Jeonju crab restaurant solo dining: Hanjamae Ganjang Gejang

When you think of Jeonju, bibimbap, kongnamul gukbap (bean sprout soup with rice), and tteokgalbi (grilled minced beef patties) are probably the first dishes that come to mind. But my top pick from this trip—the place that satisfied me 200%—was Hanjamae Ganjang Gejang Jeonju Hanok Village Main Branch (한자매간장게장 전주한옥마을점본점), near Jeonju Hanok Village. I love gejang (marinated raw crab) enough to wake up from a deep sleep for it, so I visited with high expectations after hearing that it is made with sun-dried salt from the Gomsom Salt Farm in Jeollabuk-do and patented fish sauce.

A convenient stop for solo dining near Jeonju Hanok Village

Because it is near Jeonju Hanok Village, it fit perfectly into my travel route as a place to stroll to and visit alone.

The exterior was neat, and the restaurant was quite spacious! (It also has an old Gomsom Fish Sauce sign, so it was easy to find.) Its location near Jeonju Hanok Village also made it very accessible as a stop while walking around on a solo trip.

Inside, the restaurant was spacious, tidy, and very pleasant. Even though I was dining alone, the staff welcomed me kindly, so I could settle in comfortably without feeling awkward. I also liked the thoughtful touch of having a whole box of disposable gloves at every table, making it easy to pick up and pull apart the crab with my hands.

A solo assorted set with both soy-marinated and spicy crab

After wondering what to order from the menu, I chose the B. soy-marinated + spicy assorted set (₩39,000 per person), because I could not possibly miss either soy-marinated crab or spicy crab. It is a seriously full spread with blue crab in both styles, plus shrimp, abalone, and salmon all at once.

Before long, the soy-marinated and spicy assorted set arrived, beautifully arranged across the entire table! Even for one person, the plates were piled so generously that I could not help admiring the presentation. Rice topped with a soft-yolk fried egg, warm miyeokguk (seaweed soup), roasted seaweed, and side dishes made it a perfect combination.

An honest, detailed review of the soy-marinated and spicy assorted set

Soy-marinated assortment: blue crab, shrimp, abalone, and salmon

Perhaps because the house soy sauce is made with Gomsom sun-dried salt and fish sauce, it was not fishy or overly salty at all—it just clung beautifully to the palate.

The blue crab was packed with meat and had red roe inside. Mixing the egg rice into the crab shell made it a true rice thief. The abalone and shrimp had a wonderfully springy texture, while the soy-marinated salmon added its own soft richness.

Spicy marinated crab

The sweet-and-spicy house sauce was mixed in so deliciously that it really woke up my appetite. The seasoning had soaked all the way in, and alternating between a bite of soy-marinated crab and a bite of spicy crab was such a treat.

Soft-yolk egg rice and roasted seaweed

Add a little of the soy sauce marinade to the included soft-yolk egg rice, mix it all up thoroughly, and wrap it in crisp roasted seaweed—the nutty flavor doubles.

I was so satisfied that I could slowly enjoy such a high-quality assorted gejang spread, so generously portioned, all on my own. They say the restaurant does not use chemical soy sauce, preservatives, or coloring, and I really did feel comfortable and refreshed afterward.

I strongly recommend Hanjamae Ganjang Gejang Jeonju Hanok Village Main Branch to anyone looking for a proper Jeonju restaurant or soy-marinated crab while traveling in Jeonju—or anyone like me who is traveling alone and wants a substantial solo meal!