Weekend lunch specials for two, ₩25,000 at Dangsan's Cheongun Bossam

I was around Dangsan Station on the weekend and looking for somewhere to grab an early lunch, and it turned out Cheongun Bossam is famous as one of the top bossam spots near Dangsan Station. They had a nice lunch special lineup too, so I went and tried it. Here's my review of Cheongun Bossam, a Dangsan Station restaurant that was seriously delicious.

• Location: 9 Yangpyeong-ro 12-gil, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, 1st floor
• Hours: Daily 11:00–22:00
• Takeout discount, group seating available, packaging, delivery, reservations, Wi-Fi

The walk from Dangsan Station to Cheongun Bossam Dangsan Branch

Cheongun Bossam Dangsan Branch is about 4 minutes from Dangsan Station Exit 3. It's a short enough walk that it's really easy to get to.

Inside Cheongun Bossam Dangsan Branch and the seating

The interior was clean and well kept, and there were plenty of seats, so it looked like a good spot for group visits too. Even though I went for an early lunch, there were already quite a few customers.

Menu and prices at Cheongun Bossam Dangsan Branch

(Lunch special) Five-layer bossam set - ₩12,000 (Lunch special) Spicy octopus set - ₩13,000 Bossam set (small) - ₩35,000 Spicy octopus bossam set (small) - ₩43,000 Spicy kalguksu - ₩13,000 Stir-fried spicy octopus - ₩19,000 Dongjuk (surf clam) kalguksu - ₩10,000 Water clam soup - ₩15,000 Tray makguksu - ₩10,000 Tuna mayo rice ball - ₩3,000

Bossam, spicy octopus, and kalguksu are the main menu items, and the lunch specials had a nice lineup. What's unusual is they even have a spicy kalguksu with octopus in it. I agonized over the choice so much, haha. And the prices are pretty affordable too, right? It seems like it'd also be great for an evening drink or a work dinner.

What we ordered Bossam set - ₩12,000 Spicy octopus set - ₩13,000 Total ₩25,000

A perfect split for me, who wanted something spicy, and my boyfriend, a hardcore meat guy who can't handle spice, haha.

Side dishes are refillable, and the kimchi tastes homemade

The side dishes came out first: stir-fried eomuk (fish cake), seasoned bean sprouts, fresh kimchi, and pickled onions, all of which were tasty. Especially the kimchi — it didn't taste like store-bought kimchi at all, more like homemade kimchi, which made me think, yep, this is a place that knows its noodles and meat.

The side dishes are refillable, and that stir-fried eomuk was chewy and well seasoned, so I asked for a refill, haha. The seasoned bean sprouts come as a default side, so you can add them into the spicy octopus bibimbap to tone down the heat. With these milder options available, it seemed like a good spot for a family visit too.

They also gave us a spicy-ish napa cabbage bean sprout soup that was refreshing and delicious. This was low-key the real rice thief...

The lunch special bossam set — how much food do you actually get?

The portions were generous to the point I couldn't believe it was a lunch special. The bossam set came with a hearty amount of meat, and the octopus set was generous too. It was enough food to fill up even a grown man.

The pork was incredibly tender and soft — it just melted in my mouth. The ratio of fat to lean meat was great, giving it a savory, tender, and umami-rich flavor. And there was really so much of it...

The crunchy radish kimchi served alongside had a good thickness for texture, and the seasoning was cool and clean, pairing really well with the savory meat — it was so good.

The pickled onions were also refreshing and crunchy, cutting through the meat's fattiness for a clean finish that paired really well. There were so many basic side dishes that I got to enjoy the meal in a variety of ways.

The spicy octopus set also works as bibimbap

The stir-fried spicy octopus came out generous and looking really appetizing, right? You could tell at a glance there was a lot of octopus... and the octopus itself was plump, chewy, and satisfying.

The stir-fried octopus comes with bibimbap ingredients on the side too, so you can eat it separately or mix it into rice as bibimbap.

I ate half plain and mixed the other half — rice in, then add the octopus.

Doesn't it look amazing? The octopus was firm and chewy with a great texture, and there was a generous amount of it. The lettuce and vegetables were also plentiful, so I could tell they weren't skimping on ingredients. The rice was glutinous rice too, which made it even more delicious.

How spicy is it, exactly?

The seasoning was spicy enough that even someone who can't handle heat well could still eat it comfortably by mixing in bean sprouts to adjust the level, and for me it hit that addictive spicy flavor I really love — the kind you keep thinking about. Highly recommend Cheongun Bossam, it was generous and genuinely delicious.