Dongtan Korean restaurant for a weeknight family dinner: Ossamgak

On a weeknight when I really didn't feel like cooking, I ended up at Ossamgak with the kids! This time it was all four of us — two kids, two adults. A Dongtan spot in Hwaseong worth knowing about.

Picking a menu when eating out with kids is always a bit tricky. The adults want something spicy, but you usually end up ordering the mild option because of the kids. What I liked about Ossamgak is that you can have spicy squid stir-fry and kid-friendly bossam (boiled pork wrap) at the same table.

Is Ossamgak comfortable for seating kids?

Walking into Ossamgak, the interior was bigger and cleaner than I expected. High ceilings and a full glass wall keep it from feeling cramped, and the overall bright, tidy atmosphere made it a good place for a family meal. The tables were spaced fairly generously too, which made it comfortable to sit with the kids.

Ordering is done through a tablet at the table, so we didn't have to flag down staff separately, which was convenient. After the meal, there was a coffee machine so we could grab a cup of coffee. Being able to wrap up with coffee instead of rushing out right after eating was a nice touch for the adults.

What a family of four ordered at Ossamgak

For a family outing like ours — two kids, two adults — the menu combo is the most important part. Looking at Ossamgak's signature dishes, the Ossam set meal lets you have squid stir-fry and garlic bossam together, and there are also separate squid stir-fry and bossam sets. If you want bossam as the main dish, garlic bossam comes in 2-, 3-, and 4-person portions, so it looked easy to order according to family size.

Garlic bossam the kids could eat too

And finally, the food arrived! First, the bossam was really good to share with the kids. The meat wasn't dry at all — pleasantly tender with just enough fat, tasty on its own or wrapped in lettuce. Paired with bossam kimchi and a seasoned side, it was even more satisfying for the adults' palates.

The wrap greens came out big and fresh, so stacking a piece of bossam with kimchi and taking a full bite — that's the whole point of eating bossam wrapped, isn't it. For the kids, instead of strongly seasoned side dishes, we gave them bossam meat with a fried egg and rice, which made for an easy meal. That let the adults enjoy the spicy dishes guilt-free.

How spicy is the squid stir-fry at Ossamgak?

What I especially enjoyed was Ossamgak's squid stir-fry. Even from the photo you can tell the sauce coats everything properly, right? It's not just squid — there's plenty of cabbage and onion, plus rice cakes mixed in, so it's fun to pick through. The sauce is rich enough that the squid is tasty on its own, but it goes even better with rice!

A bite of spicy squid stir-fry, then a piece of mild bossam — the combo worked better than I expected. Made me think that's probably where the name 'Ossamgak' comes from.

Side dishes and doenjang stew

Ossamgak also brought out a good variety of side dishes — seasoned chives, bean sprouts, seasoned seaweed, salad, and japchae (stir-fried glass noodles), which was great for eating with the kids. For a family meal, having at least a couple of dishes the kids can eat comfortably matters a lot, and with bossam, japchae, and fried egg, there were enough easy options for them.

Adding a warm bowl of doenjang stew (soybean paste soup) made the whole spread pretty filling. A spoonful of soup between bites of bossam, another spoonful after the squid stir-fry — before we knew it, a whole bowl of rice was gone.

It's not in the photos, but the menu also lists seafood pancake as a separate order, plus dishes like skate sashimi combo and raw oyster bossam. Beyond family meals with kids, it looked like a good spot for adults to come have makgeolli (rice wine) too.

Ossamgak prices and opening hours

Prices were clearly marked on the menu, which made ordering easy. The Ossam set meal requires a minimum of two people and is ₩19,000 per person, the squid stir-fry set is ₩15,000, and the lunch special bossam set is ₩13,000. Garlic bossam starts at ₩38,000 for a small, 2-person portion.

Hours were posted prominently at the entrance: 11:00–21:30, with a break time from 15:00–17:00, closed every Sunday — worth checking before you visit.

Family dinner with two kids at Ossamgak: the verdict

Overall, what I liked most about this meal at Ossamgak was that neither the kids nor the adults had to compromise much on the menu. The kids ate mostly mild bossam, japchae, and fried egg, while the adults could enjoy spicy squid stir-fry alongside bossam.

The place was clean, tablet ordering was convenient, and being able to finish with coffee made it easy for the four of us to have a relaxed meal. If you're like me, trying to figure out a family dinner menu with two kids, I'd recommend the squid stir-fry + bossam combo. Spice-loving parents get satisfied and the kids get fed too — this feels like a place I'd think of again next time we want a hearty family meal. ❤️