Gwacheon duck BBQ with a baby: kids' seafood egg soup at Deo Chadol

Why we chose Deo Chadol for a first BBQ meal with three kids

Deo Chadol is a Gwacheon restaurant we visited while looking for a place to eat with the kids before heading to Let's Run Park, the Gwacheon horse racing park. I honestly went back and forth on whether to even go. This was the first time all five of us — me, my wife, and our three kids — were trying a BBQ restaurant together, haha.

At first I worried it might be risky, or that the kids would just mess around instead of eating. But it turned out they had baby chairs, and more importantly, the kids ate the duck meat really well. Deo Chadol's duck is sliced thin, almost like shaved pork belly (daepae samgyeopsal), so it was easy for both kids and adults to eat, and on top of that, it tasted great.

Parking and the waiting area at Deo Chadol

There's a private parking lot right in front of the restaurant, so a staff member guides you to park before you head inside. At the entrance there's also a seated waiting area in case there's a line.

South Korea's only duck brisket (chadol) BBQ specialist

This place is actually the only 'duck chadol BBQ' restaurant in the country. Instead of the thick duck roast or stir-fry (jumulleok) we usually get for family meals, you get thinly sliced duck meat here — great for adults, and honestly even better for kids who have trouble chewing thicker cuts.

It won an award at the 2024 Gwacheon Food Awards, so the taste has already been vetted to some extent, which made it feel like a safe bet to bring the whole family.

Ordering the Deo Chadol Couple Course and the kids' seafood egg soup

There's a separate lunch menu, but naturally, since this is a duck specialty restaurant, we went for duck. We ordered the Deo Chadol Couple Course, and since they had a kids' seafood egg soup on the menu, we added that too.

• Deo Chadol Couple Course: grilled duck brisket (200g) + raw duck stir-fry (300g) + doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) + self-serve fried rice (for one)
• Added: kids' seafood egg soup

Since the couple course is a half-and-half combo of grilled brisket and stir-fry, we figured the grilled brisket wasn't spicy, so it'd be good for the kids, while the stir-fry has seasoning that would probably be too spicy for them — so my wife and I ended up eating that part, haha.

What does Deo Chadol's grilled duck brisket taste like?

I wondered what duck brisket would be like, but it turned out to be pretty similar to the beef brisket (chadolbagi) we usually eat. And because it's sliced so thin, it cooks fast and is really easy for kids to eat.

Once it's fully cooked, it looks really appetizing. And probably because of the duck's naturally higher fat content, it looks even more tender and juicy.

Wrapped in a lettuce leaf and eaten, the meat is tender with the distinct savory richness of duck fat, and true to being brisket-style, it's not chewy at all — it goes down smoothly.

The kids' seafood egg soup is mild enough for children

The kids' seafood egg soup is seasoned just right and mild enough for kids to eat, which makes it a great side to pair with rice — definitely recommended.

Next course: Deo Chadol's raw duck stir-fry

Once we finished the duck brisket, they brought out the raw duck stir-fry right away. Getting brisket BBQ plus stir-fry plus fried rice all as one course, the price is honestly pretty reasonable. The taste is good and the value for money is great.

For adults who like spicy food, the 'duck stir-fry' (jumulleok) is also a great choice. It comes tossed in the owner's own secret sauce, and it wasn't overly spicy or harsh — it had a pleasant savory depth that went really well with rice.

If you want to try both the brisket for the kids and the stir-fry for the adults, I'd recommend going with the set course. It comes as a full spread with two types of duck meat, hearty doenjang jjigae, and the fried rice you can't skip — perfect for a family looking for a generous, good-value meal.

Lunch-only duck brisket jjamppong, the self-serve bar and the fried rice finish

The rich, spicy duck brisket jjamppong (only available at lunch, until 2pm) and the duck brisket soup simmered for over 12 hours are both great picks for dads looking for a hangover cure or a energy boost.

And of course, the meal has to end with fried rice sautéed in duck fat, which is supposedly good for you too — that's the real deal. It's especially savory, so make sure to leave a little room in your stomach for it. The self-serve bar off to the side was also kept nice and clean, so we could grab extra banchan (side dishes) as needed without feeling awkward while managing the kids.

Is Deo Chadol worth it with kids? Our verdict

Even in the middle of a busy service, the owner and staff were warm and kind toward the kids, which made the whole meal feel really pleasant.

If you're heading to Gwacheon's Let's Run Park or Seoul Grand Park this weekend to let the kids run around, I'd recommend wrapping up the day with a hearty meal at Deo Chadol for the whole family. Most of all, the kids ate so well that I got to enjoy my own meal in peace too — a really satisfying meal all around.