Kiosk ordering at a Geumcheon-dong tteokbokki bar: Bubu Duri Cheongju

Hi everyone~ Today I visited Bubu Duri Tteokbokki Cheongju Geumcheon Branch in Geumcheon-dong, Cheongju. I'm a tteokbokki (spicy rice cake) addict so I need to restock regularly haha,,,! I've pretty much eaten at every famous place, chains and meal kits included, so there's not much tteokbokki I haven't tried — but this was my first time at Bubu Duri, so I went in with high expectations.

Bubu Duri Tteokbokki Cheongju Geumcheon Branch hours and parking

Bubu Duri Tteokbokki Cheongju Geumcheon Branch opens at noon and stays open until 2am the next day. Last order is 01:30. On Sundays it's open 12:00–24:00 with last order at 23:30, and it's closed every Monday.

There's street parking nearby with marked lines. There are also plenty of alleys around, so parking is easy.

The orange striped sign really stands out, so I found the place at a glance. The eye-catching interior makes it look exactly like a tteokbokki shop,,,!

Inside Bubu Duri Tteokbokki: seating and an old-school prize machine

The inside of Bubu Duri Tteokbokki Cheongju Geumcheon Branch is also orange-toned, but retro, clean and tidy. There are plenty of tables spaced out generously, so you can eat comfortably. There's also a nostalgic gacha (toy capsule) machine, which could be fun to try on your way out.

How kiosk ordering and the self-serve bar work

Each table has its own kiosk for ordering and prepaying. We ordered the Bubu Tteokbokki, mixed fried snacks, fish cake, and chapssal sundae (sticky rice blood sausage). Water, fish cake broth, pickled radish and other side dishes, plus small plates and bowls, are all self-serve. You can help yourself to as much as you want and grab whatever you need right away, which was convenient.

I also grabbed some soy sauce and salt from the self-serve corner to go with the food. The self-serve bar was completely spotless! I'm the type who cares a lot about hygiene when choosing where to eat, so this was really satisfying too.

How do the Bubu Tteokbokki, fried snacks and chapssal sundae taste?

After about 10 minutes, our order arrived. Bubu Duri's tteokbokki uses wheat rice cakes with a bit of broth, and the sweet-spicy level was just right — it suited both my love of spicy food and my companion's preference for a milder, sweeter balance. The sauce isn't too heavy or salty, which I appreciated. Who knew it could taste this good while being less intense? Really delicious.

It seemed to be cooked to order — everything was hot and the portions were generous enough to fill us up. The fried snacks used clean oil, so there was zero sogginess, which I loved, and the chapssal sundae was really tasty. It seemed to come pre-seasoned with pepper, since it had a strong peppery flavor with no gamey smell at all, and it paired well with the other dishes.

Look at how crispy the fried snacks are and how chewy the sundae is,,! Truly delicious. Usually I finish almost everything when I go out to eat, but here the portions were so generous I got too full to finish. Even though we went after the usual meal time, customers kept coming in and delivery orders kept coming in too — clearly a spot everyone loves eating at!

Is Bubu Duri Tteokbokki worth a second visit?

This was my first visit, and it suited my taste so well that I think I'll be a regular. It's surprisingly hard to find a snack bar that really matches your palate, but this place isn't too intense, tastes great, and gives generous portions — two birds, one stone! The owner was also really kind, so I left in a good mood. Since it's open until 2am the next day, you can drop by anytime for a comfortable snack set. If you're nearby, I'd definitely recommend giving it a try.

Another satisfying meal today!