Check out my vlog about eating dakgalbi in Seoul
What Is It?
Stir-fried chicken (Dakgalbi, 닭갈비) is another popular chicken cuisine in Korea. “Dak” means chicken and “Galbi” means rib. I am not sure why they put “rib” in the name, but dakgalbi is not chicken rib. They actually use chicken thighs. If you are looking for more traditional (and reasonable) Korean BBQ in Seoul & Busan, you can check my TOP BBQ restaurants here.
Dakgalbi is popular Among Teenagers and millennial. I hear that it is also popular in Malyasia where they actually have a great restaurant called, Mr. Dakgalbi.
Dakgalbi is a BBQ Style Chicken Marinated with Gochujang Based Sauce
Dakgalbi is stir-frying marinated chicken in a gochujang-based sauce with sweet potatoes, cabbage, perilla leaves, scallions, tteok (rice cake), and other ingredients. They usually use the chicken thigh and legs. It is a trend to include cheese into the pan at the end.
It is not pre-cooked but rather cooked like BBQ. As you might know, Koreans like to BBQ everything in front of you and chicken is not an exception lol. There is also a chicken BBQ like galbi style which became a trend recently. I will write about it soon, so please subscribe for an update.
The best part is to put ramen right before it is all cooked. And another better best part is to make it into fried rice with all the left over meat and sauce. I say it is the B.O.M.B.
Dakgalbi is usually associated with “food for younger kids and budget eaters,” because it is relatively cheaper than other BBQ.
Where Should I Eat Dakgalbi in Seoul, Korea?
Dak-E-Ro-Ga (닭으로가)
I go to a restaurant called Dak-E-Ro-Ga (닭으로가). I’ve been going here since high school. So it has been more than 15 years. The owner is always at the restaurant making sure to give you the best quality meat and service.
It is in the heart of Gangnam, and this is where a lot of K-pop stars go, because it is near all the Entertainment offices.
I can guarantee you that it is the best dakgalbi chicken BBQ restaurant in Seoul. There is a reason this restaurant has survived in an expensive Gangnam area for more than 15 years.
Pocha Factory (포차 팩토리)
Pocha factory is one of the most famous hunting restaurants in Seoul. It claims to be the biggest restaurant/ bar and people say you go in single and come out as a couple (except me).
Their spicy fire dakgalbi with cheese is the must order dish. It is spicier than other dakgalbi but with the cheese, it feels less crazy.
They throw events with about 800 tables and this is where people mix and get to chat with other people. It was a crazy blast which I would never experience this in America.
I bought the voucher from Klook where it says they let you cut the line. I didn’t know about it when I booked it and had to wait about an hour. Make sure to let the waiter know that you booked it from Klook and don’t make my mistake..
Chuncheon Dakgalbi Street
There are many places you can find Dakgalbi. However, nothing can beat Dakgalbi street in Chunchon. Dakgalbi originated from a town called Chuncheon. It is an hour to two hour away from Seoul. Chuncheon has a whole street dedicated for dakgalbi in Myeongdong, Chuncheon (It is not the sam Myeongdong in Seoul). And there is a festival every year around end of August or September. Check the exact date here or ask me for more information.
Hongdae
Hongdae is the best place to have dakgalbi as a lot of students and budget travelers live there. A lot of dakgalbi restaurants in Hongdae aslo offers cheese fondue. So after the cheese melts, you can dip your chicken in it, and apparently it is really popular among Chinese travelers.
- Yoogane Dakgalbi : There are few more around Seoul including Myeongdong, so check out their restaurant website for locations (I hear they have one in Singapore)
- Shin Mi Kyung Hongdae Dakgalbi is another great option. It is popular among foreigners as well.
I also wrote a three part best chicken cuisine in Korea. The first was Samgyetang, and you can read more about it here where my favorite restaurants are. Or you can easily buy the voucher online a dollar cheaper than in restaurant.
MyeongDong
- Jangin Dakgalbi is another great option if you are in Myeongdong. It is popular among foreigners as well.
I know it can be daunting to go to a restaurant that doesn’t get much foreigners, because the waiters don’t speak much English. BUT, you want to experience something REAL Korean and REAL Local. When this happens I usually us KLOOK App to book restaurants. They sell vouchers for restaurants, and all you need to do is show the voucher. So you don’t really have struggle using Google translator with the waiter.
There is a 35 dollars discount coupon going on till 4/30/2019. I am not sure if it means American dollar or Hong Kong dollar (It doesn’t give clear sign). Click the banner below to get the voucher! And let me know below comment if it’s HK dollar or USD dollar, so I can share with other readers as well 🙂
Best Dakgalbi Restaurant Map in Seoul
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Why You Should Eat It?
If you are into spicy and comfort food, this is your cuisine. Because they only use chicken thigh and legs, it is very soft. Also, the waiter cuts the bone out for you during BBQ (At least at Dak-E-Ro-Ga), so it is extremely easy to eat it.
RELATED: EVERYTHING MY FRIENDS WISHED THEY KNEW BEFORE VISITING KOREA | I WROTE IN DETAIL!
How Does It Taste Like and How Do You Eat It?
Before we talk about how it tastes like, let’s talk about how to eat it.
- This is a BBQ restaurant, so you will have to order two people’s portion
- When you order the chicken, you have to ask for ramen (cheese for some restaurants in Hongdae). Don’t ask after you start eating
- The waiter will do everything for you from cutting the bone out to stir frying in front of you
- When it’s almost cooked, the waiter will put ramen and cheese on the side.
- You have to eat the ramen first unless it will get bloated
- After eating ramen and the chicken, don’t forget to ask for fried rice
- The waiter will mix the rice with left over (It is the best part)
Dakgalbi Tastes Like the Korean Version of New Orleans Creole!
Dakgalbi is basically a stir fried chicken with a special gochujang. It has a taste of mild spicy and sweet. The special gochujang contains a lot of garlic, sugar and soy sauce. Because of the mix, it is not as spicy as you think gochujang would be. If I have to compare with an American cuisine, it kind of taste like the New Orleans creole, but with chicken.
Ask Us Anything about Restaurants! We are More than Happy to Help!
If you have any more questions about Dakgalbi, please let us know below comment. Also, if Dak-E-Ro-Ga is too far from your hotel or Airbnb, please let us know below and we will help you find the best one near your neighborhood.
We are working on 50 food types in Korea. There are probably more than 100 different types of food, but because of the time constraint, I chose 50 of my favorite food. You can check it out here!
Dak-E-Ro-Ga (닭으로가)
Tel: +82 2-518-9936
Addy: 102 Seosomun-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea