Cheonan budae-jjigae with cheongyang chili broth for two: Cheongwon

Hi, this is Bulkkun. It's been a really long time since I last had budae-jjigae (army stew), and I hadn't been able to find a good spot for it since moving down to Cheonan. But I finally found a real winner: Cheongwon Restaurant: Cooking Budae-jjigae, Cheonan Dujeong Main Branch.

Cheongwon Restaurant: Cooking Budae-jjigae, Cheonan Dujeong Main Branch

Where is Cheongwon Restaurant in Dujeong-dong, and where do you park?

This Dujeong-dong hotspot sits right in the Dujeong food alley. Once you turn into the alley the sign is big enough that it's hard to miss. Parking isn't spacious, but you can grab an open spot in the surrounding alleys or use a paid lot nearby.

If you visit before 11:30am you get a free egg roll, and if you order takeout you get a ₩2,000 discount.

Inside Cheongwon Restaurant: every table full at lunchtime

Inside the restaurant

Here's the inside of this Cheonan budae-jjigae favorite. It was around lunchtime, and I honestly haven't seen a restaurant this fully packed in a long while. Even though it's a budae-jjigae place, the hall felt clean and pretty spacious, which I liked. Apparently the mukbang YouTubers Ami and Manri have stopped by here too.

There's another highlight at Cheongwon Sikdang: the self-serve corner has unlimited refills of rice and ramyeon noodles, haha. Normally other budae-jjigae places charge ₩1,000 or ₩2,000 extra for that, right?

Cheongwon Restaurant menu: Songtan style vs Cheongwon style budae-jjigae

Menu

Here's the menu at this Dujeong-dong favorite. It basically breaks down into two options: Songtan-style budae-jjigae and Cheongwon-style budae-jjigae. I'd heard of Songtan-style plenty of times, but Cheongwon-style was new to me, so I was curious. It's supposedly known for its spiciness, and I wanted to try it, so I ordered the Cheongwon-style budae-jjigae for two — ₩24,000.

How Cheongwon Restaurant tells you to eat the stew

• 1. Pick the budae-jjigae that suits your taste
• 2. Don't lift the lid until staff have stirred the stew
• 3. Taste the broth first, then add more stock to your liking
• 4. Use the self-serve bar for rice, ramyeon noodles, and side dishes
• 5. Review event!!

Leave a Naver receipt review and you get a free egg roll, haha.

How the Cheongwon-style stew for two tastes: beef brisket and cheongyang chili

The Cheongwon-style budae-jjigae I ordered arrived, and just like the signage said, it was loaded with beef brisket and cheongyang chili. It looked spicier than expected, don't you think?

Wow, I took one spoonful of the broth and it was gently spicy with a real depth of flavor — exactly my style. And that rich, savory taste from all the ham and meat piled in there...!

Piling ham and beef brisket on rice is an absolute rice thief, haha. It's so generous with portions. Whenever it feels a bit rich, the spiciness swoops in and cuts right through it.

Finishing with self-serve ramyeon noodles and the free egg roll

After eating a good amount, in go the ramyeon noodles! You've got to finish budae-jjigae with ramyeon, right?? Chewy noodles soaked in that broth are the best part.

The egg roll I got for my Naver receipt review!! Super fluffy and soft, haha. Another great meal today.

Is Cheongwon Restaurant worth it? Final verdict

Today I had truly delicious budae-jjigae at this Cheonan favorite, Cheongwon Restaurant: Cooking Budae-jjigae, Cheonan Dujeong Main Branch. It was gently spicy with real depth, the kind of flavor that's hard to dislike, and I got to eat until I was stuffed for just ₩12,000 a person, which made me super satisfied with the visit. It's also a great, budget-friendly spot for family meals or gatherings with friends. Highly recommend!!