Yangsan Korean restaurant for family grilled fish: Deodo Gejang

This is Deodo Gejang, a truly satisfying Korean restaurant near Tongdosa Temple in Yangsan that I visited with my family last weekend.

I really want to recommend it to anyone planning a drive or outing around Ulsan or Busan, especially those looking for a tidy restaurant to take children to.

Deodo Gejang near Tongdosa Temple: Information

Deodo Gejang is at 2648 Yangsan-daero, Building 2, Unit 202, Habuk-myeon, Yangsan, Gyeongnam, near the Tongdosa Intercity Bus Terminal. It is open daily from 11:00 to 20:00, with last orders at 19:30, and stays open year-round. It is a large restaurant with ample parking, and I heard it has a chef with five-star hotel experience.

Lunch near Tongdosa Temple with a Child

This time, two adults and one child—three of us—visited Tongdosa Temple while taking a trip around Ulju, then came here for lunch. There are so many results when you search for good restaurants near Busan or Ulsan, but it is not easy to find a reliable Yangsan restaurant with dishes that are good to eat with a child.

When you enter the building, head straight to the right. It is open year-round, with no separate break time!

The main dishes are displayed by the entrance~

My first thought as soon as I walked in was, “It’s so clean!” The restaurant was very well maintained, so we could eat with peace of mind. The owner and staff also greeted us warmly with smiles, which put us in a good mood even before the meal~

And even though we visited after 3 p.m., there were quite a few customers. Definitely a popular spot........ haha

Three Grilled Fish and Soy-Marinated Yellow Crab Pot Rice Set

The menu was full of irresistible rice-pairing dishes, including soy-marinated crab, spicy marinated crab, and marinated abalone. After some deliberation, we ordered a set that let the adults enjoy the appeal of soy-marinated crab while giving our child the grilled fish they love.

We had just come from a café after having bread and coffee, and our child is still little, so we felt ordering for two was more than enough! We ordered the three grilled fish + soy-marinated yellow crab nourishing pot rice set for two, which was ₩48,000.

After ordering and waiting a moment, a neatly arranged full table of food arrived. The main dishes, nourishing pot rice, warm miyeokguk (seaweed soup), and assorted side dishes made my mouth water just looking at them.

Here is the nourishing pot rice! They also give you water for making sungnyung (scorched-rice tea) later, haha.

Along with the seaweed soup, there was also kkotgetang (blue crab soup) packed with crab!

The side dishes also included aged kimchi, kimchi pancake, fried tofu, and macaroni potato salad~

Non-Fishy Yellow Crab and Grilled Fish Our Child Loved

And then it was time to eat.. I started with the soy-marinated crab (yellow crab) I had been looking forward to most. They say the yellow crab here is made using only fresh yellow crabs caught in the clean waters off Jeju. And since it is made with a signature soy sauce incorporating the know-how of a chef from a five-star hotel, how could it not be delicious? Haha.

The moment I took a bite, I was surprised by the savory flavor spreading through my mouth. It was not fishy at all or overly salty, and the natural sweetness of the crab meat really came through. I can definitely vouch for the soy-marinated crab here! I immediately understood why it is known as a great crab restaurant in Yangsan. I scooped out the rice from the pot and mixed it with the crab marinade—honestly, it tasted like heaven.

The three kinds of grilled fish served alongside it were also excellent. They came out beautifully golden-brown. Crispy outside and moist inside, they were a real hit with our child. The fish was thick and seasoned just right, so it suited the adults’ tastes too. I think even people who cannot eat marinated crab would be fully satisfied with this grilled-fish set.

There was bulgogi (marinated grilled beef), too—exactly the kind of dish kids love~ Ahhh........

Finishing with Sungnyung

The best thing about pot rice has to be the sungnyung at the end! We poured water into the pot after scooping out the rice, then opened the lid near the end of the meal to find fragrant scorched-rice tea ready to enjoy. Having it with a remaining piece of grilled fish warmed me right through and made for a clean finish to the meal.

On the way out, I saw that the menu items are available for takeout too! Next time, I want to come back for the spicy marinated crab. Haha.

If you are looking for a great restaurant in Yangsan—especially a reliable Korean restaurant, a good marinated-crab restaurant, or a Tongdosa Temple restaurant recommendation—I strongly recommend visiting Deodo Gejang at least once! On my next visit, I plan to try the assorted marinated seafood set to see what its marinated abalone is like, too.