Gimhae king crab restaurant where you pick from the tank: Dosi Crab

Easy parking and spotless prep work make me want to come back to Dosi Crab in Gusan-dong.

This is Eungdori, back from a king crab feast.

Dosi Crab Gimhae Branch at a glance

• Gimhae king crab restaurant: enjoy snow crab and king crab at Dosi Crab Gimhae Branch for a reasonable market price.
• Trustworthy tank selection: a 'hip-po brand' endorsed by chef Kang Raeleo, with a large tank where you can see and pick your own king crab.
• Hearty full-course table setting: mushroom soup, braised sea bream belly, sashimi, crispy fritters and more come standard.
• Convenient prep and thoughtful touches: the king crab arrives fully cleaned for easy eating, and disposable gloves are provided.
• Review event and dessert: leave a Naver receipt review to score savory fried rice, then finish happily with a strawberry yogurt dessert.

Why we went: a sudden weekend craving for king crab

I suddenly got a huge craving for fresh snow crab or king crab one weekend, so I searched around — and found a spot in Gimhae where you can eat really reasonably and cheaply. I booked for the weekend and headed straight over.

Dosi Crab Gimhae Branch hours and closed days

Open weekdays 17:00–22:00, weekends and holidays 12:00–22:00. Closed every Tuesday, with the next day off if Tuesday falls on a holiday.

They were running a huge promotion — spend over ₩300,000 and get a round-trip Jeju flight ticket for two plus a 48-hour rental car voucher! It runs while supplies last, and flights are based on a Friday departure. It'd be great to grab this before it ends and take a Jeju trip, but honestly, going to Jeju right now feels a bit scary.

Parking at Dosi Crab and the 'Hippo Brand' story

There's a large private parking lot right next to the restaurant, so driving there was very convenient. This place is especially famous as a 'hip-po brand' endorsed by chef Kang Raeleo — turns out that's short for 'hip pocha/food brand.' I only learned this on this visit, and it gave me more confidence in the owner.

Inside Dosi Crab Gimhae Branch: picking your crab from the tank

Walking in, I was struck by big celebrity signatures on display, along with clean, tidy private rooms and hall seating. The wall decor made from crab and king crab shells was especially fascinating — they're real shells, washed thoroughly and mounted on the wall. Restrooms are separated by gender, so everything felt comfortable to use.

Inside, there's a large, clean tank where you can see and choose your own king crab or snow crab. Since this is a direct-sale market setup, the table setting fee and the crab/king crab cost are billed separately.

What is on the menu at Dosi Crab Gimhae Branch

They also have garlic cheese butter grilled crab — great if you're bringing kids along. With traditional liquor, highballs, wine, and various drinks on offer, this could also make a nice date spot for anniversaries.

What comes with the 12,000 won table setting for two adults

The ₩12,000-per-person table setting for two adults was genuinely generous. After a starter mushroom soup to warm up, they served crab-stick salad, cockle salad, crispy crab-and-shrimp fritters, mul-kimchi (watery kimchi), shrimp sushi, and sashimi. Among the basic side dishes, cockle salad and crab-stick salad are refillable once, and the two kimchi types are unlimited — everything else comes at extra cost.

The braised pork belly that used to be part of the set has now been swapped for braised sea bream belly — seems like they're still experimenting to find the best pairing with the crab dishes. Every single item was delicious, no shortcuts anywhere!

The 2 kg king crab: how it was cleaned and how it tasted

When I unwrapped the black bundle on the table, it turned out to be disposable gloves — I was impressed by the owner's thoughtful touch.

The main dish, 2kg of king crab, was so well cleaned that I could crack it open by hand and pull the meat straight out. The meat was plump and packed, with a clean, rich flavor that was absolutely top-notch.

Review-event fried rice and strawberry yogurt dessert

I also joined the review event partway through the meal. Completing both an Instagram post and a Naver receipt review gets you fried rice and ramyeon (instant noodles), while just one review gets you one item free — I wrote a single Naver receipt review and got the fried rice. Even though the two of us were already stuffed from 2kg of king crab, the fried rice was so savory I kept reaching for more.

After the meal, the strawberry yogurt dessert wrapped things up on a happy note. It was sweet and tangy, though the portion was a bit small — still, perfect for cleansing the palate.

How to get to Dosi Crab Gimhae Branch in Gusan-dong

By public transit: it's a 5–10 minute walk from Exit 1 of Yeonji Park Station on the Gimhae Light Rail Transit. By car: search 'Dosi Crab Gimhae Branch' on your navigation, and you can comfortably use the large private parking lot.

Is Dosi Crab Gimhae Branch worth a visit? Final verdict

Being able to pick your own king crab from the tank builds real trust, and the affordable price came with a beautifully put-together table setting and service. The crab arrives perfectly prepped for easy eating, and with generous refills, the review event, and the strawberry yogurt dessert, it was a total win from start to finish. With its spacious parking lot and clean private-room and hall seating, I'd definitely recommend it for family gatherings or a date.

I'd already had snow crab over summer vacation but still found myself craving more, which is how I ended up looking into Dosi Crab. Since pricing is by market rate, I went in without checking the cost beforehand — but got a bit lucky and ended up eating well at a good price.

Alright, that's it for me — bye!