Cheonan budae-jjigae lunch for two, spotted on Instagram: Cheongwon

Cheongwon Restaurant Dujeong Main Branch: hours, parking and prices

Cheongwon Restaurant: Cooking Budae-jjigae, Cheonan Dujeong Main Branch (청원식당 부대찌개를 끓이다 두정본점) is on Dujeongsangga 4-gil in Seobuk-gu, Cheonan. It's open 11:00–21:00 and closed every Sunday. There are 4 parking spaces in front, and you can also use the Starpalace underground parking lot (1492 Dujeong-dong) free for 2 hours.

Today I visited this budae-jjigae (army stew) spot. It's not the Songtan style: this is the Cheongwon budae-jjigae, made with Cheongyang chilies and beef brisket. Let me introduce it right now!

Cheongwon Restaurant's exterior: the budae-jjigae spot from Instagram

As soon as we arrived and saw the sign, my husband went, "Oh~ I know this place!! I saw it on Instagram." He said he'd seen it introduced as a great restaurant there, so I got really excited~~~

Takeout gets you ₩2,000 off, and if you come before 11:30 they give you an egg roll (gyeran-mari) as a freebie.

Is there a lunch wait at Cheongwon Restaurant? Inside the dining room

Inside, the tables are lined up right next to each other. Like any proper Dujeong-dong favorite, it was full when we arrived for lunch. We waited a little and then got seated.

Customers kept coming in even while we ate. The people at the next table kept changing, haha.

There's also a private, room-like area in the back.

Songtan vs. Cheongwon budae-jjigae: what's the difference?

The menu is simple. You just pick whether you want Songtan or Cheongwon budae-jjigae, haha.

Songtan is the budae-jjigae flavor we all know. Cheongwon budae-jjigae uses the Songtan stew as a base, with beef brisket and Cheongyang chilies added for a kick. The sign says Cheongwon budae-jjigae, so we went for that one.

• Cheongwon budae-jjigae ₩12,000 × 2 people
• Extra beef brisket ₩5,000
• Extra cheese ₩1,000

Cheongwon Restaurant side dishes and how the self-serve bar works

Once you order, they bring fishcake, kimchi, bean sprouts, rice and water.

While waiting, I read the tips for enjoying the stew.

The table has broth, spoons and chopsticks, paper cups and napkins. Taste the soup first, then add more broth to suit your taste.

They're also running a Naver receipt review event. Join in and you get an egg roll as a freebie!!

Rice, ramyeon noodles, side dishes and aprons are all at the self-bar. For the fishcake side dish, just ask the staff.

How does Cheongwon budae-jjigae taste? Wait for staff to lift the lid

Here comes the Cheongwon budae-jjigae. The important thing: don't open the lid until the staff does it for you. When it's time, a staff member comes, opens the lid and stirs the stew. There were more Cheongyang chilies than I expected, so as someone who can't handle spice, I got a little nervous, haha.

The broth is deep and rich, and the secret is said to be minced 1++ Korean beef.

Unlimited ramyeon noodles soaked in Cheongwon budae-jjigae broth

Ramyeon noodles are a must with budae-jjigae. I wanted the broth to reduce fast, so I put the noodles in early. The ramyeon is unlimited here, which is a great deal for big eaters.

Look at those noodles! They're soaked through with the Cheongwon broth and so delicious.

Beef brisket and ham in budae-jjigae: milder spice than expected

The Cheongwon budae-jjigae has several kinds of ham. With beef brisket in it, the broth is richer and tastier too. Brisket plus ham, enough said.

With that many Cheongyang chilies I thought it'd be fiery, but it was less spicy than expected, so even a spice wimp like me could eat it without trouble. I was almost embarrassed about being nervous earlier~~ hahaha

Look how much is still left, and my husband has already wiped out almost a whole bowl of rice 🤣 It's a total rice thief. Rice refills are free here too, so you can eat as much as you like.

The ham was springy and tasty.

Cheongwon Restaurant loyalty stamps and facilities

On the way out I noticed a loyalty stamp event too. After 10 stamps you get one free ham or sausage add-on.

They thoughtfully provide hair ties, and there's Wi-Fi. The restroom is next to the counter.

There's coffee on the way out, too.

Is Cheongwon Restaurant worth it for a Dujeong-dong budae-jjigae lunch?

Cheongwon Restaurant: Cooking Budae-jjigae in Dujeong-dong, Cheonan was a great, belly-bursting lunch. If you're looking for a budae-jjigae place in Dujeong-dong, I recommend it. Next time I'll come try the Songtan-style one~~