Asan grilled fish: charcoal atka mackerel set, Busan-e Tteun Godeungeo

This is Kkangsoju. Lately, haha, all I eat is pork, beef... I'm the daughter of a raw fish restaurant owner, though? Fish? Sashimi! Tuna! Haha, I love that stuff!

My friend and I were looking for a good grilled fish spot for lunch in Tangjeong, Asan, and ended up at Busan-e Tteun Godeungeo Asan Tangjeong Branch. It's right in front of Tangjeong Station so it was easy to find, and the parking lot was spacious, which was great for driving there.

Most of all, once I actually ate there, I realized it's not just a place for grilled fish — you get pot rice, a variety of self-serve side dishes, and dessert all in one visit. That's what made it a real Tangjeong Station favorite for me.

That day my friend and I ordered the set for two. We swapped the rice for pot rice and had the grilled fish charcoal-style. The atka mackerel especially stuck with me.

Where is Busan-e Tteun Godeungeo Asan Tangjeong Branch, and is there parking?

As the name suggests, Busan-e Tteun Godeungeo Asan Tangjeong Branch mainly serves grilled fish! What I liked most was the location. It's right in front of Tangjeong Station, so it was easy to find.

It's also a convenient spot to meet a friend for lunch, so if you're looking for a Tangjeong Station restaurant, the location alone is worth noting.

The parking lot was spacious too, so I didn't have to worry about parking at all~~

What the dining room looks like inside

The inside of Busan-e Tteun Godeungeo Asan Tangjeong Branch, this grilled fish spot near Asan Tangjeong Station, was bigger than I expected~~ It's a wood-tone interior overall with soft lighting, and since I love this kind of warm atmosphere, it was right up my alley.

What I really loved was the table spacing. The tables weren't crammed together — there was plenty of room, so my friend and I could chat comfortably while eating.

The floor-to-ceiling windows meant we could look outside while eating, too~ Outside was Tangjeong Station~~ trains speeding by, slowing to a stop, the whole world moving at its own leisurely pace~~ haha

There was also a space on one side that could be used like a private room, which seemed good for family meals or gatherings. The place itself was kept clean and the owner was friendly, so it made a great first impression as an Asan Tangjeong restaurant.

What's on the self-serve side dish bar

I looked at the self-serve bar and was surprised at how varied it was!

There was japchae (stir-fried glass noodles), rolled egg, stir-fried pork, plus seasoned bean sprouts and seasoned greens — all the side dishes you'd want with rice.

I especially loved that there was japchae, rolled egg, and stir-fried pork all together. We came to a grilled fish place — isn't this basically a hanjeongsik (full Korean table setting) restaurant at this point? Haha. My friend and I were like,

What is this self-serve bar? It's basically a full Korean table spread!

and picked out this and that to fill our plates.

Menu and prices: set for two, kids menu 5,000 won

Since my friend and I came for lunch just the two of us, we ordered the set for two~~ And instead of plain rice, we switched to pot rice! You can't skip the grilled fish and pot rice combo!

The basic table setting comes out first, and there's another layer of fun here — the self-serve bar.

The self-serve bar fee is included in the value set, so it's great value. You can also order just the full Korean spread without the grilled fish~ And a kids menu! Available for just ₩5,000~ My kids never finish much at restaurants and we always had to order by headcount, which was such a hassle — this is so nice~~

One more menu item caught my eye. Unlimited draft beer for ₩4,900! That's a pretty attractive price for draft beer lovers. Good for having a drink over a meal with friends, or for a group gathering.

And unlimited soft ice cream for the kids at ₩2,000! Adults get draft beer, kids get ice cream. A fun combo for a family meal out. 😆

The meal starts with seaweed soup, thick doenjang and four side dishes

Seaweed soup is included too. With grilled fish, pot rice, side dishes, and warm seaweed soup on top, it makes for a really filling meal.

There was also gangdoenjang (thick seasoned soybean paste) served alongside. It's delicious just mixed straight into the rice. Put rice and fish flesh on a lettuce wrap with a bit of gangdoenjang, and it's a whole different flavor. Add in the side dishes from the self-serve bar and the whole table gets seriously abundant.

So thinking back on it, Busan-e Tteun Godeungeo Asan Tangjeong Branch isn't just a place for grilled fish — it felt like a proper full Korean meal.

The self-serve bar at Busan-e Tteun Godeungeo Asan Tangjeong Branch works by bringing whatever side dishes you want yourself. The basic table setting comes out first, then you go grab whatever you like from the self-serve bar. There are also four-compartment dishes provided, which are great for scooping small portions of each side.

This seemed especially good for people visiting Asan Tangjeong restaurants with kids, since there's not just grilled fish but japchae, rolled egg, stir-fried pork, and seaweed soup too~^ It's a plus that kids don't just have to eat fish — they can pick whatever side dishes they like. I told the owner I'd definitely come back with my kids because it was so good — haha, such an oversharer of myself.

Seasoned mackerel: salty enough to finish a bowl of rice

And the seasoned mackerel we had together. If the atka mackerel is mild and tender, the seasoned mackerel has a bold, distinct seasoning flavor.

The seasoning is pretty salty, but eaten with the pot rice, it's incredibly good.

A spoonful of warm rice topped with a piece of seasoned mackerel — the kind of bite that makes you think, 'This is a rice thief.'

The mild grilled atka mackerel and the salty seasoned mackerel each have their own charm, so it was fun eating both together.

Charcoal-grilled atka mackerel: big, and tender right down to the skin

The grilled atka mackerel! The moment it arrived, my friend and I both said at the same time,

'Whoa, that's huge!' 😂 It really was noticeably big.

But even more surprising than the size was how tender the flesh was. They said it's tender enough to eat skin and all, and eating it, it really was.

The inner flesh wasn't dry at all — it was moist and tender, packed densely inside. I'd never had atka mackerel like this before. The nicely charred exterior from the charcoal grilling combined with the soft flesh inside kept me reaching for more.

My friend kept marveling as she ate too, haha, and eventually the two of us ended up discussing 'How on earth do they grill this?'

Is there something special about the grilling method? This atka mackerel had us wondering even as we ate it. And whenever I eat fish this tender, I can't help but think of my kids. 'They'd absolutely love this.' Since the fish is so soft, it seems like it'd be easy to feed kids with rice too, and would make a good family meal choice.

Of everything we ate that day, the grilled atka mackerel was the best! Honestly, my friend got so absorbed marveling over it and eating it that I was almost scared to reach for it myself!

Pot rice, scorched rice and dessert: omija tea and coffee

The warm pot rice was perfect alongside the grilled fish. After scooping out the rice, you pour water into the leftover rice in the pot, and at the end, you get to eat the scorched rice too.

Finishing off a salty meal of grilled fish with the savory scorched rice was really nice.

I personally love this pot rice plus scorched rice combo, so the rice part of the meal was satisfying too.

We wrapped up the meal with omija tea and coffee. It was nice not having to go find a café afterward — dessert could be enjoyed leisurely right there. The coffee in particular came in a disposable to-go cup, so it was easy to just take it with you as you left. My friend and I chatted a bit longer over coffee and wrapped things up at a relaxed pace.

What to order on a second visit to Busan-e Tteun Godeungeo

This time visiting Busan-e Tteun Godeungeo Asan Tangjeong Branch with a friend for lunch! I loved the location right in front of Tangjeong Station, and the spacious parking lot made things convenient. The restaurant was spacious and clean, with generous table spacing that made for a comfortable meal. The floor-to-ceiling windows let you eat while looking outside, and the private space seemed good for a friend gathering or family meal out too.

As for the food, the grilled atka mackerel was definitely the most memorable. It was large, with flesh that was truly tender and moist — my friend and I ate it in awe. The seasoned mackerel's salty flavor paired well with the pot rice, and finishing the pot rice off with scorched rice made for a filling meal! Ahh, so full~

On top of that, the self-serve bar added japchae, rolled egg, stir-fried pork, seasoned greens, seasoned bean sprouts, and seaweed soup, making for a meal that was almost like a full Korean spread despite being a grilled fish place. There's plenty of variety for kids too, so it should work well for families looking for a restaurant in Asan Tangjeong. And to finish, there was even omija tea and coffee.

If you're looking for a Tangjeong Station restaurant and want to eat proper grilled fish, remember Busan-e Tteun Godeungeo Asan Tangjeong Branch. I think I'll be back for the grilled atka mackerel and pot rice combo at this grilled fish spot near Asan Tangjeong Station.