# Lobster grading explained at a Gwangju restaurant: Tams Badaetgaja

- By Rin (https://superchart.com/en/@market-stall-meals/)
- Written Sep 14, 2026
- Local places › Restaurants › Dong-gu, Gwangju
- Sponsored: This review is based on a meal provided by the restaurant for the visit.
- English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@market-stall-meals/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course/
- Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@market-stall-meals/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course/index.md)

## In short

Tams Badaetgaja is a lobster course restaurant on Jiho-ro in Dong-gu, Gwangju. The owner explained how lobsters are graded into A-grade live, pre-boiled, and chilled before serving the Tams Half Course, which ran from appetizers through lobster leg broth somyeon noodles, the main lobster, mini rice balls, and a coffee or sujeonggwa dessert. Tams Badaetgaja works just as well for anniversary dates as for family introduction dinners and larger group gatherings.

## Good to know

- **Hours**: Daily 11:30–22:00 (last order 20:30)
- **Reservations**: By phone
- **Parking**: Room for 30 cars at once
- **Cooking lead time**: Call at least 30 minutes ahead for a small lobster, 40 minutes for a large one, 1 hour at Christmas
- **Seating**: 4 regular tables + 9 private rooms; rooms 106–109 combine for up to 38 seats
- **Lobster**: Canadian A-grade live lobster
- **Tams Course**: 7–8 years old, 600g–700g
- **Couple Course**: 16–20 years old, 1.6kg–2kg
- **Dessert**: Choice of coffee or sujeonggwa (cinnamon-ginger punch)

*as written by the visitor on Sep 14, 2026*

![Main image of Tams Badaetgaja's lobster course cuisine](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course-01-qthot-900.webp)

![Introduction image of visiting Tams Badaetgaja in Gwangju](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course-02-18pc7-900.webp)

A friend of mine with a shellfish allergy said she'd take allergy meds just to eat here, so I'd been saving this place — turns out my own family used to come here a lot when I was little too. I heard Tams Badaetgaja is the top-tier lobster course spot in Gwangju, so here's the review right away!

## Tams Badaetgaja hours, parking, and what to know before booking

Tams Badaetgaja is on Jiho-ro 124beon-gil in Dong-gu, Gwangju, open daily from 11:30 to 22:00 with last order at 20:30. Reservations are taken by phone, and the parking lot can fit 30 cars at once.

![Exterior and entrance of Tams Badaetgaja](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course-03-5zpcd-900.webp)

![Full view of the Tams Badaetgaja building](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course-04-19elp-900.webp)

- Small lobster: at least 30 minutes ahead
- Large lobster: at least 40 minutes ahead
- Christmas: at least 1 hour ahead

Calling ahead before you arrive lets you get seated and served faster, so keep the above in mind.

![Chef greeting guests while holding the reservation list](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course-05-jv06r-900.webp)

Walking in, the chef greeted us holding the reservation list.

![Tams Badaetgaja main dining area with regular tables](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course-06-g6f7q-900.webp)

## 9 private rooms at Tams Badaetgaja, seating up to 38

Tams Badaetgaja's dining room is made up of 4 regular tables plus 9 private rooms. They've set up all kinds of room layouts to suit different tastes and needs.

![Interior of room 101 at Tams Badaetgaja](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course-07-10htb-900.webp)

![Room space extending through room 104](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course-08-yi69x-900.webp)

The photo above shows rooms 101 through 104.

![Rooms 105 to 109, which can have walls opened](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course-09-2i1sh-900.webp)

Rooms 105 through 109. Rooms 106–109 can have their walls opened up, allowing for up to 38 seats when combined.

![Lobster fish tank at Tams Badaetgaja](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course-10-mqk2o-900.webp)

## What makes A-grade live lobster different?

My boyfriend hadn't arrived yet, so I was looking around the fish tank when the owner came over and explained the lobster grading system to me.

![Live lobster in the fish tank](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course-11-39rm4-900.webp)

> Lobster grades — it tastes even better once you know them ⭐️

- A-grade (live): freshest, top quality, still alive (what Tams Badaetgaja uses)
- B-grade (live): slightly lower meat yield or missing some legs (20–30% discount)
- Boiled and frozen: steamed or cooked then flash-frozen (30–40% discount)
- Pre-dead: flash-chilled and distributed after dying (50–70% discount)

Lobster prices vary a lot depending on freshness and grade, so if you want to eat good lobster, the pro tip is to check the grade first, not just the price per kilogram ❗️

![Scene explaining how to check lobster grade](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course-12-dhs5v-900.webp)

An even simpler way to check: if you don't see live lobster in the tank, or a place can't serve lobster sashimi, it's likely using boiled-frozen or pre-dead lobster, so keep an eye out ❗️

![Large Canadian lobster](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course-13-894fj-900.webp)

They use Canadian lobster here, and apparently it takes about 10 years for one to grow to 1kg! The longer it takes, the better the flavor, I'm told.

- Tams Course: 7–8 years old, 600g–700g
- Couple Course: 16–20 years old, 1.6kg–2kg

## What's in the Tams Half Course, from appetizer to dessert

What I had that day was Tams Badaetgaja's Tams Half Course. It came in this order: appetizer, cream soup, jellyfish salad, lobster leg broth noodles, main lobster, mini rice balls, and dessert.

![Appetizer course set out at the table](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course-14-1serd-900.webp)

![Tams Half Course appetizer setting](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course-15-1863k-900.webp)

The appetizers were already set out nicely at the table.

![Appetizer with fresh vegetables and sauces](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course-16-riwqn-900.webp)

![Refreshing appetizer dish that whets the appetite](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course-17-1vqnm-900.webp)

The vegetables were fresh and the sauces worked well together, refreshing enough to perfectly whet the appetite 😋

![Finger bowl prepared for washing hands](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course-18-128nn-900.webp)

⚠️ Not for drinking ⚠️ This is set out so your hands don't smell after picking apart the lobster meat, but apparently a lot of people mistake it for drinking water.

The cream soup was savory and warming for soothing the stomach, and the jellyfish salad was refreshing.

![Thin noodles in lobster leg broth](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course-19-1l1gb-900.webp)

This is broth made from lobster legs with thin noodles — the broth was clean yet rich, with a spicy kick at the end that made it really delicious.

### The main lobster: how do the meat and roe taste?

The main dish appeared looking gorgeous ✨ The plating was appetizing and beautifully done.

![Plated main lobster dish](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course-20-pd2au-1200.webp)

Just as the owner claimed about it being the best grade, the meat was very sweet, and the roe and tomalley were wonderfully savory.

![Plump lobster meat and tomalley](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course-21-1lc4u-900.webp)

Can you see how plump the meat is?! The texture was just as amazing as that plumpness suggests.

![Sweet-and-sour mini rice balls](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course-22-zgr93-900.webp)

The sweet-and-sour mini rice balls that I kept reaching for 😋

![Green view seen through the window](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course-23-1hurt-900.webp)

As I started getting full, I noticed the view outside. Looking at the greenery felt oddly healing.

![Choice of coffee or sujeonggwa for dessert](https://img.superchart.com/images/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course/gwangju-dongu-lobster-grade-half-course-24-14myy-900.webp)

For dessert, you can choose between coffee and sujeonggwa! A clean finish to the Tams Half Course 💕

## Is Tams Badaetgaja good for anniversaries, family introductions, and big groups?

There are so many omakase and fine dining spots these days, but coming to a distinctive, long-running traditional restaurant like this gave me a different kind of satisfaction. It would be perfectly fitting for a special anniversary, and even a family meeting (sangyeollye) here would leave everyone satisfied!

With so many different seating options, it's easy for anyone to visit comfortably, from kids to grandparents. Finding a room that fits 20+ people is genuinely hard elsewhere, so I'd recommend this to anyone planning a large group gathering! I enjoyed a great value, delicious meal with the half course, and next time I'd love to come back with my whole extended family and try the other course options too.

## Where it is

- Tams Badaetgaja (탐스바닷가재)
- 10-1 Jiho-ro 124beon-gil, Dong-gu, Gwangju, South Korea
- 전남광주통합특별시 동구 지호로124번길 10-1 탐스바닷가재
- 35.1485743, 126.9427906
- Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%ED%83%90%EC%8A%A4%EB%B0%94%EB%8B%B7%EA%B0%80%EC%9E%AC/@35.1485743,126.9427906,17z

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