Cheongju Korean restaurant for a family beef bulgogi meal

A Korean restaurant to visit before or after a Daecheong Dam or Cheongnamdae outing

I visited Ojangdong Heungnamjip Cheongju Branch (오장동흥남집 청주점), a spot in Cheongju known for naengmyeon (cold noodles) and bulgogi! It is close to Daecheong Dam and Cheongnamdae, so it was perfect to stop by before or after an outing. I was really excited to be able to enjoy its long-established flavors right here in Cheongju!

Parking and exterior

One of the first things I consider when visiting a restaurant is parking! This place has a large dedicated parking lot right in front. I loved being able to visit comfortably without worrying about parking! It looked spacious enough to handle weekends or peak hours without a problem. That should be a major plus for anyone arriving by car!

The restaurant exterior was neat and looked quite sizable! The large sign made it easy to find even from afar, and while it showed signs of age, it also felt well maintained. It had that air of a long-running local favorite, you know? The tidy exterior put me in a good mood before I even walked in!

The menu is posted outside too, which is nice because you can decide what to eat before going in! You may also want to take note of the opening hours!

A spacious interior and self-serve bar

You can even see traces of famous visitors who have stopped by! That must mean it really is a good restaurant, right~~?

Once inside, a clean, spacious dining area opened up! The tables were generously spaced, making for a comfortable meal, and there was plenty of seating for groups as well. It looked like a great choice for family dining or group get-togethers! The overall interior felt warm and relaxing, and everything was very clean. There was also a self-serve bar on one side, where you could freely take the side dishes you needed. It was kept neatly, so I felt comfortable using it!

There are tips posted around the restaurant on how to enjoy the bulgogi, so they may come in handy!

Ordering two portions of Korean beef fresh bulgogi

The signature dishes are Korean beef fresh bulgogi and raw fish bibim naengmyeon!

• 2 portions of Korean beef fresh bulgogi
• 2 bowls of rice

A neatly prepared spread of side dishes

Among the basic side dishes, the seasoned cucumber stood out first with its wonderfully crisp texture! Its spicy, tangy seasoning paired beautifully with the bulgogi! There was japchae (stir-fried glass noodles), too, and the noodles were springy and seasoned just right, so I kept reaching for them! The cool dongchimi (water kimchi) was perfect for cutting through the richness of the bulgogi!

A fresh salad came with the meal as well, and its nutty dressing was great for whetting the appetite before eating!

Overall, the side dishes were neat and tasty, which made me even more excited for the main dish! You could feel the care put into even the basic sides!

Tender Korean beef fresh bulgogi and chewy glass noodles

At last, the main dish—Korean beef fresh bulgogi—arrived! The generous pile of fresh, bright-red Korean beef looked incredibly appetizing!

They piled the grill pan themselves with meat, plenty of mushrooms, glass noodles, scallions, onions, and more! As it started bubbling away, the delicious aroma filled the air! The meat was thinly sliced, so it cooked in no time. One bite of the cooked bulgogi and it practically melted in my mouth! Perhaps because it was Korean beef, the meat was wonderfully tender and light. The seasoning was not overpowering; its sweet and savory flavor was just excellent! It added deep flavor without masking the natural taste of the meat!

The glass noodles, mushrooms, and vegetables cooked alongside it absorbed the seasoning well and were so delicious! I especially loved the pleasantly chewy glass noodles and kept picking them out to eat. Putting bulgogi and vegetables over warm rice made it the ultimate rice-stealer!

It is a flavor everyone, young and old, would enjoy, so I think it would be great for a family gathering too! It was so good that we cleared every last bit! If you are planning an outing to Daecheong Dam or Cheongnamdae, you can enjoy a filling meal of delicious bulgogi and cold noodles here!