Pho lunch for pregnancy cravings near Isu Station, Seoul: Bangbaedong

If there's one restaurant near Isu Station I've kept coming back to since the day it opened, it's Bangbaedong Ssalguksu (방배동쌀국수). It's not a one-and-done spot for me — it's the real deal, the kind of place I keep thinking about and returning to. I've come here with my husband more than once, and even brought my mom along because I love it that much.

Lately, as I get further into my pregnancy, my appetite has really dropped and I can't eat much no matter what it is, ugh. Still, I try to have a proper weekend lunch, so my husband and I headed back to Bangbaedong Ssalguksu Isu Branch for lunch near Isu Station after a while away.

Location and hours for Bangbaedong Ssalguksu Isu Branch

• Address: 50 Dongjak-daero 25-gil, 1F, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• 121m from Exit 10 of Isu Station (Lines 4 and 7)
• Hours: Sunday–Friday 11:00–22:00 / Saturday 11:00–21:00

An open kitchen and a self-serve bar with rice included

The open kitchen at Bangbaedong Ssalguksu makes it feel even more trustworthy. Walking into the Isu branch, the first thing you notice is the open kitchen — having the cooking space visible makes everything feel that much cleaner and more reliable.

One thing I really love about this place is the self-serve bar. You can help yourself to as many side dishes as you like to go with your pho, and best of all, rice is also available at the self-serve bar. Sometimes when you're eating pho you just want to dunk rice into the broth, right? Being able to grab rice without ordering it separately is one of the reasons this pho restaurant near Isu Station scores so high with me.

Weekend lunch near Isu Station: mixed pho and chicken fried rice

This time my husband and I ordered a mixed pho and chicken fried rice. I remember last time we came, we ordered generously — pho hot pot, stir-fried dishes, and side dishes too. This time, though, with my appetite so low, I just didn't have the confidence to order that much, ugh.

Still, the combo of mixed pho and chicken fried rice was just right for a lunch for two near Isu Station. The mixed pho let us enjoy warm broth with a variety of meats, satisfying as always, and even on a day with almost no appetite, one sip of the broth had me eating without even thinking about it. That's probably why I keep coming back to Bangbaedong Ssalguksu.

Fried rice you shouldn't skip at this Isu Station favorite

The chicken fried rice we ordered alongside was also really good. Pho alone can feel a little light, but adding fried rice made it a properly filling meal.

Every table has chili sauce ready to go, so you can add as much as you like to suit your taste — I put it in both the pho and the fried rice. The slight kick changed the flavor in a nice way. If you like spicy food, I'd definitely recommend using the chili sauce.

Don't miss the Naver receipt review event

At Bangbaedong Ssalguksu, writing a Naver receipt review gets you free vegetable spring rolls. If you're planning a visit, it's worth keeping this event in mind — just write a quick review after your meal and get spring rolls in return.

Last time we visited, we ordered generously and had a variety of dishes, but this time, probably because of the pregnancy, I had less of an appetite than expected, so it was a bit of a shame to order less than usual. Still, once the food arrived, I ate it up happily. Even without much appetite, warm soup dishes always seem to go down easily.

A go-to spot I've kept returning to since opening day

These days I also enjoy hunting for new restaurants near Isu Station, but the truly good ones are the ones you keep coming back to. Bangbaedong Ssalguksu is exactly that place for me. I've been visiting since it opened, with my husband and with my mom, so it's a restaurant I've grown especially fond of.

If you're looking for a good restaurant near Isu Station or craving a warm, filling lunch near Isu Station, this is worth a visit. I'd also recommend it to anyone looking for restaurants near Chongshin University, and it works well for dinner near Isu Station too. It's a great pick if you're after a pho restaurant near Isu Station, and since it's close by, it's also convenient for anyone searching for pho near Sadang.

Next time, once my appetite comes back a bit, I want to order generously again like before — pho hot pot, stir-fried dishes, and sides all together, haha. As always, Bangbaedong Ssalguksu didn't disappoint, and there's a real reason I've kept coming back since it opened — it's truly my go-to spot ♡