Cheonan Korean restaurant for weekend Songtan budae-jjigae: Cheongwon

I was wondering what to eat over the weekend, then the weather suddenly turned cold and I started craving something warm and brothy—so I finally went back to Cheongwon Restaurant: Cooking Budae-jjigae, Cheonan Dujeong Main Branch (청원식당 부대찌개를 끓이다 천안두정본점) for budae-jjigae (Korean army stew). It is in Dujeong-dong, and ever since trying it once, it is the first place I think of when someone says great budae-jjigae in Cheonan.

Cheongwon Restaurant’s Budae-jjigae Menu and Unlimited Refills

There are just two kinds of budae-jjigae here. There is also a pork cutlet menu for children.

They are Songtan and Cheongwon. Oh, and rice and ramen noodle add-ons are unlimited here! That makes my ramen-loving kid very happy, too.

For a Weekend Visit, I Recommend Arriving at Opening

This popular Cheonan budae-jjigae spot gets busy right from opening time. So I recommend getting there right when it opens on weekends +ㅅ+ Still, tables turn over quickly, so a seat opened up before long.

The basic side dishes, rice, and ramen noodles are along this wall, so just help yourself to as much as you want.

Rich Yet Clean-Tasting Songtan Budae-jjigae

Last time we had the Cheongwon version, but my child said it was a little spicy, so this time we went back to Songtan. It has a slightly richer flavor on the same base, and I think it is perfect when you want a straightforward, delicious bowl of budae-jjigae.

I love that it comes out really quickly after you order. We had skipped breakfast and came for our first meal of the day on the weekend, so we were hungry, and it was great that it arrived fast. They let it boil at the table +ㅅ+ When the time comes, they pop open the lid—and then!

This is what it looks like, hehe. Cheongwon Restaurant is not only a great budae-jjigae spot in Cheonan; the portions are seriously generous. It is packed with ham. It is the kind of magic that leaves you eating until you are completely full.

Give it one more stir, then ladle some out and eat. Since I am having it anyway, I like letting it boil a little longer so an even richer broth comes out of the ham before I dig in.

The base is rich, but not greasy at all—it has a clean, deep flavor. The meat on top is 1++ Korean beef mince, and you saw that fist-sized mound earlier, right? +ㅅ+ The portion is so, so generous and it tastes great too, so I could not think of a reason not to come here.

As it cooks, I scoop deeply into the pot and happily dig out all that ham. I do not eat budae-jjigae all that often, which may be why I look for especially good places when I do. I normally do not eat much ham, but since eating at Cheongwon Restaurant, I have found myself coming back for it regularly.

Once you scoop up a deep ladleful, it disappears in no time. There are lots of different kinds of ham, which makes it fun to eat too. They do not seem to rely on cheap ham. I do not usually seek out ham, so I think budae-jjigae is about the only time I polish it all off. But what can I do when it is delicious? After this visit, we even ordered delivery from somewhere else at home, but in the end everyone said we should just go to Cheongwon.

A Weekend Brunch with Rice and Ramen Too

I especially liked this ham. I tried a little of everything, and the ham itself is so tasty. Maybe that is why I kept wanting rice. Rice is unlimited here, so when my husband brings back a generously filled extra bowl beyond the first serving, I immediately finish it all, you know? When we have it for weekend brunch, I am so full that I do not even think about dinner.

Even after more rice, I cannot give up ramen. The broth had reduced this much, so I added stock, but I ended up needing to add quite a lot more than I expected.

How could you give up after seeing this? With rice and ramen, it would honestly be strange not to be full. That is why it is one of those Cheonan budae-jjigae places that pops into my mind now and then.

It is delicious when you eat it like this with rice. You can add more ham too, if you want. But the standard portion is already so generous that I end up eating more ramen and rice instead. We are not exactly a small-appetite household, either—but every time we go, we come back absolutely stuffed.

Parking in Front of the Restaurant and the Wait

As far as I know, it is not a chain. Looking at the sign, it does say main branch. I hope it becomes famous enough to stay around for a long, long time because I want to keep eating here. The staff are kind and the food is delicious—and since tables open up faster than expected, it is nice that you do not have to wait too long.

I believe parking is around the front of the building, though I do not know whether there is separate underground parking. There has always been a space in front whenever I visited, so I have always parked right in front of the restaurant.