1989-style five-spice jokbal in an alley by City Hall Station Exit 8: Manjok Ohyang Jokbal City Hall Main Branch

The Name of the City Hall Alley Changed from ‘Nolbu Mandu’ to ‘Manjok’ in 1989

Manjok Ohyang Jokbal City Hall Main Branch is a restaurant that opened in 1989 under the name ‘Nolbu Mandu’ and later continued under its current name. ‘Manjok’ is introduced as an abbreviation of mandu-guk and jokbal, which explains why tteok-mandu-guk, rather than jokbal alone, forms one of the main parts of the meal.

The area around City Hall Station is close to the Seoul City Hall, Deoksugung Palace, and Gwanghwamun business districts, making it a neighborhood with concentrated weekday lunch and dinner demand. The main branch is located at 134-7 Seosomun-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul, with the lot-number address Taepyeongno 2-ga 318-1. Since it is inside an alley rather than on a main street, it is best to enter while looking for the sign from the station exit.

2–5 Minutes from City Hall Station Exit 8: How to Enter via 134-7 Seosomun-ro

For subway access, City Hall Station Exit 8 on Line 2 is the most frequently recommended arrival point. Based on reviews and guide materials, the walk from the exit to the restaurant takes about 2–5 minutes. Since City Hall Station is served by Lines 1 and 2, it is easy to connect a visit with itineraries toward Myeongdong, Seoul Station, and Euljiro.

Set the destination as 134-7 Seosomun-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul, and then enter the alley. Reviews from 2022 and 2023 repeatedly mention that the entrance can be easy to miss at first because the restaurant is inside an alley, so it is safer to have the map open just before arrival.

• Subway: City Hall Station, Line 2, Exit 8; about a 2–5-minute walk
• Road-name address: 134-7 Seosomun-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
• Lot-number address: Taepyeongno 2-ga 318-1, Jung-gu, Seoul
• Telephone: 02-753-4755

Currently Listed Hours: 11:30–22:00 on Weekdays, 12:00–22:00 on Weekends, with No Regular Closing Day

The currently confirmed operating hours are 11:30–22:00 from Monday through Friday and 12:00–22:00 on Saturday and Sunday. Tableing indicates that there is neither a break time nor a regular closing day, but holiday closures, temporary closures, and the last-order time may change, so it is best to confirm on the day by calling 02-753-4755.

As this is a restaurant rather than an attraction with an admission fee, entry is free and customers pay only for the dishes they order. A March 2023 review reported waiting about 30 minutes just before 19:00 on a weekday evening, while other recent reviews mention entering without a wait on weekend evenings. Therefore, waiting times should be understood to vary depending on the day, party size, and time.

• Weekday hours: 11:30–22:00
• Weekend hours: 12:00–22:00
• Break time: Listed as none
• Regular closing day: Listed as none
• Admission: Free

From KRW 36,000 for Medium and KRW 41,000 for Large: Ordering Options Including Single-Person Lunch Dishes

The signature jokbal is listed at KRW 36,000 for medium and KRW 41,000 for large. Half-and-half jokbal costs KRW 39,000 for medium and KRW 47,000 for large; Manjok Ohyang bossam costs KRW 35,000 for medium and KRW 40,000 for large; and the jokbal and bossam set costs KRW 41,000 for medium and KRW 49,000 for large.

Even for solo diners, there are individual lunch options such as bossam set meal for KRW 11,000, clam kalguksu for KRW 10,000, spicy stir-fried pork for KRW 10,500, dubu jjageuli for KRW 10,000, and tteok-mandu-guk for KRW 9,000. Mul naengmyeon and bibim naengmyeon are both KRW 9,500, while the naengmyeon and bossam set is KRW 12,000, so solo travelers or those seeking a light lunch can avoid ordering a large serving of jokbal.

• Manjok Ohyang Jokbal: medium KRW 36,000, large KRW 41,000
• Half-and-half jokbal: medium KRW 39,000, large KRW 47,000
• Spicy jokbal: KRW 38,000
• Manjok chilled jokbal, mini chilled platter: KRW 20,000
• Tteok-mandu-guk: KRW 9,000

A 38.5°C Warming Cabinet and Five-Spice Sauce: How Dining In Differs from Takeout

The official website states that the warming cabinet dedicated to jokbal maintains a temperature of 38.5°C. The Michelin Guide describes this restaurant as the first in Korea to develop ‘on-jokbal,’ or warm jokbal, and notes that quality between branches is managed through a centralized supply and integrated logistics system.

Dining in often involves having tteok-mandu-guk together with the meal. A March 2023 visit review described cooking tteok-mandu-guk at the table using beef-bone broth and refilling side dishes at a self-service bar. Takeout and delivery are also available. Takeout instructions state that the food should be eaten within one hour of purchase and, if it cannot be eaten immediately, refrigerated for no more than one day.

No Parking, Reservations Listed as Available: Deciding How to Visit for Waiting and Takeout

Parking is listed as unavailable, so using the subway is more practical than driving. Tableing and Ppole list reservations as available, but some older reviews contain mixed information, including that reservations were unavailable or that group reservations were possible. Since policies may vary by party size and time, groups should call ahead to confirm whether reservations are available.

Takeout and delivery are listed as available. Reviews mention seating on the first and second floors of the main branch, but the number of seats has not been officially confirmed. No authoritative, up-to-date information was found regarding wheelchair or stroller accessibility or the availability of foreign-language menus and guidance. Considering the alley entrance and movement between indoor floors, visitors with limited mobility should inquire by phone before deciding to visit.

• Parking: Listed as unavailable
• Takeout: Available
• Delivery: Available
• Reservations: Listed as available, but phone confirmation by party size and time is recommended
• Recommended time required: About 60–90 minutes for the meal, excluding waiting

An Approximately 1-km City Hall Evening Route Combining Deoksugung Palace and Seoul City Hall

The restaurant is close to Seoul City Hall and the Deoksugung Palace area, making it a convenient place for dinner after visiting the palace, plaza, and Jeongdong or taking a walk nearby. However, the restaurant is inside an alley and may have a wait during weekday rush hour. For easier itinerary management, it is better to avoid the mealtime peak by having an early dinner around 17:00 or dining after 20:00 rather than arriving immediately after finishing a visit to Deoksugung Palace.

The Michelin Guide lists Manjok Ohyang Jokbal as a Seoul restaurant, and a Trip.com review mentions that it was selected for the Michelin Guide Seoul Bib Gourmand for seven consecutive years from 2017 to 2023. Since selections may vary by year, it is more appropriate to understand the Michelin recognition as part of the restaurant’s accumulated review history rather than as information guaranteeing the quality of service or waiting time on the day of your visit.