Mild army stew for kids in Seongsu, egg tarts downstairs: Songtan

I was trying to decide where to eat well in Seongsu and ended up at Jindaegwang Budae Jjigae, a Seongsu army stew restaurant. Bottom line: it deserves the title of "the textbook version of budae jjigae that Koreans love." The kids ate it up without complaint, and the adults all said "this place is good" the moment they tried the broth.

Finding Songtan Jindaegwang Budae Jjigae Seongsu Branch from Seongsu Station

The sign was big and visible even from outside the building, so it wasn't hard to find. It's also fairly close to Seongsu Station, which makes it a good stop for a Seongsu outing or date course.

From the entrance it already had that old-school good restaurant vibe. It built up my expectations right away. That retro feel makes your mouth water just from the visuals, doesn't it? I always find that kind of atmosphere satisfying.

Basic info on Jindaegwang Budae Jjigae Seongsu Branch

• Name: Jindaegwang Budae Jjigae Seongsu Branch
• Signature dish: Jindaegwang Budae Jjigae
• Recommended for: family meals, lunch, dinner, Seongsu date course
• Parking: available in front of the building

The interior was bigger than I expected, and the tables had comfortable spacing, so it was easy to visit as a family.

Free rice refills at the self-serve bar

The self-serve bar was kept neat and tidy. Best of all, rice was free refills! Budae jjigae (army stew) is really only proper with rice, so being able to eat as much as we wanted without hesitation made it even more satisfying.

What we ordered

We ordered

• Jindaegwang Budae Jjigae for 3
• Added ramyun noodles
• Added mixed sausage

and I'm really glad we added the mixed sausage.

From the moment it started bubbling away, the visuals were already great.

The ham was generous and the sausage wasn't skimped on either, which raised my expectations even more. There was plenty of green onion and onion too, giving it that savory vegetable depth—ah, so good.

A broth that's really the flavor Koreans love

The moment I took a bite, I understood why so many people come here. It was spicy in a moderate, kick-you-awake way, not just plain hot. Not harshly spicy, so your spoon just keeps going back in. The savory flavor built up strongly, but there was no off-smell at all.

It really had a balance that anyone could call delicious. The kids ate it enthusiastically without complaining it was too spicy. That's why I'd recommend this place for a family meal too.

Definitely add the mixed sausage

What surprised me most was the sausage quality. Honestly, I assumed sausage at any budae jjigae place would be pretty much the same, but here it was different. Each piece tasted completely different from the last.

Some had a strong meaty aroma, some had the soft texture of Vienna sausage, and others had the clean, not-too-salty flavor unique to Spam. You could really tell they were using premium sausages. So the extra order was absolutely worth it.

Free yogurt and slushie for dessert too

Dessert was also prepared. You can grab a yogurt each,

and the slushie is free too! After the spicy budae jjigae, a cold slushie cleaned the palate completely.

The kids loved it too. Thank you for the generous treats, owner! >ㅅ<)/

They're also running a Naver review event, which is worth knowing about.

Worth a stop if you're out in Seongsu

What was fun was discovering an egg tart shop on the first floor of the same building. We ate a hearty bowl of budae jjigae first, then finished with egg tarts for dessert, and the combination of salty and sweet was perfect. I'd recommend stopping by both as part of a Seongsu outing.

Overall review

It's been a while since I had such a satisfying budae jjigae. A broth that's moderately spicy with real depth of flavor, ham and sausage with no off-smell, free rice refills, and service that even covers dessert—put it all together and I'd definitely go back. If you're in Seongsu craving a hearty meal, this Seongsu army stew restaurant, Jindaegwang Budae Jjigae, is worth a visit.

Q&A

Q. Is there dedicated parking?

A. You can use the parking lot in front of the building. However, it can get a bit congested during busy hours, so if you're not confident driving, walking from Seongsu Station is also a convenient option.