Samsan, Ulsan steamed clam pub where 3 had leftovers: Getbeolui Jogae

I came from Daegu to Ulsan to see my husband's friends after a long time. Since it had been so long, I wanted somewhere generous and good quality for the meal, and what I picked was Getbeolui Jogae (갯벌의조개) in Samsan, Ulsan, a restaurant and pub that the friends were happy with too. It's even good enough as a gathering spot, so people planning a company dinner or a club meetup might want to read this as well.

Where is Getbeolui Jogae Ulsan Samsan branch?

Getbeolui Jogae Ulsan Samsan branch is right in the middle of the Samsan-dong eating alley in Nam-gu, Ulsan (43 Dalsam-ro, 1st floor). It's a 10 to 15 minute walk at a brisk pace from Ulsan Express Bus Terminal, or you can take a bus from Taehwagang Station. They serve a range of seafood dishes, including the hearty giant clam hot pot.

Is it good for a Samsan company dinner or group gathering?

Thanks to the wide hall and pleasant interior, Getbeolui Jogae Ulsan Samsan branch handles groups with no trouble. There are tables for 2 and 4, and tables are laid out generously in the middle of the restaurant. You'd have to ask the restaurant for exact numbers, but to my eye it looked like it could comfortably hold 10 people.

Getbeolui Jogae also has a self-service corner, where we could easily grab side dishes, rice and bowls ourselves.

What's on the Getbeolui Jogae menu besides steamed clams?

Besides steamed clams, Getbeolui Jogae Ulsan Samsan branch has grilled clams and an unusual dish called the seafood boiling pot. My jaw dropped when I saw the menu, but sadly the seafood boiling pot was sold out, so I couldn't try it. I'm told octopus comes with the steamed clams from 4 servings, so keep that in mind.

How big is the medium steamed clams for 3 people?

At Getbeolui Jogae we ordered the medium (jungja) steamed clams. It's listed for 3 people, but even with two adult men and one adult woman eating, there was food left over..! I think adding kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) would be just right for up to 4 people, and since there was so much, we kept scooping up more. There's no required order per person, so you can order freely!

What's in the giant clam hot pot?

The medium giant clam hot pot we ordered came with pen shell, shrimp, scallop, squid, cheese and a variety of other shellfish. When the timer on the giant steamer rang, the staff cut everything up for us, so it was easy to eat.

Did the steamed clams taste fishy?

You dip the steamed clams at Getbeolui Jogae in chojang (sweet chili vinegar sauce) or oyster sauce as you like. They must only use good seafood, because there was no fishy taste or unpleasantness at all. It was clean and healthy-tasting instead, perfect as a drinking snack. A friend who had never eaten anything like it before also said it was really delicious.

How satisfying is it as a Samsan, Ulsan group dinner spot?

It's a shame we didn't get to eat the kalguksu, but with food poisoning a risk during the change of seasons, if you have a gathering or an important day coming up, how about some well-boiled, good-quality steamed clams at Getbeolui Jogae?! It was a truly great place, the kind you think of when you're in Ulsan 👍