Bucheon Station seafood restaurant, solo monkfish plate: Haemul

Today I was on my way to a performance at the Seoul Theological University festival in Bucheon, so I stopped by the famous monkfish stew spot near Bucheon Station, Haemul Teukbyeolsi Bucheon Station branch (해물특별시 부천역본점).

Where is Haemul Teukbyeolsi Bucheon Station branch, and where do you park?

The restaurant is at 440-6 Buil-ro, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon, Gyeonggi, on the ground floor of a shopping block in the Bucheon Station district. It's about a 5–6 minute walk from Bucheon Station (Line 1): leave the station, follow Buil-ro straight ahead, and you'll see it.

If you're driving, search "Haemul Teukbyeolsi Bucheon Station branch" or the address on Naver Map or your navigation. There's no parking in the building itself; instead you use a dedicated lot in the basement of the Sangnok Free Zone Building and walk over. It's free for up to 2 hours. Just ask the staff after your meal.

• Mon–Fri: 16:00 to 05:00 the next day (last order 04:00)
• Sat–Sun: 11:30 to 04:00 the next day (last order 03:00)
• Closes early if the day's prepped seafood and monkfish sell out

What I ordered alone at Haemul Teukbyeolsi, and the prices

You order through a tablet at the table. Eating solo, I got a single-serving plate of monkfish stew for ₩28,000, plus one octopus (₩10,000) and shrimp (₩5,000) as extra toppings.

• Single-serving plate monkfish stew: ₩28,000
• Octopus (1): ₩10,000
• Shrimp: ₩5,000

You can pick your flavor and add toppings right on the tablet screen.

Can you eat monkfish stew alone near Bucheon Station?

Yes! Haemul Teukbyeolsi has a single-serving plate of monkfish stew (agujjim), so you can eat comfortably on your own. Monkfish stew and seafood stew are classic group dishes that usually need at least 2–3 people, so going alone often feels awkward, but with a 1-person menu I walked in without hesitating.

Exterior and interior atmosphere

When you arrive, a neatly refreshed blue sign catches your eye, with bold lettering reading "stone-plate monkfish stew" and "seafood soup."

I loved the witty neon sign, "What matters? Whether it tastes good!" The standing sign outside and the posters on the glass windows show the main seafood dishes at a glance.

Inside it's clean and retro, with the friendly feel of a Korean pub (pocha). Cylindrical metal tables and chairs that double as backrests and belongings storage are lined up neatly, so it's comfortable for eating alone or for a drink with friends after work.

The wall TV plays footage of the seafood being washed and cooked, as shown on TV, which made me trust the food even more.

A pillar also has a notice about an event: leave a receipt review and you get a whole squid or octopus topping as a free extra. Worth remembering if you visit.

What makes Haemul Teukbyeolsi special

• Approved by TV: It appeared on KBS2's Saengsaeng Jeongbo "Master of Business" (장사의 신), so the taste is already well proven. You get the stone-plate seafood stew looking just like it did on the show.
• Sizzling stone plate and 5 spice levels: You enjoy the look, aroma and taste of seafood and monkfish bubbling on a hot stone plate. Spice runs from level 1 (beginner) to level 5 (extreme), so choosing your challenge is fun.
• Varied menu and sides: Monkfish stew, seafood stew, algoni stew (roe stew) and more, with boneless options. Sides like corn cheese, steamed egg and udon are great too, perfect with soju, highballs or makgeolli.
• Big space and consistent taste: It seats up to 50, so it suits company dinners, family gatherings and dates. Fresh seafood and a standardized recipe reportedly keep the quality the same every time.
• Easy location and 2 hours of free parking: It's near Bucheon Station so it's easy to find, and if you drive, 2 hours of free parking makes the meal stress-free.

What does a single plate of monkfish stew with octopus and shrimp look like?

My main was the single-serving plate of monkfish stew, and to boost the seafood flavor even more I added octopus and shrimp toppings.

A big bowl came filled with red-sauced monkfish stew, piled high with fresh minari (water dropwort), plump shrimp, octopus, gon-i (monkfish roe/milt), sea squirt (mideodeok) and crunchy bean sprouts. It looked amazing.

Side dishes and sizzling corn cheese

Before the stew arrives, the table is set with white kimchi, pickled onions, seaweed soup and corn cheese on an iron plate. The combination worked really well together.

• White kimchi / pickled onions: Crunchy, sweet-and-sour white kimchi and pickled onions come neatly plated, cleansing your palate between bites of the spicy stew.
• Seaweed soup: A clear, refreshing, deeply savory seaweed soup, perfect for calming the heat.
• Iron-plate corn cheese: Golden-browned on a cast-iron plate and steaming hot, it was the best treat of all. The richness of the cheese and the sweet juice of the corn paired with the spicy stew sauce in a perfect sweet-and-salty combo.

How did the plate stew and extra toppings taste?

I tried the extra shrimp and octopus first. The big, meaty shrimp were seasoned through, so when I peeled one, savory flavor exploded in my mouth, and the octopus wasn't tough at all, with a springy, chewy texture that was excellent.

The main monkfish meat was moist and tender, and the bones separated easily from the flesh, so it was easy to eat. The chewy monkfish skin and the mild flesh went together wonderfully, and the roe and sea squirt inside popped with richness and a taste of the sea with every bite.

Wrap-up: when you want monkfish stew alone

The plate monkfish stew at Haemul Teukbyeolsi is the best choice if you want to enjoy a generous, varied monkfish stew even when eating alone.

• Toppings to taste: Add the seafood you like, such as octopus or shrimp, to make your own seafood monkfish stew.
• Solid side dishes: Corn cheese, seaweed soup and white kimchi balance the spiciness very well.
• Pleasant space: A clean restaurant with a friendly pocha vibe, suitable for meals and also for drinks.