Free noodle refills at a Paju Thai restaurant with kids: Drunken Thai

A taste of Thailand right at Unjeong Lake Park Drunken Thai

Drunken Thai near Unjeong Lake Park, revisited in summer

Last winter I visited here with the kids and made some warm, unusual memories. Ever since, they've brought up the sweet, savory pad thai and pho we had that day. This time I made a point of carving out the time to go back. My second child couldn't join due to an academy schedule clash, but my eldest, the youngest, and I went out as a family of three to enjoy Thai food.

Where to park: Yueun Tower 1 underground lot, free with a meal

If you're driving, you can park in the building's basement lot at Yueun Tower 1, and parking is free if you're eating there, which made things easy. That said, the entrance is right next to the basement parking entrance of the building next door, so it's easy to get confused if it's your first time — check for the Yueun Tower 1 sign before pulling in. (I missed it and had to circle back around, ha.)

Arriving at the 11am opening: inside Drunken Thai

I wanted a relaxed, comfortable meal, so I timed it to arrive right at the 11am opening. Thanks to that I got to photograph the interior at ease and enjoy a leisurely meal. As I ate, I noticed the delivery order notification kept chiming nonstop, which reminded me how popular this place already is.

The moment I stepped in, the distinctive interior and cozy atmosphere felt just as charming as it did on my winter visit.

With its quirky decor pieces, bright pink walls, and cute, colorful tableware, it really did feel like a lively back-alley eatery straight out of Thailand — a small taste of travel abroad. With the hot, humid summer weather on top of it, it genuinely felt like walking into a famous restaurant in the middle of Bangkok. The spices are never overwhelming and are well balanced for Korean palates, which is a big plus for anyone new to Thai food or for young kids — they can all eat here without worry.

Free noodle and rice refills, plus small touches for kids

Our drinks came out first, served with a special cup kept ice-cold in the fridge, perfect for the sweltering summer — refreshing from the moment we poured the canned drink in 👍

Little touches like hair ties and hand lotion set out for guests, and even the care put into the drink cup, showed the kind of small but thoughtful attention the owner pays to visitors.

One of Drunken Thai's real perks is that pho noodles and rice come with a free refill.

What three of us ordered at Drunken Thai, and what it cost

• Seafood pad thai ₩14,000
• Kai moo palo ₩16,000
• Kids' pho ₩7,000
• Todman goong (4 pieces) ₩8,000
• Drinks ₩2,500 x 2

Kai moo palo: braised pork between jangjorim and dongpo pork

Kai moo palo, which I tried for the first time on this visit, exceeded expectations. Just as the menu description put it, it landed somewhere between Korean braised pork (jangjorim) and Chinese dongpo pork, and it naturally reminded me of a pork trotter rice bowl. The sauce was deeply soaked into the meat, and eaten with rice it filled us up fast — a very hearty dish.

Todman goong: the shrimp cake side to order over spring rolls

The side dish we ordered, todman goong (Thai shrimp cakes), was crispy on the outside and generously packed with minced shrimp inside — every bite had that great contrast of crunch and bounce. Personally, I'd recommend this far more strongly than spring rolls, ha. Crispy outside, moist inside — a true taste of upscale shrimp croquette.

Seafood pad thai and kids' pho, with one free noodle refill

The seafood pad thai was just as good — the sweet, savory umami sauce paired beautifully with crunchy bean sprouts and fresh seafood, and I finished every last spoonful without ever getting tired of it.

My youngest ate up the rich, warm pho broth and noodles so eagerly that we got a noodle refill halfway through. The broth was deep and savory, perfectly suited to a kid's palate. He gave a thumbs up over and over throughout the meal with such a satisfied look on his face — too cute, honestly^^

This return visit was, once again, a thoroughly satisfying meal. If you're looking for something different and delicious for a family dinner or a date, I'd highly recommend a visit to Drunken Thai Unjeong Yadang Branch near Unjeong Lake Park.

Drunken Thai Unjeong Yadang Branch: hours, address and prices

• Address: 108-ho, Yueun Tower 1, 1102 Gyeongui-ro, Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Hours: Tue-Sun 11:00-22:00
• Break time: 15:00-16:30 / Last order 21:00
• Closed: every Monday