Unlimited marinated crab in Goyang: Deodeo Ganjanggejang

I had tried Deodeo Ganjanggejang Muhalliripil (더더간장게장무한리필) once before and loved it so much that I found myself thinking about it again after some time. It is already a very famous soy-marinated crab spot in Ilsan, and I was just as satisfied when I returned this time. There were no fewer than five Blue Ribbons posted at the entrance, so I could see why it is known as an Ilsan Blue Ribbon restaurant. With soy-marinated crab, spicy marinated crab, and crab stew all served generously, this unlimited crab meal in Ilsan really filled us up.

What to know about waiting and parking

Basic information

There is a dedicated parking lot, so visiting by car is convenient, but there were so many people that the lot could feel short on spaces at peak times.

We arrived a little late that day, but there were still about 12 parties ahead of us.

When you arrive, you need to put your name on the waiting list first. There was a waiting area with chairs, so we could sit down, and after about 30 minutes, our name was finally called and we went in.

The Blue Ribbons were what stood out most at the entrance. Not just one, but five of them! You could really feel the stature of this Ilsan Blue Ribbon restaurant. I had come back because I remembered enjoying it so much before, and my anticipation was already rising again before we even went inside.

The restaurant was absolutely packed with diners.

There were people of all ages, men and women alike, and perhaps because it was the weekend, I saw plenty of families too. It is already a word-of-mouth favorite for soy-marinated crab in Ilsan, so the wait certainly did not seem to be there for no reason.

Unlimited refill options and food for children

You can choose between the unlimited refill option and a set meal. Since we had come all this way, my family of course ordered the unlimited refill. The children's price was about ₩10,000, which felt reasonable, and rice can be ordered separately. Even if you come with children who cannot really eat marinated crab yet, there is no need to worry too much. There are dishes such as tteokgalbi (grilled beef patties) and steamed egg, plus basic side dishes and gim (roasted seaweed), so the children had food to eat. It is a good option for a family meal too.

The unlimited refill does not include only soy-marinated crab and spicy marinated crab; crab stew comes with it as well.

On top of that, ramen noodles to add to the crab stew come as part of the meal, so once everything is set on the table, it is truly a generous spread.

A few simple side dishes and a steamed egg were also served on the house.

Meaty soy-marinated and spicy marinated crab

First, we tried the soy-marinated crab and spicy marinated crab. They had the same fresh flavor I remembered from my earlier visit to Deodeo Ganjanggejang Muhalliripil. If anything, the soy-marinated crab tasted less salty to me than before, so I could eat even more this time.

The soy-marinated crab was wonderfully substantial and nutty, starting with the roe and innards inside the shell. The meat was packed in without empty spots, so squeezing it out was such a satisfying experience. It truly lived up to being the dish I had looked forward to most at this Ilsan soy-marinated crab restaurant.

I squeezed out the crab meat, placed it over hot rice, and had it with gim and myeongranjeot (salted pollock roe). It was so delicious.

My husband likes mixing rice into the crab shell, so he scraped it clean and made the most of every bit of the innards too.

You cannot leave out the spicy marinated crab either. Its sweet-and-spicy sauce instantly whetted my appetite, but above all, the crab meat was really substantial. The seasoning was so rich that it naturally made me want rice. I thought again that those five Ilsan Blue Ribbons were not there for nothing.

Finishing with refills and crab stew

When you ask for a refill, they bring out whole crabs and place two or so at a time on your table. We had about two more rounds of refills this way.

After eating that much, I did not feel that choosing unlimited crab in Ilsan had been a waste of money at all.

I had focused so hard on the marinated crab that I barely had room left for the crab stew, but my husband was different. He added ramen noodles to the stew and made sure to enjoy it properly right to the end. The one bite of crab stew broth I tried was so good that I wanted to pack it up and take it home. The refreshing, deep broth drawn from the crabs was just right, making it the perfect finish after the marinated crab. I loved that at this Ilsan soy-marinated crab restaurant, you can have crab stew and ramen in one meal too.

Instead of marinated crab, the children ordered one more steamed egg and ate rice with the side dishes and gim. The adults could focus on the crab while the children had their own food to eat, which made it easy for families to visit.

It had been a while since I returned to Deodeo Ganjanggejang Muhalliripil, but it was exactly as delicious as I remembered from my first visit. In fact, the soy-marinated crab seemed less salty that day, so I think I enjoyed even more of it. You can refill fresh, meaty soy-marinated and spicy marinated crab to your heart's content, then enjoy crab stew with ramen noodles, so I would recommend it to anyone looking for unlimited crab in Ilsan. Even factoring in the wait, it is an Ilsan soy-marinated crab restaurant that makes me want to return. True to an Ilsan Blue Ribbon restaurant with five ribbons displayed so prominently, I was satisfied with my second visit too. If you love marinated crab, come hungry and properly enjoy everything from the soy-marinated crab to the crab stew.