We visited a cozy bar near Nakseongdae Station called Suljuyu! The four of us arrived on Saturday right as it opened at 6 PM. We ordered three dishes—spicy gochujang stew, yuringi chicken, and boneless chicken with lemon cream sauce—and paired them with soju. Every dish hit the spot, so we left very happy!
Nakseongdae Station seems to have quite a few charming independent bars with lovely lighting, and Suljuyu had exactly that feel. The room was pleasantly dim without being too dark, and it felt like a great spot for drinks with friends or a date!
Food Review, Paid for Ourselves | Spicy Gochujang Stew, Yuringi Chicken, and Lemon Cream Boneless Chicken
Since there were four of us, we ordered several dishes to go with our soju!
Spicy Gochujang Stew
The spicy gochujang stew really lived up to its name with a warming, peppery broth. One spoonful felt wonderfully soothing, making it a perfect companion to soju. It was almost like enjoying a hangover remedy while still having a drink.
There were thick pieces of meat, and each spoonful tasted even better with tofu and Korean zucchini. It does pack some heat, though! To me, it was about as spicy as Shin Ramyun, or a little hotter.
Suljuyu Yuringi Chicken
The yuringi, a fried chicken dish with a tangy soy-based dressing, arrived piled with vegetables over a bed of lettuce. It was easy to grab chicken and greens together, and it worked beautifully as a drinking snack.
What I especially appreciated was that the yuringi came already cut into easy-to-eat pieces!! All four of us could help ourselves without having to cut anything up.
The owner’s attention to detail is on another level. Haha.
Boneless Chicken with Lemon Cream Sauce
As for the lemon cream boneless chicken, the pieces were impressively large. They were generously covered in a sweet, tangy lemon cream sauce, and biting into the juicy chicken was such a treat.
Complimentary Snack: Fried Hardtack Crackers
They served fried hardtack crackers as the complimentary snack. A bar that brings out fried crackers? That’s a good sign in my book. (My personal rule, of course.)
Suljuyu Menu and Prices
Suljuyu offered a wide range of food, from bossam boiled pork and jokbal braised pig’s trotter sets to chicken, pasta, and soups.
I’ve listed the prices below from the menu photos taken during our visit!
Bossam · Jokbal Sets
Category | Menu | Price |
|---|---|---|
Bossam | Ogyeop Tofu Bossam (Boiled Skin-on Pork Belly with Tofu) | 39,000 KRW |
Bossam | Ogyeop Tofu Bossam + Mini Spicy Gochujang Stew | 48,000 KRW |
Bossam | Ogyeop Tofu Bossam + Choice of Perilla Oil or Spicy Buckwheat Noodles | 48,000 KRW |
Jokbal | Boneless Jokbal (Braised Pig’s Trotters) | 33,000 KRW |
Jokbal | Boneless Jokbal + Mini Spicy Gochujang Stew | 42,000 KRW |
Jokbal | Boneless Jokbal + Choice of Perilla Oil or Spicy Buckwheat Noodles | 42,000 KRW |
For the jokbal, switching to spicy buljok costs an extra 3,000 KRW.
Main Plates · Soups and Hot Pots
Category | Menu | Price |
|---|---|---|
Main plate | Grilled Pork Neck with Whole Garlic | 20,000 KRW |
Main plate | Suljuyu Yuringi Chicken | 22,000 KRW |
Main plate | Boneless Chicken with Lemon Cream Sauce | 18,000 KRW |
Main plate | Soy-Glazed Grilled Chicken | 18,000 KRW |
Main plate | Korean-Style Western Pork Cutlet | 18,000 KRW |
Main plate | Pollock Roe Cream Pasta / Shrimp Rosé Pasta | 16,000 KRW each |
Main plate | Cheese Quesadilla | 16,000 KRW |
Soup / hot pot | Spicy Gochujang Stew | 25,000 KRW |
Soup / hot pot | Suljuyu Jjamppong Soup (Spicy Seafood Soup) | 25,000 KRW |
Soup / hot pot | Beef Short Plate and Bean Sprout Hot Pot | 25,000 KRW |
Soup / hot pot | Dried Pollock and Dumpling Hot Pot | 25,000 KRW |
Adding cheese to the pork cutlet costs 2,000 KRW, and an extra cheese tortilla for the quesadilla is 9,000 KRW. Extra jjamppong noodles or udon for the soups cost 2,500 KRW each.
Side Dishes · Meals · Extras
Category | Menu | Price |
|---|---|---|
Side dish | Omija Fruit Punch (Schisandra Berry Punch) | 12,000 KRW |
Side dish | Gamtae Seaweed and Pollock Roe Gimbap | 13,000 KRW |
Side dish | Special Pineapple Sorbet | 12,000 KRW |
Side dish | Grilled Dried Pollock | 14,000 KRW |
Side dish | French Cheese Toast | 14,000 KRW |
Side dish | Spicy Cheese Tteokbokki (Rice Cakes) | 12,000 KRW |
Side dish | Chicken Skin Dumplings | 12,000 KRW |
Side dish | Watermelon Sorbet | 14,000 KRW |
Side dish | Butter-Fried Shredded Dried Squid | 14,000 KRW |
Side dish | Nachos and Salsa | 14,000 KRW |
Meal | Buckwheat Noodles with Perilla Oil | 10,000 KRW |
Meal | Spicy Mixed Buckwheat Noodles | 10,000 KRW |
Meal | Bacon and Kimchi Fried Rice | 10,000 KRW |
Meal | Beef Ramyun | 10,000 KRW |
Extra | Steamed Yeoju Rice | 1,500 KRW |
Extra | Rice with Butter, Soy Sauce, and Egg | 4,500 KRW |
Extra | Jjagyechi (Black Bean Noodles with Egg and Cheese) | 6,500 KRW |
The menu notes that tables of four or more cannot order only side dishes, so keep that in mind when choosing your food.
Atmosphere
It had the inviting feel of a bar with lighting that was just dim enough! The intimate, independent-bar vibe suited a get-together with friends, and I could easily picture coming here for a date.
There seemed to be around eight tables in total for two to four people. The spacing wasn’t particularly generous, but it was comfortable enough for conversation!
The message on the entrance door was so cute that I took a photo. Haha.
Saturday Evening Wait Times and Facilities
We arrived on Saturday as soon as it opened at 6 PM. There was no wait when we got there, and none before we left either. It seemed busiest around 8 PM.
Restrooms
The route to the restrooms was a little unusual. Step outside, head right, and follow a U-shaped route to the ground-floor entrance of the building housing the sashimi restaurant Gwang-eoya Wae Ureok. Use the building entrance, not the restaurant entrance. The photos below should help you get your bearings!
Inside, you use the building’s separate men’s and women’s restrooms. They weren’t particularly dirty, but the route could be confusing on a first visit. Directions and the restroom access code are posted near the bar’s entrance!
Smoking Location and Parking Information
There was a cigarette-butt bin outside the bar, so it looked as though people smoked out front.
Parking
I didn’t check the parking situation during our visit. Since the bar is on a side street, it’s worth asking before you go.
Looking for a bar with a lovely atmosphere near Nakseongdae Station? I’d recommend Suljuyu! We enjoyed all three dishes we ordered, and especially the gochujang stew for anyone who loves a warming, spicy broth.
It’s a nice choice for sharing several dishes over drinks with friends, and the softly dimmed lighting would work well for a date too!
