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Dongdaemun Dakhanmari Guide 2026: Jinokhwa, ₩33,000 & How to Eat

Checked against 9 Korean sources on Oct 24, 2026 Published: Oct 24, 2026

The short answer: take a number, eat the chicken, order noodles last

This is the place for 2–4 people who want a clear, mild chicken soup. One chicken feeds up to four, so larger groups should ask staff how to split, and on hot summer days the dining room can feel like a sauna.

Jinokhwa Halmae Wonjo Dakhanmari (진옥화할매원조닭한마리) opened in 1978 and sits in Dakhanmari Alley (닭한마리 골목) next to Dongdaemun (동대문) Market. The main building has three floors, and there's an annex nearby.

Prices and menu (October 2026)

Dakhanmari is the dish everyone comes for. Staff bring a pot sized to your group once you sit down, and you only choose the add-ons (sari). Kimchi and water are self-service.

What first-time visitors should know

There are no reservations. Walk up to the counter at the entrance, take a paper number ticket and wait to be called. You don't need a Korean phone number or a waitlist app.

The menu is written in English, Chinese and Japanese, so you can just point. There are how-to-eat notes on the walls and tables, and some staff speak Japanese.

A Japanese traveler paid ₩37,000 for three people with a Japan-issued credit card in December 2025. Solo diners can order a whole chicken, but it's a lot of food, so two or more people get more out of the add-ons.

How long is the wait?

• Weekday, 7 p.m.: one visitor had 7–8 groups ahead and still got in within 5 minutes.
• Weekdays after 5:30 p.m.: expect a line to start forming.
• Saturday, 11:30 a.m.: about 15–20 minutes.
• After 9 p.m.: one diner waited around 30 minutes with a number ticket.
• Tickets have gone up to number 50 on busy days, and people still got seated within 30 minutes.
• Groups of four or more are treated as a group and can be seated as soon as a big table frees up.

There are lots of tables, so the line moves fast. If you want the shortest wait, go right after opening at lunchtime.

How to eat dakhanmari, step by step

1. When the pot arrives, staff cut the chicken into pieces with scissors.
2. Let it boil for 5–10 minutes. Start eating when staff say it's ready.
3. Put half the minced garlic in the pot and half in your sauce. Mix the sauce yourself from the dadegi (chili paste), soy sauce, vinegar and mustard on the table.
4. Rice cakes are ready when they float, and potatoes cook quickly too.
5. When the chicken is almost gone, order the noodles. Cook them in the broth and top them with a little kimchi at the end.

The broth is rich enough on its own. Adding dadegi or kimchi for heat is up to you.

Getting there and opening hours

It's 337 m from Dongdaemun Station Exit 9 and about a 5-minute walk from Jongno 5-ga (종로5가) Station Exit 5. The restaurant is tucked inside the alley, so search the Korean name 진옥화할매원조닭한마리 in your map app.

• Hours: 10:30–01:00 (last order 23:30)
• The annex opens at 12:00
• Open every day
• Takeout is available from the annex

Going with two to four people? Rice cakes first, noodles last. Follow that order and your first dakhanmari will be easy.

日本語: 東大門タッカンマリ陳玉華2026｜33,000ウォン・待ち方と食べ方