Gwangju lobster restaurant, Mudeungsan-view room 6: Tams Badaetgaja

I went out for some fresh air near Mudeungsan after a while and ended up at a lobster restaurant that's held the same spot in Gwangju for over 20 years — Tams Badaetgaja, well known as the place to get a proper Gwangju lobster course meal.

Tams Badaetgaja hours and parking

Tams Badaetgaja is open daily from 11:30 to 22:00, with last order at 20:30. There's space for 30 cars to park at once out front.

The parking lot is also huge — enough for more than 30 cars.

Set in the crisp air at the foot of Mudeungsan, the clean, old-fashioned exterior makes this a great choice for bringing parents or hosting a group gathering.

The dining hall itself isn't cramped at all — it's laid out comfortably so you can eat in a relaxed atmosphere.

Grade-A live lobster in the tank

The tank in front of the kitchen was packed with fresh, huge, grade-A live lobsters.

They only serve top-grade live lobster flown in directly from Nova Scotia, Canada — and the owner explained the lobster grading, meat yield and freshness so kindly and in such detail that I could really feel the pride he takes in the food!

Private rooms and the 38-seat group room

Tams Badaetgaja is mostly made up of private rooms, which makes it perfect for group gatherings or family meals!

Floor seating with room for your legs

The seating is floor-style, but the structure lets you comfortably lower your legs under the table, and rooms come in various sizes.

The room set aside for kids has plain floor seating without the leg well underneath, so kids can sit, play and eat safely without any risk of their legs slipping or getting hurt.

Rooms 6 through 9 can have their sliding doors fully opened to transform into a massive 38-seat group room!

Room 6: the one with the Mudeungsan view

We'd booked ahead and were shown to room 6, where the lush green scenery outside the window was fully visible and refreshing.

We arrived right at our reservation time and the appetizers were already neatly set out on the table.

Finger bowl for washing your hands

An oval bowl with lemon slices floating in it sat on the table — it's for washing your hands when you eat lobster with your fingers.

How the table is set

The table mat had the nutritional information for lobster, the history of Tams Badaetgaja, and the ideal cooking time, which was fun to read while we waited.

Menu and the price of the lunch special Tams half course

The menu ranges from the Tams course, which gives one whole lobster per person, up to the couple's course with a full spread of sashimi, steamed, grilled and hot pot dishes.

We went with the lunch special: the Tams half course at 37,000 won per person, which comes with grilled seasoned lobster and a full meal, ordered for two.

Lobster soup

We started with a savory lobster bisque that warmed and soothed the stomach.

Salad and dressing

Fresh sprouts, nuts and cherry tomatoes topped with a rich black sesame dressing — savory and refreshing at once.

Canapés and garlic bread

Crispy baguette garlic bread topped with shine muscat grapes, plus a fresh vegetable finger-food canapé, both great appetite starters.

Chilled jellyfish salad and cold somyeon noodles

The crunchy, tangy jellyfish salad and the warm mul-somyeon (thin noodles in cold broth, served here warm) made with lobster stock for a clean, deep flavor were both delicious!

The main course: half a grilled seasoned lobster and fried rice

After working through the appetizers, the main dish finally arrived — a half portion of grilled seasoned lobster and the special fried rice, both neatly plated!

With the insane meat yield of a grade-A live lobster, there's simply no comparison to frozen pre-boiled or dead lobster!

I picked up a claw, and the meat was packed so densely inside the shell that the chewy, springy texture was just artful.

The sweet, savory sauce coated the lobster meat without being overpowering, and dipping it into the chili sauce and mayo sauce brought out a whole other layer of flavor.

The colorful fried rice, tossed with vegetables until fragrant, came out alongside a deep, refreshing lobster soup — together they made for a genuinely upscale meal.

For dessert we each picked either cool sujeonggwa (cinnamon-persimmon punch) or a clean cup of coffee to finish things off nicely 🩶

Is Tams Badaetgaja right for a family meeting or group gathering?

True to its 20-year history, this place never touches B-grade or frozen lobster and holds firmly to grade-A live lobster only — you can really feel the owner's clear culinary philosophy. From the neat appetizers to the meat-packed main lobster, the hot soup and fried rice, the course felt complete enough to bring parents or hold a formal meeting between families.

Being served in a private room with a view of Mudeungsan made for a genuinely pampered, complete meal. If you're after a proper Gwangju lobster course or trying to figure out where to gather for a special occasion, I'd recommend Tams Badaetgaja in Jisan-dong 🩶