Goyang duck bulgogi and soup at Seokgi Sidae restaurant

Seokgi Sidae on a drive between Ilsan and Paju

Last Thursday, my husband and I went to the opening ceremony of the DMZ International Documentary Film Festival. When the seasons are changing like they are lately, you want to make sure you have a really hearty meal, right? So we visited Seokgi Sidae (석기시대), a well-known spot for duck bulgogi in Ilsan.

It was in a location worth considering if you are looking for somewhere to eat near the Paju Book City complex, or planning a drive to Ilsan or Paju and want to stop along the way. Please check Naver Map for opening hours and closing days before visiting :)

A roadside standalone restaurant with dedicated parking

Seokgi Sidae, an Ilsan duck bulgogi spot, is a standalone restaurant along the road, so its sign was easy to spot even from a distance.

More than anything, I liked that it has its own parking area, making it easy to visit by car. Since people often get around Ilsan and Paju by car, whether parking is available tends to be one of the most important factors when choosing a restaurant. With parking worries out of the way, Seokgi Sidae also seemed well suited to a family meal with parents or a gathering with several people.

There were terrace tables outside too, which looked nice for a day with good weather.

I was curious why it is called “Stone Age,” and a staff member told me the name came from how grilling meat over a fire evokes the Stone Age. Since charcoal-grilled duck is one of its signature dishes, the name and menu felt naturally connected.

Group seating and indoor conveniences

Once inside, the space was larger than I expected. There was a large table right by the entrance that could seat around 14 people, so it looked great for groups. If you are visiting as a group, I recommend checking ahead whether everyone can sit together.

Each table was set in advance with water cups, beer glasses, spoons, and other tableware.

Aprons hung along one wall, so you could take as many as you needed. The restroom was inside the restaurant and had separate facilities for men and women, which was convenient.

Ordering half a duck bulgogi and fried rice

At Seokgi Sidae, duck bulgogi and charcoal-grilled duck are the main dishes. Both come with six or more side dishes and duck soup.

• Duck bulgogi (half portion) ₩45,000
• Fried rice ₩3,000

Since it was just my husband and me, we ordered the half portion of duck bulgogi. I really liked that we could choose a half portion instead of having to order a whole duck for two. As someone who cannot give up rice, I added fried rice too.

More than six side dishes and white kimchi

The side dishes arrived first on a large tray. There were soy-pickled onions, pickled radish wraps, radish kimchi, eggplant and cucumber sides, seasoned greens, garlic, and ssamjang (seasoned soybean paste), so the selection was varied. Even before the main dish arrived, one side of the table was already full of banchan (Korean side dishes).

The cabbage, garlic chives, and bean sprouts had been freshly seasoned, and they were so fresh they almost felt like a salad. The star among Seokgi Sidae’s side dishes was the baek kimchi (mild white kimchi). It was refreshing with a pleasantly sharp chili flavor, which made it nice and cleansing during the meal.

Duck bulgogi stir-fried by the staff

Next came our half portion of duck bulgogi. Red-marinated duck filled the center of the plate, surrounded by onion, green onion, garlic chives, enoki mushrooms, and bok choy.

The many different vegetables caught my eye just as much as the meat.

The staff placed the duck bulgogi ingredients on the wide square grill in the middle of the table and stir-fried everything themselves. Since the duck was red with marinade, it was a little hard to judge doneness just by looking at it. Luckily, the staff cooked it and told us exactly when it was ready, so we could wait comfortably and enjoy it.

They said it is best to eat it once the garlic chives and bok choy have wilted and the seasoning has soaked evenly into the onions and enoki mushrooms :)

The marinade was less spicy than it looked, with a sweeter note to the bulgogi flavor. The meat was not overly thin or chopped into tiny pieces, so it was easy to pick up piece by piece, while the garlic chives and bok choy added a crisp texture.

Best of all, the seasoning was not overpowering, making it easy to alternate between the duck and vegetables. Adding cabbage kimchi grilled on the same plate brought in a tangy kick for a fuller flavor. If you are looking for duck bulgogi in Ilsan and like eating meat with vegetables, this is a combination worth keeping in mind.

The mild duck soup included with the meal

The included duck soup came with the bulgogi. Rather than the spicy, red style of duck soup, the broth was closer to a mild style that let the savory duck flavor come through. It had plenty of bean sprouts and minari (water dropwort), adding a refreshing taste to every spoonful. Sipping the warm broth between bites of seasoned duck bulgogi worked really well.

I wondered whether an included duck soup might be small, but it was not at all. It was generously filled with both meat and vegetables, which made picking through the ingredients fun too.

We had ordered bulgogi, yet got to enjoy duck meat in a soup as well, so it felt like having two dishes from one ingredient.

Fried rice to finish on the grill

We ended the meal with fried rice. Both my husband and I were already full, but we could not give up rice, so we ordered just one serving.

On the grill where we had eaten the duck bulgogi, the staff added rice, crushed seaweed, and finely chopped vegetables, then stir-fried it themselves. They made a delicious finishing dish with every last bit of meat, vegetables, and sauce :)

Crushed seaweed and vegetables were mixed throughout the rice, along with small remaining pieces of meat, so we could enjoy the bulgogi marinade right to the end.

We ordered only one serving because we were full, and it was just the right amount to share and finish our meal.

How it was for an Ilsan family gathering or group meal

What stood out to me at Seokgi Sidae that day was how many different things filled the table even with one order of duck bulgogi: a start of varied side dishes, bulgogi cooked with vegetables, duck soup in an earthenware bowl, and fried rice we added separately.

With dedicated parking and plenty of indoor seating, it seemed like a great fit for an Ilsan family gathering or group dinner. If you are heading to Paju Book City or planning an Ilsan–Paju drive, it could be a satisfying place to stop for a meal along the way.

Recommended for

• Anyone looking for duck bulgogi or charcoal-grilled duck in Ilsan
• Anyone who needs a restaurant for a family gathering with parents
• Anyone looking for a spacious venue for an Ilsan group dinner
• Anyone looking for a meal before or after Paju Book City or an Ilsan drive