Korean fish restaurant date night in Cheongju: Jeju Badang

Jeju Badang, a Cheongju restaurant with a kids' play room — great hairtail stew near Gagyeong-dong that's easy to visit with a baby. Looking for a restaurant with a play room to take your little one to?

When you're eating out with a kid in Cheongju, the first questions aren't about taste — they're 'Is there a play room? Is parking easy? Is there food my kid will eat?' And it's even better if mom and dad can enjoy good Korean food too ✨ This time we went to Jeju Badang in Gagyeong-dong.

I'd been craving spicy hairtail stew for ages, so I went looking, and found a spacious place with everything from a play room to a self-serve bar — it looked great for anyone searching for a Cheongju restaurant to bring kids to. Today I'll go through the menu, prices, play room, and self-serve bar in detail!

• 📍 Location & parking ➡️ A Korean restaurant in Gagyeong-dong with parking available
• 📍 Play room ➡️ A wide dining hall with even a space for kids to play!
• 📍 Hairtail stew ➡️ Review of the boneless hairtail stew + black tilefish + pot rice combo
• 📍 Self-serve bar ➡️ 15+ Korean side dishes, chicken, and dessert, all covered

Where is Jeju Badang, and is there parking?

Jeju Badang is on the 2nd floor of 28 Seohyeonnam-ro, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju, Chungbuk, South Korea, and building parking is available. It's near Gagyeong Xi and Gagyeong I'Park, so it's a convenient spot for Gagyeong-dong residents.

I found this place while craving hairtail stew again. Honestly, hairtail stew has been having a bit of a moment on Threads lately lol, and seeing everyone's posts made me suddenly want it too. That's how I found Jeju Badang in Gagyeong-dong.

The restaurant is on the 2nd floor, and I was surprised how spacious the dining hall was as soon as I walked in. The tables weren't cramped, and it looked good for group visits too! Best of all, the stone-accented interior gave off a subtle Jeju vibe 🌴 — it really felt like eating Jeju-style fish dishes without having to go all the way to Jeju. Parking can be a real headache when looking for a family restaurant in Gagyeong-dong, so having parking available is a plus.

Parking really matters when you're with a kid, since you have to unload the stroller, bags, and all the gear from the car. Here are my checkpoints before visiting:

• ✅ Building parking is available, but come with some time to spare during busy hours
• ✅ Avoid break time, 15:00–17:00
• ✅ For weekend family meals, arrive a little earlier than peak time

It felt like a great fit whether you're after grilled fish or hairtail stew in Cheongju, or just looking for a nice Gagyeong-dong restaurant to take your parents to.

Jeju Badang's kids' play room and high chairs

Jeju Badang has a separate play space for kids and high chairs on hand too. Between the spacious hall and the play room, it seemed like a great fit for families.

You know how it goes eating out with a kid — the adults are still eating and the kid's already done, going 'Mom, let's go~' lol. That's exactly why a Cheongju restaurant with a play room is so precious. It's easy for families with young kids to use, so I especially wanted to recommend this one to anyone looking for somewhere to eat out with a baby in Cheongju.

If you're worried about what your kid will eat, the self-serve bar is pretty solid too. It's not just fish dishes — there's seaweed soup and fried chicken, foods that are relatively easy for kids to go for.

Tilefish set for two, 59,000 won: how was the boneless hairtail stew?

What we ordered at Jeju Badang was the tilefish set for two at ₩59,000: boneless Jeju silver hairtail stew, grilled black tilefish, and two pot rice. Jeju Badang specializes in braised and grilled fish dishes, including boneless silver hairtail stew, grilled mackerel, and grilled Jeju black tilefish.

Now, the real reason I came here lol — the hair.tail.stew ❤️

It was perfect for my husband and me, since we both wanted to try the braised and grilled dishes. And my husband even ordered a bottle of Hallasan soju lol — normally he drinks something new, but with the whole Jeju vibe going and Hallasan at just ₩5,000, he couldn't resist. Ordered right away.

What I loved about the main dish, the Cheongju hairtail stew, was that it was boneless. Some people who love braised fish avoid it because picking out bones is such a hassle — especially when you're eating with a kid, you're already busy just eating your own meal without having to debone fish too ㅠㅠ

Being boneless, it was easy to scoop up radish and hairtail together with a spoon and pile it on rice. The seasoning was exactly my kind of level — spicy enough to give your tongue a little tingle, but not overwhelming, and definitely not bland either — a great side dish for rice.

Scooping up the sauce-soaked radish and boneless hairtail together and piling it onto the pot rice... wow... I wanted to eat five bowls of rice lol ❤️ Felt like I'd found a really good spot for Cheongju hairtail stew.

I also loved that it was pot rice instead of a regular bowl of rice. Scoop out the warm rice first to eat with the stew, then pour water into the pot and finish with scorched rice tea at the end — perfect ✨

How was the grilled black tilefish?

The grilled black tilefish that came with it surprised me with its size too — I was like, 'Wait, is this really what comes with the set?' lol, it had real presence. The outside was crispy and the inside kept that chewy texture unique to tilefish, so it was great to alternate with the hairtail stew! Eating just the stew can get a bit spicy after a while, but pairing it with the mild grilled tilefish worked really well. I think parents who love grilled fish would enjoy this too.

• ✅ Pile a piece of hairtail with sauce-soaked radish onto rice
• ✅ Scoop out rice from the pot first, then pour water in right away to make scorched rice tea
• ✅ Alternate between the stew, tilefish, and self-serve side dishes

In my opinion, if you're looking for a good Gagyeong-dong restaurant and love fish dishes, I'd recommend this set combo.

What's on the self-serve bar at Jeju Badang?

Jeju Badang's self-serve bar has a salad bar with over 15 kinds of Korean side dishes. It wasn't just a few kinds of kimchi or pickles — way more than that!

Honestly, the self-serve bar surprised me almost as much as the main dish. There was fried chicken, stir-fried pork, even seaweed soup — I was like, 'Wait, all of this too?' lol. Having lots of side dishes means nothing if no one touches them, but true to a Korean-food specialty restaurant, the side dishes here were consistently well-made and paired nicely with the main dishes. When I visited, the food turnover looked fast, and anything running low got refilled quickly, which I liked.

Having fried chicken there is basically cheating lol. It's a great point for visiting with a baby in Cheongju — even kids who don't eat much fish will have something to choose from. Taking a bit of several side dishes along with the hairtail stew and pot rice made for a genuinely filling meal.

And that's not even the end. There were dessert drinks and snacks too, perfect for cleansing your palate after the meal. I made sure to grab some snacks too, and that was truly the end of the meal lol. Especially with kids, it's hard to pick a restaurant based on just one main dish, so having the play room, high chair, variety of side dishes, and spacious hall all in one place felt like a real advantage. So if you're looking for a Cheongju restaurant with a play room or a spot for a family meal, this one's worth saving!

Jeju Badang FAQ

Q. Is parking available at Jeju Badang? Yes, you can use the building's parking space.

Q. Is it okay to visit with kids? Yes! With a play room and high chairs available, it's a decent option for families looking for a restaurant to bring a baby to in Cheongju. Just be careful with young kids around the hot pot rice and stew dishes.

Q. What did you order? We had the ₩59,000 tilefish set for two — boneless silver hairtail stew, grilled black tilefish, and two pot rice. If you're after Cheongju hairtail stew, the fact that it's boneless is also a plus, making it easy to eat.

Q. What's on the self-serve bar? A variety of Korean side dishes along with several other foods including fried chicken. The lineup may vary depending on when you visit, so check in person.

Q. Is it good for groups or family gatherings? The restaurant is spacious with a variety of tables, so it looked like a decent spot for family meals or gatherings. If you're coming with a larger group, I'd recommend checking seating and reservation availability with the restaurant beforehand.

Went for the hairtail stew and ended up loving the self-serve bar and play room just as much! The boneless hairtail stew was easy to eat, the grilled black tilefish was generously sized, and with the warm pot rice and scorched rice tea, we had a really satisfying meal. Personally, if you like spicy braised fish with pot rice, I think you'll be quite happy here. Above all, with the spacious hall and play room, I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a place to eat out with a baby in Cheongju, or a good Gagyeong-dong restaurant to bring parents to ✨

What to know before visiting Jeju Badang

• 📍 Address: 28 Seohyeonnam-ro, 2nd floor, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju, Chungbuk, South Korea
• ⏰ Hours: 10:30–22:00 / Break time 15:00–17:00 / Last order 20:30
• 🚗 Parking: Building parking available
• 🚻 Restroom: Inside the building, separate for men and women
• 👶 Kids' facilities: Play room available, high chair available

Ate well and left with a nice full belly today~ If you're looking for grilled fish or a good restaurant in Gagyeong-dong, Cheongju, how about giving Jeju Badang a try? :)