Yuseong kimchi stew restaurant packed at 7pm: Jeonju House

Craving a spicy kimchi stew around dinnertime, I went back once again to Jeonju House, my go-to spot in Yuseong, Daejeon! With that cool autumn wind picking up, you really start craving something in broth, right? haha

Jeonju House at 7pm: how busy it gets, and opening hours

Jeonju House is on the 1st floor at 36 Oncheon-ro 101beon-gil, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, South Korea, and it's open daily from 09:00 to 22:20 (last order 21:20). I got there a bit past 7pm and every table was full. Work dinner groups, families out for a meal, couples on dates — every kind of customer packed in without a spare seat.

• Address: 36 Oncheon-ro 101beon-gil, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, South Korea, 1st floor
• Hours: Daily 09:00–22:20 / last order 21:20
• Closed: Sep 24–25, and Korean holidays (Chuseok and Lunar New Year, day of and day before)

Jeonju House menu and the two-serving minimum

Here's the menu at Jeonju House. It's not complicated at all, so ordering is easy. I went with the cast-iron galbi kimchi stew for two, which I loved last time — that's the minimum order! Order it as a stew and it comes with pot rice; order it as jeongol (hot pot) and you'll need to add the rice separately.

As soon as you sit down, they bring out bottled water first. You just peel off the plastic wrap and drink — the water tastes really clean. Since you toss it after one use, it felt very hygienic.

A hearty full spread was set out with the side dishes, cast-iron pot rice, and stew all together. Just looking at it made me feel full already, haha. A nice variety of sides came out too, all pairing well with the stew.

Cast-iron galbi kimchi stew for two: half a head of whole cabbage kimchi and whole short ribs

The galbi kimchi stew for two came loaded generously with everything from meat to kimchi. The broth looked deep and spicy — so good just to look at, haha.

While the stew simmers, a whole half head of cabbage kimchi (baechu-kimchi) goes in, and you just cut it into bite-sized pieces with scissors. It's huge, right? haha. Jeonju House doesn't buy their kimchi — they make it themselves. Knowing the ingredients are trustworthy makes this a genuinely great place to eat.

The short ribs go in whole! You can see the grain of the meat clearly, and it's soaked through with the stew seasoning. There was so much meat that two adults could eat and still have leftovers. No gamey smell at all, just delicious. They trim the kimchi and meat quickly and get it boiling right away.

The galbi kimchi stew bubbling away, cooking up beautifully. There's barely any wait before it's ready to eat. This dish works for everyone from kids to grandparents, so honestly there's nothing better when you're picking a Korean restaurant in Yuseong, Daejeon.

The cast-iron pot rice served with the kimchi stew

Cast-iron pot rice! It comes free with the kimchi stew order. Fluffy and cooked perfectly, haha.

They give you a separate bowl to scoop the rice into! The rice had a soft sheen to it and was nicely sticky and well cooked.

Grabbing tofu from the self-serve bar

Here's the self-serve bar I visited partway through the meal. The extra side dishes for refills were kept neat and well managed. This is where you grab tofu to add to the stew!

How spicy is the stew? Inside the sour-ripe kimchi broth

The spice level of the galbi kimchi stew at Jeonju House is a notch below Shin Ramyun — think pleasantly spicy rather than overwhelming. I scooped some stew into the rice bowl and mixed it right in. Unlike when I visited earlier this year, the kimchi had ripened fully this time and had a tangy, sour kick to it — a nice change of pace. Topped with the mild, tender ribs, it disappeared from my mouth in no time, haha! The broth is deep and spicy, total rice-thief territory.

Topping it with a big chunk of tofu is also unbelievably good! The soft, tender texture of the tofu with the spicy stew — that combo is pure magic, haha.

The chive kimchi (buchu-kimchi) I ate that day was so good. Its spiciness brought out a real depth of savory flavor when eaten alongside the stew — a perfect pairing, haha!

Ending the meal with nurungji (rice-crust tea)

Ending the meal with warm, nutty rice-crust tea (nurungji)! Savory and easy to sip down, haha. I ate until right before bursting and left feeling wonderfully full and satisfied!

With the short ribs added in, this galbi kimchi stew had even more heartiness and depth. If you're looking for a great Korean restaurant in Yuseong, Daejeon, I recommend Jeonju House!