Mokpo bossam restaurant with a self-serve tteokbokki bar: Bak Man-bae

When I lived in Seoul, Manbae Bossam in Deungchon-dong was so famous that I always wanted to go, but I never made it there — it left me with a lingering sense of regret. So finding a branch here in Hadang, Mokpo had me excited and buzzing even before I stepped inside.

Location and parking at Bak Man-bae Arirang Bossam Mokpo Hadang Branch

Bak Man-bae Arirang Bossam Mokpo Hadang Branch is on the 1st floor at 11 Baengnyeondae-ro 297beon-gil, Mokpo-si, Jeollanam-do, open daily from 11:00 to 22:00 with last order at 21:00. If the alley or basement parking is full, there's a public parking lot right in front of the restaurant that's very convenient.

Lunch special bossam set ₩12,000, takeout discount ₩2,000.

Having a decently priced public parking lot right in front, even in an alley commercial district, was something I really appreciated — no need to stress over where to park.

Inside the restaurant: rooms and group seating

Walking inside Bak Man-bae Arirang Bossam Mokpo Hadang Branch, the interior was surprisingly spacious and comfortable. Group seating, baby chairs, and private rooms were all neatly set up, making it look perfect for family gatherings, work dinners, or group visits.

Self-serve tteokbokki, a treat before the bossam arrives

After ordering, while looking around the restaurant, the self-serve bar caught my eye. There were all sorts of neatly arranged banchan (side dishes), and even tteokbokki (spicy stir-fried rice cakes) set out. It was seasoned just as well as any street-food tteokbokki, bursting with savory flavor — such a treat that I kept picking at it while waiting for the bossam.

Half-and-half bossam small, ideal for two people, ₩42,000

Looking over the menu to order, I saw there were plenty of solid options beyond the plain bossam. Since there were two of us, we went with the recommended half-and-half bossam small (₩42,000). Besides the small size, there were also medium (₩48,000) and large (₩53,000) options to match your headcount.

Half-and-half bossam (small) ₩42,000 · Includes: golden cabbage + kimchi filling + kimchi + gabrisal bossam + seafood kalguksu (free) · Unlimited self-serve bar: assorted banchan and tteokbokki, dessert hangwa and misugaru slushies

Gabrisal bossam is the signature dish

A little while later, the long-awaited half-and-half bossam spread arrived. Most bossam restaurants use pork belly or shoulder, but Bak Man-bae Arirang Bossam's signature is the tender gabrisal (a pork specialty cut near the loin) — a special part of the pig.

Free seafood kalguksu comes with the bossam order

One of the most impressive things about this place is that ordering bossam comes with a free serving of seafood kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup). And this so-called "free" dish is definitely not an afterthought — it comes out incredibly generous.

After enjoying the bossam, the seafood kalguksu you cook at the table has such a clean, spicy broth that it completely cuts through the richness of the meat. The chewy noodles and deep seafood broth flavor were outstanding — even full, I couldn't stop reaching for my chopsticks. To think all this generosity came from ordering just the small half-and-half bossam left me genuinely amazed at the owner's hospitality.

For dessert, there was nutty, crispy hangwa (Korean traditional cookies) and a refreshingly sweet misugaru (roasted grain powder) slushie, which made both before and after the meal enjoyable.

Final verdict on the small bossam for two

Both the taste and the portions exceeded my expectations by far — if I'd known about this place back in my Deungchon-dong days, it would have become our go-to spot for sure. We were so full that we actually had to leave some of the delicious tteokbokki and kalguksu behind, which shows just how generous the portions really were.

From the high-quality gabrisal bossam to the refreshing kalguksu and the well-stocked self-serve bar, this is a full-course kind of restaurant — I highly recommend a visit if you're ever in Mokpo!!