Cheonan Korean restaurant for family-size Songtan budae-jjigae

Where do you park?

You can park up to 3 cars right in front of the restaurant. If that's full, head to the Star Palace underground parking lot — free for up to 2 hours.

This place has around 8,000 good reviews for budae-jjigae (army stew) in Cheonan, so when the craving hit, we visited as a family. Just note it's closed every Sunday, so plan around that.

The vibe and facilities

The inside was clean with quite a lot of tables. There were couples, groups of friends, and families like us — a real mix of ages and people.

The restroom was conveniently inside, so no need to step outside. And since it's not a shared public restroom but only for Cheongwon Restaurant's customers, it was clean and well-kept.

Free refill self-serve bar for rice and ramyeon noodles

You can also freely refill ramyeon noodles and rice — a huge perk that makes this the ultimate value-for-money spot. There's broth on each table, plus extra broth ready at the self-serve bar, so you never have to flag down staff when you need more.

Menu and what we ordered

The signature dishes are Songtan budae-jjigae and Cheongwon budae-jjigae, plus a pork cutlet made from sirloin. There are also dishes kids would like, making it a great spot for family visits. We ordered the Songtan budae-jjigae for 4.

The side dishes were the classic budae-jjigae staples: braised fish cake, seasoned bean sprouts, and kimchi — three in total. The salty bean sprouts and the sweet-seasoned fish cake paired so well with the meal that we kept refilling them.

After about 5 minutes of boiling, a staff member comes over to check and personally stir the pot.

Even as the most basic budae-jjigae dish, the presentation was impressive. On top of the friendly service, it was packed generously with ham, sausage, meat, and domestic scallions and onions — you could really see the owner's generosity.

What's the difference between Songtan and Cheongwon budae-jjigae?

Songtan budae-jjigae uses 1++ Korean beef mince, giving it a deep, classic Songtan-style broth. Cheongwon budae-jjigae, on the other hand, starts from that same base but adds beef brisket and cheongyang chili peppers for a spicier kick. The main difference comes down to: beef mince vs. beef brisket, and classic vs. spicy.

I was curious about the spicy Cheongwon version too, but since my mom can't handle spicy food well, we went with Songtan. The broth was so deep and rich that I kept spooning it up. Even the ham — just one bite — you could instantly tell it wasn't the cheap kind but genuinely good quality.

It'd work great as a full meal for lunch or dinner, but for an evening visit, it would also make a great dish to pair with drinks.

In summary

You can refill rice and ramyeon noodles as much as you need, so it's especially great value for big-appetite adults. As a classic Korean dish that pretty much everyone likes, it's a solid choice whenever you're stuck deciding what to eat for lunch or dinner in Cheonan — you'll leave full and satisfied. 🤍 Recommending Cheongwon Restaurant, a budae-jjigae favorite in Cheonan!