Day-drinking at a Gijang, Busan snow crab restaurant: 1.4kg bakdal

Hey everyone, it's Yungsung!!

The weather's been gloomy and rainy lately, and I felt like it was time to boost my energy, so I ran off to Gijang Market in Busan over the weekend 🏃‍♀️💨 Gijang means crab, right? Of course it does 🦀❤️ After storm-searching through countless restaurants for which one to pick, I decided on Gijang Myeongpum Daegae (기장명품대게), which had the best reviews for actual crab-to-shell meat ratio, and headed straight there!

Gijang Myeongpum Daegae parking and hours: can you get there on the Donghae Line?

Gijang Myeongpum Daegae is located at 5 Chaseongdong-ro 73beon-gil, Gijang-eup, Gijang-gun, Busan, a 10-minute walk from Gijang Station on the Donghae Line. It's open daily from 10:00 to 21:00, and there's a private parking lot right next to the entrance.

I went by Donghae Line since I was planning to drink haha. It's only a 10-minute walk from the station, so it's perfect for Busan foot-travelers hunting for good restaurants too!!

Right from the entrance, there's a huge fish tank with snow crabs and king crabs going absolutely wild ㅋㅋㅋ The water quality was managed so cleanly too, so first point of reassurance! ✨

• Parking: large private lot next to the store entrance, or public parking fee support available
• Hours: daily 10:00–21:00

A whopping 1.4kg bakdal snow crab!! At the time I went, it was around ₩70,000–80,000 per kg!! We added a red crab (missing 2 legs) for around ₩40,000 on top of that haha. Usually it's 1kg per person, so we ordered a bit more, but it was great value!!

Free chicken at the self-serve bar? Buffet-level side dishes, unlimited 🥗

Gijang Myeongpum Daegae is a crab restaurant, but unusually it has a self-serve bar. Macaroni salad, pasta, fried items (kimmari — seaweed roll, fried peppers, chicken), kimchi, seaweed salad — all keep getting refilled.

I did a self-serve bar tour while the crab was steaming… wait, is this a buffet? 🤤 (photos look empty but they keep refilling) Macaroni salad, pasta, fried items (kimmari, fried peppers, chicken), kimchi, seaweed salad — the side dish variety is endless. Usually crab restaurants charge a table fee and there's nothing worth eating, but here you could fill up on just the basic sides alone ㅋㅋㅋ (I got the chicken refilled 3 times,,) The fried stuff was crispy and the seaweed salad was sweet and tangy, perfect for whetting the appetite 👍

How full was the meat? Steamed bakdal snow crab claws and complimentary abalone

The 1.4kg bakdal snow crab steam at Gijang Myeongpum Daegae had claw meat packed so tight that peeling back the shell slightly popped the whole piece of meat right out. It came already cleaned for easy eating, and steamed abalone came out as a complimentary extra.

After demolishing the self-serve bar, the main dish — steamed crab — finally appeared…! ✨ I gasped the moment I saw it ㅋㅋㅋ

Freshly steamed and still steaming, and it came already cleaned for easy eating, which I loved. The complimentary steamed abalone was insanely nutty too!✨

Look at this claw meat ratio, everyone… 😭 Peel the shell a little and the plump claw meat pops right out in one piece, meat only. I dipped a big bite into the rich crab-shell innards, and my mouth exploded with nutty, sweet flavor 🔥 Zero fishiness, pure richness… genuinely tear-inducing good ㅠㅠ

The prep was so well done that pushing the leg meat out lets it drop out in one whole chunk. So soft and moist it melts without needing to chew! The taste that blows away all your stress 🤤

₩5,000 crab-shell fried rice plus ₩10,000 seafood ramyeon to finish

Gijang Myeongpum Daegae finishes with crab-shell fried rice and seafood ramyeon. The fried rice, including doenjang stew, is ₩5,000, and the seafood ramyeon is ₩10,000 but packed with seafood.

No matter how full you are, if you're Korean, crab-shell fried rice and crab ramyeon are non-negotiable national rules 🍜🍚 They stuff the crab shell with rice stir-fried with the rich innards, vegetables, and plenty of flying fish roe, and the crunchy pop of the roe was insane. (Save some innards for it!) ₩5,000 for fried rice plus doenjang stew is way too cheap!! The seafood ramyeon is ₩10,000 but so packed with seafood,, so rich.

Take a sip of the spicy crab ramyeon broth with crab legs and mussels, then a spoonful of fried rice — the perfect sweet-salty plus rich-nutty combo comes together 💥

The ramyeon noodles were springy too and the broth was so refreshing it practically called for soju ㅋㅋ (99% Jin Ramyeon)

Gijang Myeongpum Daegae verdict and tips before you go

Gijang Myeongpum Daegae was a Gijang Market crab restaurant with no shortcuts on meat ratio and great quality self-serve side dishes too. If you're driving, use the store's private parking lot, and reservations are recommended during weekend peak hours.

Haha, one-picture summary,, are you sure this was just two people eating?? We drank in the afternoon, ended up with round bellies and red faces, and wandered around the Songjeong cafés afterward,,

Overall: no shortcuts on the meat ratio, genuinely packed full, and the self-serve side dish quality was fully satisfying too! The best crab restaurant in Gijang Market 👍

Tip: if you're driving, you can use the store's private parking lot, and I'd recommend booking ahead during weekend peak hours! If you're visiting Busan or taking a weekend trip to Gijang and want fresh crab with an amazing meat ratio, definitely stop by Gijang Myeongpum Daegae! 🔥

• 📍 Address: 5 Chaseongdong-ro 73beon-gil, Gijang-eup, Gijang-gun, Busan, South Korea
• ⏰ Hours: Daily 10:00–21:00