NVIDIA, Samsung and Hyundai Chairmen at This Chicken Spot? 4 Seoul Chicken Favorites

On the evening of the 30th, news circulated that NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang — visiting Korea for the first time in 15 years — will meet Samsung Electronics Chair Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Group Chair Chung Eui-sun at a Seoul chicken restaurant for a casual 'chimaek' get-together. The likely venue is the popular 'Kkanbu Chicken' in Samseong-dong. 'Kkanbu' literally means a close friend — a word many international visitors recognize from the Netflix hit Squid Game — so it made for a playful headline: the country’s leaders choosing Korea’s beloved chicken-and-beer ritual.

If you want to experience that same feeling with friends, here are four local chimaek spots worth trying.

1. A place for a relaxed drink, Seoul Jamwon-dong — Hanshin Chicken Hof
Known among Jamwon-dong residents as a go-to spot for anju (food to eat with alcohol), Hanshin Chicken Hof serves a wide menu — from fried chicken to seasoned salads, seafood, stews, and grilled dishes — so there’s something to pick for every group. The signature huraideu (fried) chicken arrives in impressively large pieces that fill a wide plate. The contrast between the crackly, crispy batter and the moist, juicy meat inside is what keeps locals coming back.
Location: 30, Sinbanpo-ro 23-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul
Hours: Daily 11:00–01:30

2. Rich garlic flavor, Seoul Chebu-dong — Mirak Chicken
Mirak Chicken is a hof-jip (a beer-and-anjoo pub) serving both chicken and a range of accompanying dishes. Their standout is the cheolpan maneul chicken (iron-plate garlic chicken): a sauce made from minced garlic, olive oil, pepper, and honey liberally brushed over the chicken’s surface. The chickens are aged, double-fried for extra crunch, and the bold, aromatic garlic cuts through the greasiness so you can keep eating without getting tired of it.
Location: 17-1, Jahamun-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Hours: Weekdays 14:00–01:00; Weekends 14:00–00:00

3. Fried chicken praised by comics chef Heo Young-man — Haenam Dakjip
Haenam Dakjip has been a long-time favorite around Konkuk University and even featured on Heo Young-man’s eating-travel program. After a recent renovation it looks like a proper chicken restaurant, but it started as a place that sold raw chickens and also fried them to order — which is why their fried chicken still tastes so fresh. The meat has a clean aroma without off-flavors, seasoned just right so it’s delicious even without extra salt or sauce. Don’t skip the well-fried gizzard pieces and the cabbage drenched in a mayo-ketchup mix (order separately — the portion is generous and pairs perfectly with the fried items). Freshly fried, well-seasoned huraideu chicken — highly recommended.
Location: 46, Neungdong-ro 13-gil, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul
Hours: 16:00–01:00 (closed Sundays)

4. The underground surprise at Express Bus Terminal — Matilda Barbecue Chicken
A hidden gem inside the Express Bus Terminal underground shopping area, Matilda Barbecue Chicken specializes in roasted (not fried) chickens that are light on oil. Their menu leans playful and modern — rose cream, anchovy-garmonde, and seasoned barbecue — flavors that appeal to the MZ generation. If it’s your first visit, try the original roast served with a ‘vitamin bokkeum’ side (a crisp vegetable sauté); the original is tender without being dry, keeps its juices, and the nutty finish goes well with the crunchy vitamin bokkeum and its slightly East-meets-West sauce. The restaurant pairs inventive sides with each main — pasta with rose cream, rice with anchovy-garmonde, and mashed potato with seasoned barbecue — so most choices are safe bets. Because the chickens are grilled rather than fried, it’s an easy, less-greasy option for a casual chimaek night.
Location: B1-5, Building 8, 219 Sinbanpo-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul (Express Bus Terminal underground arcade)
Hours: 16:00–24:00 (Thursdays close at 23:00)