Exalt the rib, and worship at its fatty mountain, for Sam Ryan’s is the lord of the Tuesday specials. At least, that was the sentiment among Groove’s food judges at the end of Part 1 of the Tuesday Taste-Off. A few weeks later, however, Tyron Butler, Paloma Julian and Chris Jones set off on a brisk night in Itaewon to try five new Tuesday specials. Could any stand up to the tender ribs of Sam Ryan’s? Would any unseat the No. 2 contender, Wolfhound?

Butler, Julian and Jones chewed through two steaks, a few dozen wings, and a hefty burger to decide.

Dillinger’s

The special: Half-price burger and fries for 5,000 won

Its walls decorated with black-and-white photos of Chicago and vintage “Wanted by the FBI” posters, Dilinger’s tries for a speakeasy theme. Cone-shaped hanging lamps cast yellow light around the wood-paneled walls, and patrons sit on tall stools, sipping whiskey out of mason jars. The illusion almost works. Then “Love Shack” slithers through the speakers, and you remember, yes, it’s Itaewon circa 2010.

Al Capone never listened to the B52’s, but he would have probably appreciated the Dilinger’s American-sized burger. The judges’ came in 15 minutes, with thorough fixings and fries still steaming hot. Butler gave high marks for juiciness and the inclusion of lettuce, tomato, onions, steak sauce and Tabasco. Julian also gave high marks for the burger, and noted that a third of one would probably be enough to fill her up.

“Could be the hidden gem of Tuesday specials,” Jones wrote.

Early in the night, the bar had just a few tables of customers. The hushed conversation coming from the patrons contributed to the speakeasy vibe. “It feels cozy, maybe because of the warm colors in contrast with the black and white pictures hanging on the walls,” Julian said. Butler took points for the subdued atmosphere.

3 Alley Pub

The special: 300 won chicken wings

Three Alleys is the kind of place Cliff Clavin, the mail-toting boozer from “Cheers,” might frequent, if he were real and living in Seoul. The bar’s walls are covered with plaques and trophies, totems bearing the names of darts and pool teams that seem to say, “Expats accept us, like us, compete for us.”

When the judges arrived for the taste test, the place was bustling. Nirvana and the Verve drifted around the bar. A few groups waited at the front doors for tables. We found a ledge big enough to hold drinks near the dartboards and ordered 10 honey garlic wings and 10 hot wings.

The food came out in six minutes, the fastest delivery time of the night. Jones gave high marks for the efficiency of the servers, but noted that he felt a little rushed. “Seems like turnover is most important,” he wrote. “There is a line for seats, so they keep the machine rollin’.” Julian took points for their 2,000 won water policy.

The wings themselves got lackluster marks from the judges. “The wings are too dry,” Julian wrote. “The honey garlic ones can kill Dracula with no problem, and the spicy ones left me my lips like Angelina´s (who knows... could be a good thing).” “Sauces without thought,” Butler noted.

The bar got highest marks for its authentic feel. Butler gave it the highest possible rating for atmosphere, though he wrote that its interior is “dated and tired.” Julian liked the 90s rock and lively crowd.

Roofers

The special: Steak, potatoes and a beer for 12,000 won

What’s that fruity smell? Why are those stuffed animals hanging from the ceiling? Is that a giant wreath of birch branches? Where are we?

The judges descended into the rabbit hole that is Roofers for the strangest experience of the Taste-Off. Roofers’ checkerboard floor, wafting cherry-scented smoke and unusual décor induced euphoria. The group picked a table near the bar’s blue-felt pool table and ordered a sirloin steak, cooked medium-rare. Softly pulsing electronic music and burning candles added to the bar’s otherworldly feel. In warmer weather, Roofers’ patrons sit upstairs on the rooftop; on this chilly night a few groups hunkered down in the den, chatting and smoking hookahs.

The steak came in 15 minutes. It was thin -- about 1.5 centimeters -- and crisscrossed with black grill marks. Julian and Butler said the taste of the steak was good, but the quality of the cut wasn’t. Jones took points for the lack of a steak knife and profusion of gristle. “Seeing Ty trying to cut it is like seeing a hunter trying to kill a tiger with a spoon,” Julian noted. Julian gave credit, though, for the cooked-from-scratch potatoes.

The bar scored highest for its funky atmosphere. “A complete mish-mash of tastes,” Butler wrote, “but has potential for a good night out.” Julian appreciated the uniqueness of the place, but Jones said the clash of styles gave a feeling of incompleteness.

Hollywood

The Special: 15,000 won for a steak, potatoes and beer

Partying without music is like eating pancakes without syrup. Music is essential -- as a fun-maker, but also as an aural buffer between conversations. Sadly, something had happened to the music at Hollywood; its volume was so low as to be inaudible. Every once in a while, the group caught the sound of a bass line. The full song never surfaced, though, and we sat listening as the woman at the neighboring table described pooping at her boyfriend’s house.

Hollywood may be rocking on nights when soccer players gather there to celebrate or watch a big game, but that wasn’t tonight. A few groups sat around chatting or playing darts, and we were left to learn too much about them as we waited for our steak.

The steak came quickly -- a fine-looking strip with garlic bread and thin fries. Hollywood’s steak was twice the thickness of Roofers’. Butler cut into it (this time with a steak knife), to reveal pink flesh. The steak looked great. Unfortunately, it wasn’t. “Not very tender,” Jones wrote. “Quite the opposite.” The steak wasn’t gristly so much as tough and chewy. “Looks great when it comes, smells good too,” Julian wrote. “One bite and… is it meat or cork?!”

Hollywood’s interior got a facelift recently, and has lots of things to keep patrons entertained -- flat screen TVs, fussball table, darts, pool. Jerseys from European and Korean teams hang around the bar. “Décor was decent and fresh,” Butler wrote.

Scrooge

The Special: 5,000 won for 10 wings and a beer

Scrooge is territory of the Survivors, Seoul’s own expat rugby team, and proof of their success is scattered around the bar. A glass cabinet in one corner holds trophies and plaques, and a picture hanging on a rafter shows a player jumping out of a scrum, trying to grasp a floating pint of beer. “Very much a sports bar,” Butler wrote.

Scrooge’s décor is borderline generic -- metal stools, wood floors, pool table, beer ads on the walls. But a rowdy crowd, enlivened by a guy air-drumming at the bar and a mix of hip-hop and dance music, helped elevate its atmosphere. “The music transports you to an Ibiza club,” Julian wrote. But all things must pass, as George Harrison knew, and soon the lively dance music had been replaced with Bon Jovi. Groundhog Night in Itaewon.

The wings came out quickly, and impressed the judges. “Great,” Julian wrote. “Tender inside and crunchy outside.” “Wings were a decent size, and not over-sauced,” Jones wrote. The price -- 5,000 won for food and a drink -- was among the lowest of the Taste-Off. The bar was busy, but service was still fast and frequent.

The Verdict:

Hail the Well-Rounded

• The Dilinger’s burger was the clear winner in the taste category, but that wasn’t enough to push it to the front of Part 2 of the Tuesday Taste-Off.

• Scrooge captured that honor with a good all-around package -- fast service, cheap and tasty wings, and a rowdy but not overcrowded atmosphere.

• Scrooge’s wing and beer combo is the second-best Tuesday special, and Dilinger’s ties Wolfhound for third.

• Sam Ryan’s still sits at the top of the heap for its tender ribs.

By Josh Foreman

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