Sinju Dakbal Bongcheon Branch
신주닭발 봉천점
About
Cozy chicken feet spot near Sharosu-gil serving comforting soupy chicken feet simmered alongside bean sprout broth.
Tucked along Sharosu-gil near Seoul National University Station, Sinju Dakbal operates out of an intimate, seven-table dining room where the stove-top flame stays busy until three in the morning. While grilled versions appear on the menu, this Gwanak haunt makes its reputation almost entirely on bubbling pots of *gukmul dakbal* (soupy chicken feet). The draw is the simmering broth: a vibrant, crimson reduction that lands on the palate with a clean, assertive heat rather than mouth-numbing pain. Diners can order bone-in, boneless, or a half-and-half mix. When simmered over portable tabletop burners, the chicken feet soften until the tender skin slips effortlessly from the bone. Pans arrive studded with sliced sausages, and regulars frequently drop in an order of thick udon noodles to soak up the sauce. The ritual here relies heavily on the complimentary side dishes. Cold bean sprout soup (*kongnamulguk*), yellow pickled radish, and chilled aged white kimchi (*baek-kimchi*) arrive first. Savvy guests mound the crisp bean sprouts directly atop the stew; as the pot cooks down, ladling the mild sprout broth into the pan extends the meal without muting the seasoned spice base. To temper the simmered chili heat, orders rarely skip the *gyeranjim*—a silky, pudding-textured steamed egg crowned with a fragrant drizzle of toasted sesame oil. Starch rounds out the night: hand-shaped *jumeokbap* (seasoned rice balls) are dragged directly through the thick broth, while tables finishing off their pan opt for kimchi-flecked fried rice crisped right against the metal bottom. Paired with icy drafts of *somaek* (soju and beer), Sinju Dakbal offers a cozy, no-nonsense late-night refuge for unpretentious, savory street-food drinking.
Menu
- Spicy Soupy Chicken Feet
- Steamed Egg
- Rice Balls
- Boneless Chicken Feet₩20,000
- 반반닭발₩24,000
- 신주닭발₩20,000
- Spicy Braised Chicken₩30,000
- Spicy Cartilage₩17,000
- 통마늘 똥집볶음₩17,000
- 똥집팝콘튀김₩17,000
- Cheese Rolled Omelet₩15,000
- Dried Pollock₩15,000
Local tips
- Top your chicken feet with bean sprouts and bean sprout broth as it simmers down.
- Order the silky steamed egg drizzled with sesame oil to temper the spice.
- Pair the spicy broth with rice balls or finish with fried rice.
Details
- Seoul National University Station
Opening hours
- Sunday
- —
- Monday
- 17:00–03:00
- Tuesday
- 17:00–03:00
- Wednesday
- 17:00–03:00
- Thursday
- 17:00–03:00
- Friday
- 17:00–03:00
- Saturday
- 17:00–03:00