₩30,000 whole octopus stir-fry table for two in Jonggak: Bonghyejane

You know those days when you suddenly, desperately want octopus? That was me. Craving something spicy and plump with rice mixed in, I went searching and ended up at Bonghyejane Jubang Jongno Tower branch.

The area around Jonggak is packed with office workers, so when you're hunting for a lunch spot, it's not just about the food — you also care whether the place is clean. This one won me over the moment I walked in: the interior was tidy and the kitchen looked well kept.

And you always worry about sauce splattering on your clothes when eating octopus stir-fry, right? They had disposable aprons ready near the kitchen, so I grabbed one and ate worry-free. But the food that showed up was way more generous than I expected — we kept talking about it even after we finished.

Where is Bonghyejane Jubang Jongno Tower branch, and what are its hours?

Bonghyejane Jubang Jongno Tower branch sits in a convenient spot for lunch near Jonggak. It's on the basement 2nd floor of Jongno Tower, right across from the plant landscaping.

Bonghyejane Jubang is at 51 Jongno, basement 2nd floor, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Hours run from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., last order at 8 p.m. There's a break time from 3 to 4:30 p.m., so operating hours differ between lunch and dinner — worth keeping in mind before you visit.

The restaurant overall felt spacious and clean. Cozy but calm, it seemed like a good spot for both office lunches and solo dining. It's wheelchair accessible too, which is good to know if that matters to you.

Jonggak is full of office workers, so people usually want somewhere fast and easy for lunch — but this place suited a proper Korean set-meal experience just as well.

Ordering the whole octopus stir-fry: 15,000 won each, 30,000 won for two

What we ordered that day was whole octopus stir-fry at ₩15,000 per person. With two of us, we got two servings plus just one extra bowl of rice. But once the food started coming out, we were both a little startled.

The whole octopus that arrived looked so big and plump that the visual alone won me over. We genuinely thought we'd only ordered octopus and rice. But then dish after dish started landing on the table.

Pumpkin porridge showed up, then acorn jelly, then even flounder sweet-and-sour. We were confused enough to carefully ask a staff member,

"We only ordered the octopus, right?"

They told us these dishes all come as part of the octopus stir-fry set. We were both genuinely surprised — we'd come expecting just the whole octopus stir-fry for ₩30,000 for two, and getting all these unexpected extras made us feel very grateful as we ate.

What comes with it: pumpkin porridge, acorn jelly bowl and flounder sweet-and-sour pork

First we tried the pumpkin porridge that came out before the meal. It had a rich, distinct pumpkin flavor that gently settled my stomach. Sipping warm pumpkin porridge before lunch made me feel oddly pampered.

The acorn jelly bowl was delicious too. The broth especially suited my taste — after eating spicy octopus stir-fry, a spoonful of the cool jelly broth reset my palate, so the two paired really well.

And surprisingly, the dish I remember most was the flounder sweet-and-sour. We'd come purely for the octopus, but the flounder was good enough that I kept reaching for it.

Having so many dishes arrive as one set made the meal feel much richer than ordering just one item. We hadn't known this kind of spread would come with it, so we were even more satisfied.

How the octopus tastes, and mixing it into rice

Now for the main event — the whole octopus stir-fry. Seeing the whole octopus, I could tell it was really big and plump. Best of all, the octopus wasn't chewy but soft. Octopus stir-fry can easily turn tough if it's not made right, leaving you chewing forever, but this one kept a soft, springy texture.

The spicy sauce soaked well into the octopus, and it was fantastic with rice. Eventually I mixed the rice right into the octopus sauce and scraped it clean. That's the real joy of octopus stir-fry, isn't it? Taking a bite of the plump octopus, then mixing rice into the sauce — I couldn't stop.

The jjolmyeon noodles that came with the octopus were also a surprisingly good match. The chewy noodles alongside the spicy octopus stir-fry created a whole different flavor.

What else Bonghyejane serves besides octopus stir-fry

Bonghyejane Jubang isn't just about octopus stir-fry. They also have octopus set meals, soft tofu set meals, grilled meat, perilla soup, specialty set meals, and retro hamburg steak — plenty of options if your group has different tastes.

Overall it's a neat, well-arranged Korean set-meal style, which suits office lunches well. On days like mine when whole octopus stir-fry is calling your name, you go for that, but there are also options if you're eating solo or craving something else.

Sesame oil was set out on every table too, handy for mixing rice. Adding a little sesame oil to the octopus-sauce rice brought out a nutty aroma that made it hard to put the spoon down.

Is it a good Korean lunch for Jonggak office workers?

This visit to Bonghyejane Jubang Jongno Tower branch was more satisfying than I expected because of how generous the spread was. Honestly, I'd planned to just enjoy the octopus stir-fry and leave.

But with pumpkin porridge, acorn jelly, and flounder sweet-and-sour all included, the ₩30,000 for two felt like real value. Above all, the plump, tender octopus paired beautifully with the spicy sauce, and I ended up scraping every last bit of rice clean.

The restaurant felt clean and the kitchen looked spotless, which made the whole meal more pleasant. With the aprons on hand, I didn't have to worry about sauce splattering on my clothes and could eat freely. The food was good, and the staff were kind on top of that, which naturally makes you think about coming back. If you're looking for a lunch spot for office workers near Jonggak, or want a proper Korean set-meal spread among Jonggak restaurants, Bonghyejane is worth checking out.

If you especially love mixing rice into spicy octopus stir-fry sauce, the whole octopus stir-fry here should hit the spot. I left completely full that day, yet oddly enough I kept craving it again. Good food plus friendly service added up to a Jonggak lunch spot that made me think, "I'll be back here."