Kondae Food Guide 2026: 6 Best Spots — Lamb Skewer Street, Common Ground, Pyongyang Naengmyeon

Konkuk University Station: Start by Choosing Your Exit

Konkuk University is not one neighborhood but three. What you eat depends on which exit you take out of Konkuk University Station on Lines 2 and 7.

Leave through Exit 5, pass Rodeo Street and walk 50m down toward the Han River, and you reach Lamb Skewer Street. Per the figures Gwangjin District states, 76 shops are in operation, including 60-odd Chinese restaurants, and since the 1990s it has been a street visited by international students and local residents alike. Behind Exit 1 is Kondae Food Street (Mat-ui Geori), dominated by chimaek and grilled-meat restaurants, and a 196m walk from Exit 6 brings you to Common Ground, built from 200 shipping containers.

Every restaurant and street in this article was selected from places listed in official materials from the Korea Tourism Organization, Visit Seoul (Seoul Metropolitan Government) and the Gwangjin District Office. For each entry we note the signature dishes, and where the address and hours are confirmed, an address card with Naver, Google and Kakao map links sits below it. Show the address card as-is to a taxi driver.

1) Lamb Skewers — Kondae Lamb Skewer Street (Jayang-dong)

Kondae's signature player. Lamb skewer restaurants run by ethnic Chinese from Korea line the street, so it is also called a 'New Chinatown', and Chinese-language signs outnumber Korean ones. Nearly 100 spots selling lamb skewers are gathered here.

What to order — lamb skewers. Gyeongseong Yangkkochi, regarded as the oldest establishment on the street, runs its No. 1 and No. 2 branches facing each other across the alley, and serves lamb skewers cooked just right on an automatic grilling machine. The Korea Tourism Organization explains that the seasoning tames the gaminess, making the skewers nutty and tender. Besides lamb skewers, Chinese-style tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork) is another popular dish.

Getting there — leave Konkuk University Station on Lines 2 and 7 through Exit 5, pass Rodeo Street and walk down about 50m toward the banks of the Han River.

2) Chimaek and Grilled Meat — Kondae Food Street (Mat-ui Geori) (Hwayang-dong)

The alley behind Exit 1 of Konkuk University Station, between Achasan-ro 31-gil and Dongil-ro 22-gil. The Korea Tourism Organization introduces this street as a place of budget chimaek and grilled-meat restaurants.

Visiting around sunset in early September, a "ONE-WAY" marking was painted down the middle of the alley, signs for noraebang, hof, highball bars, chicken skewer houses and an Indian curry restaurant were lit up on both sides, and people were passing through. Overhead hung a banner for the "2026 Kondae Cheongchun-matgil Night Beer Festival" — the name Gwangjin District announced is 'Cheongchun-itgil'.

Festival — the schedule Gwangjin District states is September 10, 16:00–21:00, and the venue is the Food Street and Cheongchun-teulat area. 55 booths in all: 20 merchants' sales booths run by the merchants' association, 5 beer booths and 30 flea market booths. It is held jointly by the Kondae Merchants' Association and the Gwangjin Comprehensive Support Center of the Seoul Credit Guarantee Foundation.

3) Food Trucks and Containers — Common Ground (Achasan-ro 200)

Korea's first container culture space, built by stacking 200 shipping containers. The Seoul tourism guide introduces it as a place to enjoy shopping, food and lifestyle together, and the Korea Tourism Organization's article mentions the food trucks and the charming bites from mini shops that win over young people's palates.

Getting there — 196m from Exit 6 of Konkuk University Station on Lines 2 and 7.

Hours — 11:00–22:00, open year-round.

4) Pyongyang Naengmyeon — Seobuk Myeonok (Jayang-dong)

A house that has served Pyongyang naengmyeon for more than 50 years, since 1968. On the wall it operates under the large motto "大味必淡 (great flavor must be mild)". The Korea Tourism Organization's food column explains that the broth is made with generous amounts of vegetables, giving it a naturally sweet flavor.

What to order — mul naengmyeon, bibim naengmyeon and onmyeon. Hand-made dumplings, dumpling soup, suyuk (sliced boiled pork) and pyeonyuk (pressed meat) are also available.

Closed — every Sunday. Phone 02-457-8319.

5) Dwaeji Bulbaek (Spicy Stir-fried Pork) — Songnim Sikdang (Jayang-dong)

A driver's restaurant (gisa sikdang) that the Korea Tourism Organization's food column introduces as a dwaeji bulbaek specialist. The signature dish is the dwaeji bulbaek set meal, and seonji haejangguk (hangover soup with blood curd) is also available.

Hours — 06:00–23:00. It opens at 6 in the morning.m., so you can have breakfast there. Closed on public holidays. Phone 02-457-5473.

6) Ramen — Umaido Kondae Branch (Neungdong-ro)

The Korea Tourism Organization's English guide lists it as a Japanese ramen shop near Konkuk University. It serves ramen and dumplings.

Hours — 11:30–21:30, break time 14:30–17:00. Closed on public holidays. Phone 02-467-8788.

6 Spots at a Glance — Exits · Hours

Addresses and map links are on the card under each restaurant. The hours and menus were verified against Korea Tourism Organization, Seoul Metropolitan Government and Gwangjin District official materials in September 2026.