Late lunch by bus near Gachiul Station, soy crab added: Gim Myeongju

I was too busy to have lunch until late, and rather than grab just anything, I wanted a proper full spread — so I ended up at Gim Myeongju Tteuranchae Bapsang Bucheon Main Branch, a Korean restaurant known for its set meals! My coworker who came with me said this is a place they often drive to when visiting Jakdong or Gachiul.

Hours, parking, and the way from Gachiul Station

• 💛Hours 10:30-21:00 (last order 20:00)
• 💛Parking available

The parking lot has plenty of space, so it seems like a great spot for group gatherings. This was my first time coming by bus — I took the 700 and walked about 5 minutes, and the road was easy to walk. You go up a staircase to enter the restaurant.

The atmosphere inside

The tables are bigger than at your typical restaurant, which makes for a comfortable meal. The space has a soft, natural light to it.

Ordering the Tteuranchae Bapsang for two plus soy crab

You can order the Tteuranchae jeongsik (full course), but going with the Tteuranchae Bapsang at ₩13,000 per person and adding an a la carte dish is better value, so that's what I did. There's also grilled mackerel on the menu, so it seems easy for families with kids to eat here too.

• Tteuranchae Bapsang (for two) ₩26,000
• Soy crab (ganjang gejang) ₩18,000

The table setting was laid out so neatly it felt like a spread I could bring my parents to. With 12 well-prepared banchan, cheonggukjang, and the soy crab I ordered, every single dish felt substantial — the whole spread didn't feel excessive or skimpy, and it was satisfying just to look at.

The seasoning wasn't too strong, so it was easy to taste a bit of everything. People say the highest compliment for restaurant food is that it tastes like home cooking — this had that same charm of home-style side dishes.

Self-bar banchan that stayed warm even at an off-peak hour

If you wanted more of any dish, you could help yourself at the self-bar. I came at an awkward, off-peak hour, but banchan that taste best warm — siraegi (dried radish greens), braised potatoes, and perilla leaves — were being kept gently warm. That level of care is exactly why I'd recommend this as a Bucheon Korean restaurant.

The braised potatoes were sweet and chewy, and the fried eggplant had a mild, delicious flavor that made it a nice bite in between everything else.

There were bowls and gochujang (red chili paste) and sesame oil set out for making a bibimbap (mixed rice bowl), but I was too busy eating everything else — I'll have to be sure to try the bibimbap next visit.

Pot rice and nurungji (scorched rice)

The pot rice is delicious enough to eat on its own — they scoop it neatly into a bowl, then pour water into the pot to prepare nurungji. Topping it with siraegi braised with anchovies made it go down easily.

Perilla leaves paired really well with the nurungji — a great combination.

How was the soy crab I added?

And then the crab that took center stage on the table! The flavor leaned more sweet than salty, which suited my taste. This wasn't too salty either, so I slurped it right down.

I think there were 4 or 5 crabs, but it was so good I was too focused on eating to count properly... Compared to going somewhere just for crab, ordering it alongside the full Korean set meal at Gim Myeongju Tteuranchae Bapsang felt like better value overall.

Even the cheonggukjang was packed generously with ingredients. The stone pot was quite large, but I finished it without leaving anything, haha.

Reservations and group info

The banchan and cheonggukjang I enjoyed so much can be purchased separately, and on my way out I noticed there's a second floor too. Reservations are available for 5 or more people on weekdays and 9 or more on weekends. Lots of people use it as a group gathering spot, and probably because it's famous as a set-meal restaurant, reservations aren't possible from 12-3pm on weekends and holidays — keep that in mind!

Why I want to come back

I was satisfied enough with my meal at Gim Myeongju Tteuranchae Bapsang Main Branch that I'd want to come back with my parents next time. The staff were also very kind and welcoming. Bucheon Natural Ecological Park is nearby too, so it seems like a nice place to visit after eating! I'd recommend this as a go-to restaurant near Gachiul Station or Jakdong. Note that the restaurant is closed on September 24 and 25, 2026, the eve and day of Chuseok.