Pre-movie dinner near Cheonho Lotte Cinema: mild octopus at Jjuksami

I'm Haru, a 24-year-old newlywed 👰‍♀️ Today my husband and I went on a movie date after a while, and stopped by a nearby restaurant. This is Jjuksami Cheonho Main Branch, a Gangdong go-to spot.

Where is Jjuksami Cheonho Main Branch, and what are its hours?

Jjuksami Cheonho Main Branch is about 200m from Cheonho Station Exit 6. It's open daily from 12:00 to 01:00, so it's a place you can visit late at night too, staying open until 1am.

Just head into Cheonho's octopus alley and look for the yellow sign — you'll find it quickly. Cheonho Lotte Cinema is right nearby, so it was perfect for a quick meal before the movie.

Was there a wait at Jjuksami at 7pm on a weekday?

We visited on a weekday around 7pm without a reservation. There were already a lot of customers, but no wait — we sat right down.

Ordering octopus, shrimp and pork belly for two mild, with the Rich Gold Cheese Plate

The menu is as pictured. At Jjuksami, the Cheonho octopus go-to spot, the Rich Gold Cheese Plate turns out to be a must-order. The combination of cheese and sweet potato mousse pairs really well with the spicy octopus, so definitely try it!

We ordered the menu with octopus, shrimp, and pork belly all included for two people. Since my husband can't handle spicy food well, we asked for it milder, and they said they'd leave out the spice sauce (dadaegi). In the end it turned out just right for us, so if you can't eat spicy food, I recommend ordering it mild.

Free sides at Jjuksami: nurungji soup, steamed egg and corn cheese

They first brought out basic side dishes like perilla leaves, garlic, pickled radish, and ssamjang.

Nurungji soup, steamed egg, and corn cheese all came included as basics, so we got to eat a really generous spread.

Octopus topped with bean sprouts, cooked at the table by Jjuksami staff

The main dish came out quickly. With the Rich Gold Cheese Plate added, one side had Rich Gold cheese and the other had bean sprouts on top. This was my first time having octopus made with bean sprouts instead of soybean sprouts, and it worked better than I expected.

Staff cook the octopus for you at the table. They let you know when it's done, so you don't have to worry about it until then — very convenient and nice.

Once the octopus is fully cooked and the cheese has melted, you can dig right in.

I tried pork belly, octopus, and cheese all in one bite, and the cheese tamed the octopus's spiciness so well that I could keep eating endlessly.

Perilla leaf and pickled radish wraps with mayonnaise

I also tried wrapping it in perilla leaves and pickled radish. The refreshing pickled radish paired well and gave a nice palate reset. The mayonnaise that comes as a basic side also blended smoothly with the octopus and was really delicious.

Overall, the basic side dishes play a role in neutralizing the spiciness, so I think ordering the regular spice level would be fine too. Still, the milder version is plenty tasty and savory, so if spicy food upsets your stomach, definitely try ordering it with the sauce left out. Anyone can enjoy it that way.

The free spaghetti or glass noodle sari at Jjuksami

Jjuksami includes a free spaghetti or glass noodle sari (extra noodles). After eating most of the meal, ordering the noodle sari and eating it with the sauce was a nice way to experience a whole new flavor.

This was my first time having spaghetti noodles with octopus, and it was surprising how well it worked — almost like a spicy pasta.

Almost every table around us was ordering the spaghetti sari too. If you're deciding which noodle to add, give the spaghetti a try!

From a pre-movie dinner in Cheonho to late-night drinks

We came for a quick, simple dinner before the movie, but

a lot of people were also gathered with friends drinking. It seems like a lot of people also come here as a Cheonho go-to bar spot. Since it stays open until 1am, it seems like a place you can visit comfortably even late at night.

I'd only heard rumors that there were a lot of good restaurants on the octopus alley near Cheonho Station and had wanted to go, but hadn't managed to until now — and after actually visiting, it really lived up to the hype. It was a weekday evening so there was no wait, but there were still quite a lot of people. On weekends there could be a wait, so if you're coming as a group, I'd recommend making a reservation.

If you're looking for a Gangdong go-to restaurant or craving spicy octopus, I recommend visiting Jjuksami, the Cheonho go-to spot for jjukkumi (spicy octopus).