Lobster course and private rooms in Gwangju: Tams Badaetgaja

Location and story of Tams Badaetgaja in Dong-gu, Gwangju

I visited this popular Gwangju spot for formal family introductions to try what is said to be Gwangju’s only lobster course 😊 It is known as a lobster specialist that has been loved in Gwangju for a long time. Tams Badaetgaja (탐스바닷가재) is in Dong-gu, Gwangju. It began in 2003 as Thomson Lobster Specialty Restaurant, grew with the support of many customers, then expanded and relocated to Jisan-dong in 2010, where it has remained ever since.

This Gwangju restaurant for formal family introductions prepares fresh lobster with care every time. It has appeared on several TV programs, including SBS CNBC’s Sikgaek Namnyeo: Jal Meogeotseumnida 3, and was selected as a Gwangju best restaurant in 2016–2017. There is a varied lineup of Gwangju lobster courses 🦞 Best of all, the parking area is spacious and convenient, so it is ideal if you are driving.

What are the private rooms and group seats like?

As a Gwangju favorite for formal family introductions, the interior is very clean and well maintained. There are group tables, including four-person tables, making it suitable for all kinds of gatherings. There are especially many private rooms, so it is a wonderful place for first-birthday family parties, 60th-, 70th-, or 80th-birthday celebrations, and company dinners in Gwangju.

Even after changing its name to Tams Badaetgaja in 2016, it has welcomed customers with the same consistent flavor and service. Thanks to more than 20 years of love, it remains a truly great restaurant that continues to uphold quality ingredients and honest flavor as one of Gwangju’s signature lobster places 👍 I was especially fascinated that I could see the lobsters right at the restaurant. Seeing the lobsters they keep themselves before eating them definitely made me feel more confident and at ease.

Lobster courses to choose for your occasion

The menu offers a truly diverse range of courses. Since it is famous as a Gwangju restaurant for formal family introductions, the courses seem carefully arranged and perfect for sharing with family. There are lots of choices, so it would be good to order according to the occasion you need 😌

Before the Gwangju lobster course arrived, a staff member first brought water for washing our hands. The table also shared the story of Tams Badaetgaja, which was fun to read 👏

The Tams Course spread for ₩74,000

Tams Course / ₩74,000 As soon as the Gwangju lobster course began, such a lovely full spread came out. I liked that crackers arrived to cleanse the palate and whet the appetite. There were assorted side dishes, salad, and dressing too, and the salad dressing was so tasty that I kept reaching for more 🥗

The Gwangju lobster course included mushroom soup, a cold dish, and somyeon (thin wheat noodles). The pleasantly spicy somyeon suited my taste so well—somyeon always seems delicious 🍜

The highlight: live lobster arrives

At last, the highlight of the Gwangju lobster course appeared, and doesn’t it look absolutely appetizing at a glance? I heard that lobster prices vary greatly depending on freshness and grade. Restaurants without live lobsters in their tanks, or that cannot serve lobster sashimi, generally use pre-cooked or previously frozen lobster. But Tams Badaetgaja insists on using only fresh, top-grade live lobster ✌️ So rather than simply comparing prices, I recommend checking the lobster’s real quality before you eat.

The lobster at this Gwangju restaurant for formal family introductions was full of meat and really delicious. Rice came alongside it too, so I was able to have a very filling and satisfying meal 😉 Several sauces were provided, and dipping the lobster in them added savory depth that made me want to keep eating. Canadian lobster reportedly takes about 10 years to grow 1 kg. It may be useful to compare the lobsters included in the Gwangju lobster courses below.

• Tams Course: 600kg–700g, aged 7–8 years
• Couple Course: 1.6kg–2.0kg, aged 16–20 years

The dessert rounded out the meal perfectly: there was sujeonggwa (cinnamon-ginger punch) and coffee, so you can order whichever suits your taste. This Gwangju lobster course was perfect right through to the end of the meal 😋 It is an ideal restaurant for anyone looking for a private-room restaurant in Gwangju for a formal family introduction, a first-birthday family gathering, a 60th-birthday celebration, and more. I recommend visiting Tams Badaetgaja for a delicious lobster course 🙌