Bongdam dinner with kids: spicy jeyuk and mackerel sets at Hwadamga

The contest event ran past 5:30pm, so we decided to grab dinner before heading back in. Looking for somewhere nearby to eat with the kids, we ended up at Hwadamga.

It was dinnertime and we were really hungry, so a hearty Korean meal sounded good, and we went in.

Parking at Hwadamga: a big lot right in front

Hwadamga has a spacious parking lot right in front of the restaurant. We drove there and there was plenty of room, so parking was easy even during dinnertime.

It was nice not having to worry about parking before even walking in.

How big is Hwadamga inside?

Once inside, Hwadamga was quite a bit bigger than I'd imagined. The hall was spacious, and the gaps between tables were generous enough that we didn't feel too close to the next table.

There were also several private rooms, which looked great for family meals or groups. Overall it was clean and roomy, with a comfortable atmosphere for dining.

Ordering the jeyuk set and the grilled mackerel set

We ordered two servings of the pork bulgogi (jeyuk) set and two of the grilled mackerel set. Since we were eating with the kids, instead of just one dish we chose both the pork and the grilled fish so everyone could share.

Aside from the main dish and the cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew), all the side dishes were self-serve from a bar. At first I figured there'd be just a few kinds, but once I got there, there were way more options than I expected.

What's on Hwadamga's self-serve side dish bar

With so many side dishes prepared, we grabbed a little of everything we felt like eating.

Instead of just one or two sides, being able to pick and choose from so many options quickly filled up the table. It felt different from a typical meal where you get a main plus a few fixed sides — being able to take as much of what you want was really convenient.

The grilled mackerel: no fishy smell, perfectly seasoned

What I enjoyed most that day was the grilled mackerel. The moment it arrived, it looked like something that demanded rice right away, and once I tried it, the seasoning was just right.

It wasn't too salty or too bland, so it was easy to eat even on its own. Best of all, there was almost no fishy smell.

Grilled mackerel can get tiresome quickly if the seasoning is even slightly too strong, but with this one, a spoon of rice followed by a bite of mackerel kept me reaching for more. Eating with the kids meant I couldn't eat as much myself, but out of everything we had that day, the grilled mackerel was the most memorable.

The jeyuk was spicier than expected

We also tried the pork bulgogi (jeyuk). The meat came in big chunks, so it looked like more of a portion than expected.

The seasoning was spicier than I thought it would be. It might have been a bit too spicy for the kids, so I let them focus on the meat itself, while I found the spicy sauce paired well with rice. Unlike jeyuk dishes with smaller-cut meat, the big chunks here gave it a nice chewy bite too.

Barley rice and cheonggukjang with the set

Barley rice came as the default. Topping the barley rice with sides from the bar, then eating it alongside the pork bulgogi or grilled mackerel, really felt like a full Korean spread.

Cheonggukjang came along too, and we ate it warm by the spoonful. With so many side dishes, a bowl of rice disappeared fast.

A filling family dinner at Hwadamga

With the pork bulgogi set, the grilled mackerel set, and a spread of self-serve sides, the table was completely full. The pork bulgogi had big chunks of meat in a spicy sauce, and the grilled mackerel was seasoned just right, going perfectly with rice.

The grilled mackerel was my personal favorite. No fishy smell, not too salty — I kept reaching for it with my chopsticks.

Choosing a menu when eating with kids is always a bit of a struggle, but ordering both pork and grilled fish that day meant everyone could pick what they wanted. The restaurant was spacious with generous table spacing and private rooms available, so it seemed like a good spot for family meals or gatherings too.

We arrived hungry during dinnertime, and after barley rice, grilled mackerel, pork bulgogi, cheonggukjang, and all the side dishes, we left really full. Parking was easy and the place was spacious — somewhere I'd like to come back to for a relaxed Korean meal with family.