Yangju Ojeong budae-jjigae lunch with rice in the broth: Choi Budae

These days the mornings and evenings have gotten pretty chilly, so I kept craving hot broth. So this time I went out for a bowl of spicy budae-jjigae (army stew). I headed to Choi Budae Jjigae, a well-known spot in Ojeong. I went with a friend and we ordered two servings of budae-jjigae plus an egg roll. Pairing the bubbling stew with a thick egg roll made for a really filling meal. The staff were friendly from start to finish, which made the meal even more pleasant — here's my visit review of Choi Budae Jjigae, an Ojeong favorite :)

Where is Choi Budae Jjigae, and what are the hours and parking?

Choi Budae Jjigae is located at 51 Ojeong-ro 10-gil, 1st floor, Yangju-si, Gyeonggi-do. It's open Monday to Friday from 10:30 to 21:00 (break time 14:30-17:00, last order 20:30), and on Sundays from 11:00 to 14:30 (last order 14:00).

• Address: 51 Ojeong-ro 10-gil, 1st floor, Yangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Hours (Mon-Fri): 10:30 - 21:00 / Break time 14:30 - 17:00 / Last order 20:30
• (Sun): 11:00 - 14:30 / Last order 14:00
• Regular closed days: Every Sunday, closed on major holidays

Parking is available at the rear of the building

Choi Budae Jjigae sits along the road leading to the Ojeong 1-dong Community Service Center, so it was easy to spot even from a distance.

The exterior has a bright red sign with the restaurant's name in big letters, so it caught my eye from far away.

These days, apparently a lot of places aren't fond of solo diners... so I was impressed to see a big banner out front saying solo dining is welcome :)

Inside Choi Budae Jjigae: the self-serve bar and the menu

Inside, Choi Budae Jjigae has a bright, clean atmosphere with wood-toned tables and chairs, and there's a self-serve corner on one side where you can grab extra banchan (side dishes). The menu board also has solo-diner options and set meals.

Walking in, it was brighter and cleaner than I expected.

Wood-toned tables and chairs were spaced comfortably apart, making it a pleasant place to sit and eat.

There's also a self-serve corner on one side, so if you run out of banchan, you can easily grab more :)

This is Choi Budae Jjigae's menu board. There are options for solo diners and set meals too, so anyone eating alone can feel comfortable ordering.

Budae-jjigae for two: broth that deepens as it simmers

The main dish we ordered for two was Choi Budae Jjigae's budae-jjigae, two servings. It looks fairly light-colored at first, but as it simmers on the tabletop burner, the color deepens into something really appetizing.

When it first arrived, it looked relatively clear

but as it bubbled away on the burner, it gradually turned a much more appetizing color.

There was a good mix of ham, sausage, tofu, and vegetables, and once the broth had simmered enough, the flavors of all the ingredients blended together naturally.

Taking a spoonful, it was spicy with great savory depth — the kind of broth that just calls for rice.

I especially liked scooping up the ham and sausage and piling them onto rice. There were glass noodles in there too, which added a fun slurping element.

After eating most of the ingredients, I mixed a bit of rice into the broth. Thanks to the hot, spicy broth, I ate a really filling meal right down to the last bite. Tasting it, I understood exactly why this place makes budae-jjigae its signature dish.

How was the egg roll we ordered on the side?

It felt like a waste to order only budae-jjigae, so we also got Choi Budae Jjigae's egg roll. It came out long and thick, with sauce drizzled on top in a zigzag pattern.

The long, thick egg roll with zigzag sauce drizzled over it looked delicious just from appearance alone.

Cutting into it, the inside was fairly thick too. Eating the soft, mild egg roll and then taking a bite of the spicy budae-jjigae broth, the two dishes went really well together.

It felt like the egg roll gently softened the spiciness in between bites — I was glad we ordered it.

When Choi Budae Jjigae in Ojeong is worth the trip

If you're looking for a warm broth dish in Ojeong, I'd recommend Choi Budae Jjigae :)

It was great for enjoying a hearty budae-jjigae and egg roll with a friend, and with solo-diner menu options, it also seems fine for eating alone. As the weather turns a bit chillier these days, this is the kind of place I'll think of when I want a bubbling bowl of budae-jjigae with a satisfying bowl of rice.

Leave a receipt review and you can get a free serving of ramyeon noodles — an essential add-in for budae-jjigae :)