious, fresh and you can go back often to try new dishes. Just don’t eat too much before going there 😉  The only negative point is that they have only one type of maggoli, which is a bit sad considering that there is many delicious kinds. But I will soon make a post on an other maggoli place offering a wider choice.

Address: 서울 마포구 서교동 402-4번지

Phone: 070-8600-5342

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