Soba and salmon donburi near Busan National University: Gatjidong

This time I visited Gatjidong Busan Jangjeon Branch, a Japanese-style diner near Busan National University that's great for a clean, satisfying meal.

5 minutes from Oncheonjang Station, free parking

• Hours: Daily 11:00–21:30 (last order 21:00)
• Parking: Free parking lot with a barrier gate next to the restaurant — call staff or the restaurant to have the gate opened

Gatjidong Busan Jangjeon Branch sits roughly on the border between Oncheonjang and Busan National University. It's just a 5-minute walk from Oncheonjang Station, so it's easy to get to, and I liked that I could use the building's shared parking lot for free.

A spot that works for solo diners and family outings alike

The restaurant had a cozy vibe, with seats good for solo dining as well as several 2- and 4-person tables, so it seemed like a good place whether you're eating alone, on a date, or out with family.

Inside there are separate restrooms for men and women, and baby chairs are available too.

You can also see into the kitchen where they're cooking. The beer looked really good too 🍺

What's on the self-serve bar?

There's a self-serve bar too. You can grab a disposable apron here as well.

There's broth that pairs perfectly with Gatjidong's menu,

and warm, steaming soup and rice you could help yourself to as much as you wanted. Personally I loved that the rice was unlimited.

Next to that were side dishes like kimchi and danmuji (pickled radish), plus side plates and baby spoons.

Menu options

Gatjidong Busan Jangjeon Branch has a really wide range of menu options — from tonkatsu to soba, udon, gyudon, and sake-don — so it seemed like a great spot to visit with people who have different tastes, since everyone can pick what they want. The photos on the menu made choosing easy too.

There were also alcoholic drinks, beverages, and a kids' service item. A receipt review event was running too.

I ordered pan-memil buckwheat soba + mini gyudon (₩13,800), daily-prepped sake-don (₩13,800), and a cola (₩2,000).

How does the pan-memil buckwheat soba + mini gyudon taste?

The pan-memil soba came with a separate tsuyu dipping sauce for the buckwheat noodles. Dipping the noodles fully in the tsuyu and taking a bite, I could taste the distinct buckwheat aroma and chewy texture — refreshing and clean, perfect for hot weather like this.

The mini gyudon that came with it was also a real treat. Tender beef seasoned in a sweet sauce sat on top of the rice, making the meal much more filling than the soba alone. Alternating between a bite of soba and a spoonful of gyudon worked surprisingly well together.

Daily-prepped sake-don

Gatjidong also sells a variety of salmon dishes, and this one being called 'daily-prepped' from the name alone got me excited! The salmon was piled generously on top of the rice, with round dollops of wasabi and onion, making it look appetizing from the start.

I picked up a piece of salmon and ate it with rice — the salmon was soft and moist, almost melting in my mouth! There was no fishy taste at all, just clean, and I could really taste the salmon's signature nutty, mild flavor. The thickness of the salmon was just right for eating too.

The rice was seasoned with a vinegared soy sauce, so dipping the salmon lightly in soy sauce, placing it on the rice, and eating it with wasabi felt just like eating salmon sushi. 🍣

In summary

Overall, the food at Gatjidong Busan Jangjeon Branch was clean and delicious, making for a really filling and satisfying meal. If you're looking for good restaurants near Busan National University, Oncheonjang, or Geumjeong-gu, I recommend Gatjidong Busan Jangjeon Branch.