Jonggak Korean restaurant, mild octopus set for two: Bonghyejane

It was a rare day off, so my husband and I decided to have lunch together and went looking for a restaurant near Jongak. We ended up at Bonghyejane Jubang Jongno Tower branch on basement level 2 of Jongno Tower. I usually love seafood but can't eat spicy red dishes much when my kid's around, so this was the perfect chance haha.

Where Bonghyejane Jubang Jongno Tower branch is, and its opening hours

Bonghyejane Jubang Jongno Tower branch is at 51 Jongno, B206-B207, basement level 2 of Jongno Tower, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It's a 1-minute walk from Exit 3/3-1 of Jongak Station (Line 1), and Jongak Station connects directly to Jongno Tower.

• Hours: Weekdays 11:00-21:00 / Weekends 11:00-20:00
• Break time: 15:00-16:30
• Last order: Weekdays 20:00 / Weekends 19:00
• Parking: Jongno Tower parking lot available
• Amenities: Solo and group seating, takeout available, corkage available, order and pay at table

How to walk there from Jonggak Station

We didn't book ahead and arrived around 11:20am. We took public transit, and since Jongak Station and Jongno Tower are directly connected, finding it was really easy. Coming down to basement level 2, it's right next to a bookstore, so there was no getting lost inside the building either. Right in the middle of Jongak, an area full of offices, it's clearly a convenient lunch spot for office workers.

Inside Bonghyejane: atmosphere and seating

Bonghyejane Jubang Jongno Tower branch isn't huge, but it felt clean and tidy. There were tables good for solo dining and several good for eating together, so it seemed fine whether you're alone or in a group. We started at a table for two, but since we ordered a set with lots of dishes, they pushed the next table over for us so we had plenty of room.

What comes with the 42,000-won Hyeja Janchisang set?

We decided on the Hyeja Janchisang set. It came with whole octopus stir-fry, sample bossam (boiled pork wraps), mukbap (acorn jelly noodle soup), whole flounder fry, pumpkin porridge, and jjolmyeon noodles all at once, and the sample bossam could be swapped for mushroom perilla soup — we went with the bossam. Honestly, seeing 'sample' in the name, I expected just a few slices of meat? But the bossam portion turned out to be pretty generous. True to its name, it really was a whole spread of dishes.

Whole octopus stir-fry ordered "not spicy": how mild is it?

My top pick is the whole octopus stir-fry haha

I'm pretty spice-sensitive with a weak stomach, so even though I love octopus or baby octopus stir-fry, I always assumed it'd be too spicy and hesitated to order it. But here you can adjust the spice level, which was great. There were two levels to choose from — less spicy (about Shin Ramyun level) and not spicy — and I went with not spicy! Even without the heat, the sauce was clean and not bland at all, so next time I might try the less spicy version.

What I loved most was

the texture of the octopus

The octopus was so tender and soft that I kept reaching for more. After the first bite I told my husband to hurry up and try it haha. And personally, it felt lighter on the stomach than a meat dish for lunch, which I also appreciated.

Jjolmyeon tip: mix the noodles with the sauce early

Jjolmyeon (chewy cold noodles) comes alongside the whole octopus stir-fry. We ate other dishes first and mixed the noodles into the sauce later, which was a bit of a letdown. The sauce hadn't soaked into the noodles enough, so they tasted a bit bland compared to the octopus. I think letting the noodles sit in the sauce longer, then eating them with the octopus, would taste even better. If you order this, toss your jjolmyeon in the sauce as soon as it arrives!

The tasting bossam was more generous than expected

With the word 'sample' in the name, I didn't expect much haha, but the portion turned out surprisingly generous. Since the set already had whole octopus stir-fry and flounder, I figured we'd just get a few slices of bossam — but it was plenty for two people to share!

And then the whole flounder fry

The flounder wasn't just grilled — it came fried and coated in sauce, which I liked. It was a nice contrast to the octopus stir-fry, so it was good to alternate between the two.

Is 42,000 won for two good value at Bonghyejane?

Starting with pumpkin porridge, then working through the whole octopus stir-fry, bossam, flounder fry, and mukbap along the way, we really felt like we'd had a full spread and were completely stuffed haha. For a lunch for two, ₩42,000 for this amount and variety of food felt like pretty good value.

Does Bonghyejane get crowded at lunchtime?

Around 11:30-11:40, right after we started eating, office workers' lunch hour kicked in and groups started coming in one after another haha. We ordered the Hyeja Janchisang since there were two of us, but there's a wide variety of set meals too, so it looked easy to pick something even for a solo lunch. If you're looking for a place to eat near Jongak, being directly connected to the station is a big plus too.

What we would order on a second visit

Of everything we had that day, the whole octopus stir-fry stuck with me the most. Being able to choose the spice level meant I could eat it without worry, and above all, the tenderness of the octopus was great. Next time I'd like to try the octopus stir-fry set meal, and I'm also curious about the spicy seafood soft tofu stew I saw on the menu :) By the way, they said if you leave a Naver receipt review, you get a free drink or beverage. Worth knowing if you visit!

This time's find is Bonghyejane Jubang Jongno Tower branch, ready to take care of a hearty lunch