Nogun Kkochi in Ansan Gojan-dong: Outdoor Bar Review

Hi, this is Izzingne! Today I went to the outdoor bar street in Gojan-dong, Ansan. It has been a really popular spot for the past few years, so I often go when the weather is nice. I visited again before it got even hotter. Gojan-dong’s yanjang, or outdoor drinking area, is already quite well known. If you do not get a seat around 5 to 6 p.m., the wait can get long. I visited around 7 p.m. on a Friday, and the other places were already full. To me, Nogun Kkochi feels a little more like a second-round drinking spot, so maybe that is why there were still seats. We decided to go in.

The location is on Ansan’s Gojan-dong outdoor bar street. Hours: 18:00–01:00 Last order: 00:00 Fridays and Saturdays: open until 02:00

There were also table seats outside the shop, but I saw this window seat inside and chose to sit there. It felt more atmospheric and nicer than the plastic tables outside.

O-kko Set: 40,000 won

For the menu, we chose a set menu where we could have both oden soup and skewers.

The fish cake soup came out first, and they lit a candle underneath so we could eat it warm until the end. The broth was rich and had the feel of Japanese-style oden soup. There was also a lot of fish cake inside, so we could not finish it all.

About nine skewers came out, with different kinds included. I wondered what the fork on the side was for, and it turned out to be for sliding the food off the skewers.

The skewers were already fully cooked when they came out, but if you put them on the brazier they served with the food, you can eat them piping hot. The brazier lasted longer than I expected. We ate for about two hours, and it stayed warm for a long time. I really like grilled ginkgo nuts, so we each had one. I think the chicken thigh skewer was the softest and the tastiest.

The whole table looked full of atmosphere. Even though the weather was a little hot, I liked that the food could stay warm. The drinks went down easily too.

There were sauces to dip the skewers in, and all three kinds were good. I was busy trying them all evenly.

There were outdoor tables spread out in front, so it was fun to people-watch. I also saw people here and there trying to meet others, and my sister and I found it so interesting to watch. There are many outdoor setups at other places besides Nogun Kkochi too, so if you are curious about a Korean yanjang-style bar, I recommend coming at least once.

This is a photo I took on the way home after eating. It was probably around 11 p.m. I remember there were even more people by then, and it felt hectic. As expected, Gojan-dong is hot on Fridays.

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