Octopus hot plate on a dog-friendly patio in Magok, Seoul: Jju Baksa

Jju Baksa Magok Branch is a great spot for webfoot octopus near Seoul Botanic Park.

I was trying to figure out what to eat near Seoul Botanic Park and ended up craving something spicy, so I visited Jju Baksa Magok Branch! Instead of just octopus on its own, the menu comes as a hearty set with beef brisket, rice balls, steamed egg, flying fish roe, corn butter, and more. You can also choose your spice level, so it's a solid Seoul Botanic Park restaurant that works whether you love spicy food or you're a total spice wimp.

Location, parking, and dog-friendly outdoor seating at Jju Baksa Magok Branch

Jju Baksa Magok Branch is located on the 1st floor of Daebang DMC 2. It's open daily from 11:00 to 1:00 the next day, and parking is available.

It was convenient to visit by car. Best of all, parking is available for up to 2 hours 30 minutes, so I wasn't rushed while eating.

In weather this cool, I'd definitely recommend the outdoor terrace seats!

There are outdoor tables set up in front of the restaurant, perfect for enjoying octopus with a drink in the evening breeze. The outdoor terrace also allows dogs, so it could be a good option for anyone visiting Seoul Botanic Park with their pup!

Inside Jju Baksa Magok Branch

The big windows let in a bright, open feeling during the day, and I liked that you can choose between the indoor tables or the outdoor terrace seats.

It's a great place to grab a casual meal with friends or come for octopus after work, haha.

Menu and spice level options at Jju Baksa Magok Branch

The menu had quite a variety so you can pick octopus to match your taste.

Besides the basic menu, you can choose options with meat added, like jjusamgyeop (octopus with pork belly), and you can also adjust the spice level to mild, medium, or spicy. If spicy food feels intimidating, starting with mild is a good idea.

I ordered the drink set, which had a bunch of things included. The jjuwoosam for two came with complimentary side dishes, self-serve rice ball, corn butter, a drink, and flying fish roe all bundled together — I loved that I didn't have to order everything separately! The complimentary steamed egg also had choices like cheese steamed egg, crab steamed egg, and soft steamed egg, so you can pick based on your preference, haha.

Side dishes and the flying fish roe add-on at Jju Baksa Magok Branch

The side dishes served alongside the octopus were also solid. Perilla leaves, bean sprouts, and radish kimchi (mussam) came out, all great for pairing with the spicy-sweet sauce, plus corn kernels too.

There was also a savory sauce, soft and nutty like peanut sauce, which paired really well with the octopus.

Adding flying fish roe that pops in your mouth makes the texture even more fun. I love flying fish roe, so I added an extra portion on top of what came standard and piled it on generously every time I made a wrap, haha.

How was the jjuwoosam hot plate?

The moment the main dish arrived, the visuals were already impressive! Red-seasoned octopus filled the center generously, with beef brisket lined all around the edge —

the whole plate looked delicious, packed to the edges, haha. There was even rice cake in the middle!

The staff grills everything for you, so you just have to wait!

The beef brisket I had was thin, cooked quickly, and had no gamey smell — just nutty and savory.

With just the right amount of fat mixing into the octopus sauce, the spiciness combined with the meat's rich flavor, making them so much better eaten together, haha.

The octopus itself had none of that typical fishy smell either, and I loved the bouncy, chewy texture!

It's tasty on its own, but I'd recommend making a big wrap with perilla leaf, radish kimchi, flying fish roe, and bean sprouts.

Spicy, savory, crunchy, and the pop of the flying fish roe all at once — I kept making wrap after wrap, haha.

Definitely add the cheese fondue

And you really have to add the cheese fondue here! The cheese itself was delicious, and dipping the octopus in it was so much fun.

The thick, gooey cheese wraps around the sauce and deepens the flavor even more, and it goes great dipped with the beef brisket too, haha.

Steamed egg, self-serve rice ball, and corn

Taking a bite of the steamed egg between spicy mouthfuls of octopus was a nice, soothing break!

The self-serve rice ball comes with seaweed flakes and several other ingredients, topped with mayonnaise, so you just mix it yourself.

Mixing in a bit of flying fish roe here is delicious too!

The corn kernels served on the hot plate were also a nice treat!

Wrapping up

Located in Daebang DMC 2 with parking available for up to 2 hours 30 minutes, and a dog-friendly outdoor terrace for nice weather days, this place is a great pick for right now! If you're looking for a hearty octopus restaurant near Seoul Botanic Park, why not check out Jju Baksa Magok Branch?