Cheonan seafood restaurant for dining with babies: Donghae Bada Hoetjip

The weather has gotten pleasantly cool lately, so I keep planning family meals out every weekend~ At 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 6, my sibling and their spouse, my adorable nieces and nephews (31 months and 13 months old), and the whole family went out for lunch together.

With two little ones who still need so much attention, I find myself carefully checking whether parking is easy and whether there are mild side dishes the babies can eat whenever we choose a restaurant. Seafood restaurants are usually geared toward adult gatherings, so I tend to be cautious about taking young children along—but this place was genuinely comfortable and satisfying for a family meal with babies! We visited Donghae Bada Hoetjip (동해바다횟집), a well-known seafood restaurant in Dujeong-dong, Cheonan~

Donghae Bada Hoetjip: location and parking

• Location: 1F, 5-11 Neulpureun 6-gil, Seobuk-gu, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 11:00–22:00
• Amenities: Spacious dedicated parking lot, group seating and private rooms, high chairs available

There is a spacious dedicated parking lot right in front of the restaurant, so we could park comfortably without worrying even at the weekend peak hour. When you are out with children, the short walk from the car to the restaurant matters most, and I loved that it was right there.

Inside, everything was neatly arranged and pleasantly clean. In particular, there were private rooms where you could have an intimate meal, so it seemed ideal for family gatherings or work dinners.

High chairs were available too, so it felt like a place where guests with babies could relax without feeling self-conscious~

The assorted sashimi and steamed seafood set

The three adults ordered a set with assorted sashimi and steamed seafood so we could have a generous meal. When you eat only sashimi, you naturally start craving something spicy, so this was just right: a satisfying combination that let us enjoy fresh live-fish sashimi and steamed seafood at once.

Once we had ordered, neatly presented seafood side dishes began filling the table~ It was a substantial spread of sides for the 31-month-old and 13-month-old babies too! What impressed me most was the boiled pork and grilled fish that came as basic side dishes!

Usually, when you bring babies to a seafood restaurant, there is nothing for them to eat, so you end up packing seaweed or store-bought baby food separately. But at Donghae Bada Hoetjip in Dujeong-dong, tender boiled pork with no off smell and golden, lightly seasoned grilled fish came as standard side dishes.

They were not heavily seasoned—nutty and soft—so when I put fish flesh and meat over white rice, my 31-month-old and 13-month-old nieces and nephews eagerly opened wide like baby birds and ate so well~ The children could eat their fill while the adults had their meal, which made for a relaxed lunch.

The pairing of springy sashimi and spicy steamed seafood

The assorted sashimi that arrived as the main dish looked glossy and beautiful just sitting there. As you would expect from a seafood specialist that receives ingredients directly from the source, it was exceptionally fresh~

The fish was sliced thick, giving it a wonderfully chewy, springy texture that filled the mouth. The more I chewed, the more the fish's subtle natural sweetness and savory flavor spread through.

Next came the steamed seafood, piled high on a large plate and immediately catching my eye. Crisp bean sprouts and tender seafood were thoroughly coated in a spicy, savory house sauce, and I simply could not put my chopsticks down~

It was not spice for spice's sake; it had the seafood's own deep savory flavor, making it perfect to mix with a bowl of rice. Finishing with spicy steamed seafood after the clean-tasting assorted sashimi made for a wonderful balance of flavors~

We also ordered a pork cutlet for my 30-month-old niece or nephew~ It was crispy and delicious, and we polished it off together in no time, haha.

The adults were treated to fresh assorted sashimi and spicy steamed seafood, while the children filled up on mild grilled fish and boiled pork, so we were very satisfied! With its spacious dedicated parking, comfortable rooms, and plenty for children to eat, Donghae Bada Hoetjip in Dujeong-dong is a restaurant I recommend for family meals or gatherings.