Soy crab restaurant on the Taejosan drive route, Cheonan: Kkotgeok

Today I'm introducing a restaurant right on the way to Taejosan Mountain in Cheonan — perfect for a drive-and-eat kind of outing. I found Kkotgeok Cheonan Yuryang-dong Branch (꽃게옥 천안유량동점) while looking for a proper crab restaurant in Cheonan.

Parking and the hanok setting at Kkotgeok Cheonan Yuryang-dong Branch

Kkotgeok Cheonan Yuryang-dong Branch sits at 204 Yuryang-ro, and as soon as we arrived there was a spacious dedicated parking lot, so we walked in stress-free without any parking hassle. The exterior has a stylish hanok (traditional Korean house) style, and inside, the high ceilings and open layout make for a really pleasant, quiet atmosphere. It felt perfect for a family meal with parents or a gathering with friends!

This place is especially spacious because the main building and annex are separated. There are private rooms for intimate dining and separate group seating, so it looked really convenient for visiting with a larger group too.

Can you bring a dog? Inside the Kkotgeok annex

Attention, readers! 👀 Kkotgeok Cheonan Yuryang-dong Branch is a rare soy crab restaurant in Cheonan that allows pets, so guests with dogs or cats reportedly come here a lot without feeling self-conscious, since they can use the annex. Great news if you've been looking for a nice-atmosphere restaurant where you can eat comfortably with your pet!

Kkotgeok menu and set prices

Looking at the Kkotgeok menu, the signature items are the albaegi jeongsik (roe crab set), soy crab, and seasoned crab, and there's also a variety of generous set menus.

• Kkotgeok A/B/C sets (₩80,000 each): a generous combo of the albaegi jeongsik for two plus, depending on the set, dried corvina, sous vide pork belly, or crab stew!
• Extra menu: soy crab (₩30,000), seasoned crab (₩25,000), shrimp paste (₩10,000), sous vide pork belly (₩20,000), plus ramen noodle add-ins and rice — pick whatever suits your taste!

What comes with the albaegi jeongsik at 35,000 won per person

What we ordered today was the albaegi jeongsik (₩35,000 per person, minimum two people)! True to its signature status, it's an amazing combo that lets you taste both the full-bodied Yeonpyeong Island soy-marinated crab and the sweet-spicy seasoned crab in one spread. 🦀

I photographed the generously set table in detail. The side dishes included seasoned bean sprouts, baek-kimchi (white kimchi), seasoned bellflower root, japchae (glass noodle stir-fry), seaweed, gat-kimchi (mustard leaf kimchi), stir-fried seaweed stems, stir-fried zucchini, and seaweed soup, alongside the signature soy crab and the seasoned crab served with water dropwort.

Look at this — soy crab with 100% roe yield, guaranteed quality guaranteed taste. The soy crab wasn't salty at all, just pleasantly savory with real umami. Thanks to the top-grade Yeonpyeong crabs, the shells were packed with orange roe and meat, and mixed with freshly cooked rice, it was pure heaven!

How to mix rice in the crab shell

Drizzle a bit of butter or sesame oil over the warm rice inside the crab shell, then mix it with the soy sauce. You'll be calling 112 for the crime scene of your disappearing rice, and 119 for the dizzying umami — both at once.

Add the savory-spicy seasoned crab on top, and the fun of alternating bites — soy crab, then seasoned crab to reset your palate — was seriously addictive. It easily made two bowls of rice disappear, a true rice thief champion!

Doesn't this photo alone make your mouth water?

Is Kkotgeok good for a family meal or group gathering?

After a delicious meal, rounding it off with a cup of tea of your choice made it all the more satisfying :) A stylish high-ceilinged hanok space, ample parking, group rooms, and being a Cheonan soy crab restaurant that welcomes pets in the annex — great taste plus great convenience. I'd strongly recommend it for a family meal or group gathering. If you're looking for a real crab restaurant with great yield and rich umami, don't hesitate — stop by Kkotgeok Cheonan Yuryang-dong Branch, a Cheonan Yuryang-dong favorite! 😊

Kkotgeok Cheonan Yuryang-dong Branch hours and address

• Address: 204 Yuryang-ro, Building A, 1F, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea
• Hours: Daily (Mon–Sun) 11:00–21:00
• Last order: 20:00
• Parking and more: spacious dedicated parking lot in front / pets allowed (annex) / group seating and private rooms available