Cheonan crab restaurant with spicy crab butter rice: Kkotgeok

Today I visited Kkotgeok Cheonan Yuryang-dong Branch, located in Yuryang-dong, Cheonan. I usually love soy-marinated crab, and this place lets you try both soy-marinated crab and spicy marinated crab made with Yeonpyeong Island crab in one sitting. With its hanok vibe and separate rooms, it also seemed like a great spot for a family meal haha. We tried both types of crab, so let's get into the review!

Where is Kkotgeok Cheonan Yuryang-dong Branch, and is there parking?

Kkotgeok Cheonan Yuryang-dong Branch is located in Yuryang-dong, Cheonan.

There's a wide yard and parking area right in front, so it's easy to drive over and visit.

The exterior has a hanok-style interior feel, so atmospheric haha. The restaurant is split into a main building and an annex, and the annex operates as a dog-friendly space.

Table setting and side dishes at Kkotgeok

Once seated, every table already has paper cups, tissues, sesame oil and other basics ready to go, plus disposable gloves so your hands don't get covered in sauce while eating crab 🦀

They set up individual plates and basic dishware neatly in front of us, and the spoons and chopsticks came individually wrapped in paper, so it felt hygienic to use.

Once you order, a variety of side dishes come out! Seasoned bean sprouts, white kimchi, bellflower root salad, kimchi, quail eggs, and stir-fried zucchini all showed up.

Japchae (stir-fried glass noodles) and gim (seaweed) came too, along with warm seaweed soup and butter for mixing into rice.

Albaegi set course at 35,000 won per person: starting with the soy-marinated crab

We ordered the Albaegi Course, ₩35,000 per person, for two. It lets you enjoy two premium crab dishes at once — Yeonpyeong Island soy-marinated female crab and Yeonpyeong Island spicy marinated crab — and requires a minimum of two people.

The main event of the Albaegi Course finally arrived! Soy crab and spicy crab came out together 🦀

We started with the soy crab. It's made with Yeonpyeong Island crab, and it was cut into big pieces with the meat and roe clearly visible inside.

Especially the parts packed with orange roe — I genuinely can't resist that 🤤

The crab meat side was also packed full, with no hollow feeling, so it was satisfying to hold the shell and squeeze the meat out.

Soy crab is delicious on its own, but it really shines with rice! Squeeze the meat onto rice, add a splash of the soy sauce, and mix it up — no need to say more 🤤

Wrap it in gim too, and the salty crab plus the nutty seaweed means two bowls of rice disappear easily!

Mixing rice into the crab shell is another essential step with soy crab. Scraping up the leftover sauce and roe with rice is the classic move.

Spicy marinated crab mixed with butter and rice

Next up, spicy marinated crab 🦀🌶️ Kkotgeok's spicy crab came topped generously with red sauce, minari (water dropwort), and cheongyang chili peppers.

The sauce coated the entire crab generously, and adding the crisp minari brought a fragrant note to every bite.

The spicy crab really shines with the butter-and-rice combo. Mixing the sweet-spicy sauce with butter added a nutty richness that was seriously... so good... (•̀ω•́)⸝ި ʕᦏ⌎

Hanok interior and private rooms at Kkotgeok

Looking around inside, the overall wood-toned hanok atmosphere catches your eye first!

The wooden pillars and rafters are left exposed, and the floor-to-ceiling windows show a lush green view outside, which suited the Korean menu and atmosphere really well.

Table spacing didn't feel cramped, and there were also long tables set up for larger groups.

Kkotgeok runs both private rooms and a spacious hall, so it seemed like a good option for family meals, gatherings, work dinners, or times when you need a bit more privacy. When using a room, you just switch into the slippers provided at the entrance!

There were also aprons set aside in one corner of the restaurant, so no worries about sauce splashing on your clothes while eating crab. Baby chairs were available too, making it easy to visit with kids.

The restrooms are separated by gender and kept clean.

After the meal, pomegranate and plum tea were offered as dessert. There was a coffee machine nearby too, so you can finish off with a drink of your choice.

Dogs are welcome in the annex building

Kkotgeok operates its main building and annex separately, and the annex runs as a dog-friendly space where you can visit with your pet.

The regular guest area and the dog-friendly area are completely separated, so dog owners looking for a pet-friendly restaurant in Cheonan should check this place out!

What else is on the Kkotgeok menu besides crab?

The menu isn't limited to crab — there's a range of set courses and dishes as well. Alongside the signature Albaegi Course, there's also the Kkotgeok Set, which combines soy crab and spicy crab with other dishes.

There's also braised pork with crab sauce, dried corvina course, and Yeonpyeong crab stew, so there's something to choose even if you're visiting with someone who isn't a fan of crab! If you're going with a group, I'd recommend ordering the Kkotgeok Set to try several dishes at once.

Crab takeout prices and holiday opening at Kkotgeok

Soy crab and spicy crab are both available for takeout. Prices are ₩30,000 for soy crab and ₩25,000 for spicy crab. With a holiday coming up, this could be a great option for anyone thinking about holiday gifts 🎁

Kkotgeok operates year-round, including during the Chuseok holiday, so keep that in mind whether you're dropping by for a family meal or picking up crab as a gift.

There was also a Naver receipt review event running, offering a free crispy vegetable pancake with participation via QR code — worth checking if you visit. Note that event details may vary depending on when you go.

Visit info for Kkotgeok Cheonan Yuryang-dong Branch

• Address: 204 Yuryang-ro, A-dong 1st floor, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 11:00-21:00 (last order 20:00), no break time
• Closed: Open year-round, including Chuseok holiday
• Parking: Lot available in front of the restaurant
• Amenities: Private rooms, group seating, baby chairs, separate restrooms, dog-friendly annex

A Yuryang-dong Korean restaurant worth remembering for enjoying both soy crab and spicy crab in one sitting, perfect for a family meal 🦀