Hi, it’s Solyn. This time we went to Yongyong Seonsaeng.
I used to think malatang (Sichuan-style spicy hot pot) was all the same. That sharp, slightly sour broth, and numbing heat that overpowers everything else.
I’d eat it when friends suggested it, enjoy it fine, but never once think about it afterward. Then I tried Yongyong Seonsaeng, and now I have a problem.
This is one of those places I’ve been to more times than I can count — sometimes as a first stop for the night, sometimes as a second. It just works.
Getting there
From Isu Station on Line 4, take Exit 10. It’s about a 3-minute walk to Isu Plaza — the restaurant is in unit 106 on the ground floor.
The storefront is hard to miss at night, with its glowing Chinese signage and a dragon crest over the door.
The vibe
The concept is 1930s Hong Kong back alley — warm lighting, Chinese signage, and that slightly worn-in aesthetic that feels more like a neighborhood bar than a chain restaurant.
It’s loud. There’s always a group laughing somewhere, a round of drinks being poured, the sound of five hot pots bubbling at once.
I actually love that energy. It’s not the place you go for a quiet dinner — it’s the place you go when you want the night to feel alive.
What I ordered
The menu here covers a lot of ground — hot pot, fried dishes, noodles, and side dishes.
But the thing almost everyone orders is the hwasan mara jeongol (volcano malatang hot pot, 24,900 KRW / ~$18). It’s the signature, and for good reason.
When the pot arrives before you turn on the burner, the sheer amount of ingredients already inside is impressive. Meat, vegetables, tofu — everything sitting in that deep reddish broth.
Visually it looks almost too full to fit in the pot. It’s not. You watch it start to bubble, and the steam hits you first — that warm, slightly smoky, deeply spiced smell that makes your mouth water even if you just ate.
After a few minutes, the broth darkens and thickens slightly. That’s the moment. That’s when you know it’s ready.
I always add junghwamyeon (Chinese-style noodles) at the end. They soak up every last bit of the remaining broth — genuinely the best part of the whole experience, so do not skip this.
The meal also comes with a gibon anju (basic complimentary side dish) — peanuts and pickled radish.
Nothing fancy, but it fills in the gaps between bites of hot pot nicely, especially when the spice starts building.
If two sides feels right, the oksusu kkangpungi (crispy corn kung pao, 16,900 KRW / ~$13) is a solid call — light, crunchy, and a good contrast to the rich hot pot. The sacheon tangsuyuk (Sichuan sweet and sour pork, 19,900 KRW / ~$15) is equally worth it if you’re feeling hungrier.
One hot pot plus one or two sides is more than enough for two people to leave genuinely full.
The beer situation deserves its own mention. A cold Tera draft beer next to a hot malatang pot is one of those combinations that makes no logical sense but works completely.
The crispness cuts through the spice. You sip some broth, you sip some beer, and the broth somehow tastes even better than it did before.
The broth. That’s it. That’s the thing.
What makes it different from the typical malatang you’ll find everywhere in Seoul is the base. Most places go Sichuan-style — aggressive, tangy, almost acidic. Yongyong Seonsaeng goes Hong Kong/Cantonese: deep, rich, and savory without that sharp edge. Umami first, heat second.
It has that kind of savory depth where you find yourself drinking spoonfuls of it by itself, not just eating the ingredients. And then you add the noodles at the end and it’s almost too good.
The portion size is the other thing. One hot pot with a couple of sides is genuinely filling for two people. No upsell pressure, no feeling like you have to keep ordering. You go in, you eat well, you leave satisfied.
The wait on weekends. Friday and Saturday nights, the line outside gets real — I’ve waited close to 40 minutes on a Saturday after 9 PM.
If you’re planning a weekend visit, budget for that or try to get there right when they open. Weekday evenings are much easier: walk in around 6 or 7 PM and you’re usually seated within 10 minutes.
- Hours: Mon–Thu 5 PM–2 AM · Fri 5 PM–3 AM · Sat 4 PM–3 AM · Sun 4 PM–2 AM.
- Payment: Cards accepted.
- Ordering: Done via QR code at the table — scan, browse the photo menu, submit. This works in your favor if you don’t read Korean, since everything has photos and you can point and click without guessing.
- English menu: No English text, but the QR photo menu covers it.
- Drinks: The drinks menu is extensive — beyond draft beers like Tera and Tiger, there are cocktails and various soju-based drinks. It’s legitimately a bar as much as it’s a restaurant.
- Budget: Plan for 25,000–35,000 KRW per person including drinks (~$18–25). Just the hot pot and noodle add-on lands closer to 25,000 KRW.
Would I come back?
Already planning it. This is the kind of place that doesn’t need a reason — it’s the default answer when someone says “where should we eat near Isu?”
It works as a first stop, it works as a second, it works at 6 PM and it works at midnight. The hwasan mara jeongol is the draw, and the broth is the reason I keep going back.
And the fact that you walk out genuinely full, a little warm from the spice and the beer, for somewhere around 30,000 KRW a person? That’s a hard deal to beat anywhere in Seoul.
— Solyn