Seoul Botanic Park lunch with hot plate corn mayo: Jju Baksa Magok

I went to Seoul Botanic Park in Magok and, looking for a lunch spot nearby, ended up at Jju Baksa Magok Branch, an octopus (jjukkumi) restaurant.

There are plenty of restaurants near Seoul Botanic Park, but I wanted a hearty meal, so I chose Jju Baksa. Jju Baksa Magok Branch in particular has set menus ranging from jjusamgyeop (octopus with pork belly) to egg custard and cheese fried rice, so I could try a variety of things, and the portions were generous enough to leave me full and satisfied.

Where is Jju Baksa Magok Branch, and is there parking?

Jju Baksa Magok Branch is on the 1st floor of Daebang DMC Tower 2, 23 Magokdong-ro 10-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, about a 3-minute walk from Yangcheon Hyanggyo Station Exit 8. The shop is right on the corner of the building, so it wasn't hard to find.

It's also very close to Seoul Botanic Park in Magok, making it a convenient spot to look for after touring the park.

If you're driving, you can use the Daebang DMC Tower 2 parking lot.

Parking is free for 2 hours 30 minutes, which made visiting by car easy too.

Inside this Magok octopus restaurant near Seoul Botanic Park

Walking in, there were more tables than I expected.

With everything from 4-person tables to larger group seating, the space looked good both for small meals and for bigger groups.

There's also an outdoor terrace out front, so on cooler days you could get that outdoor-dining-tent kind of vibe.

Once the weather cools down, eating octopus out on the terrace would set a nice mood.

Can you bring a dog to Jju Baksa Magok Branch?

One space that stood out to me at Jju Baksa Magok Branch was the outdoor terrace tables out front. With outdoor tables set up, you could enjoy octopus with that outdoor-tent feel when the weather is cool.

Best of all, the outdoor terrace allows dogs, so it's a great option for anyone looking for a place to eat out with their pet. Having a dog-friendly restaurant where you can comfortably dine on the terrace with your dog was a real plus.

If you're specifically looking for dog-friendly restaurants around Magok or Seoul Botanic Park, this outdoor terrace is worth keeping in mind.

Jju Baksa Magok Branch menu and how tablet ordering works

The à la carte menu at Jju Baksa Magok Branch includes rose octopus, jjusamsae, jjuusam, jjusamgyeop, and jjukkumi (2-person minimum order). There are also set menus — alcohol set, drink set, and fried rice set — so depending on your side dish combination, you can order a set menu too.

Ordering is easy through the tablet at the table.

There were several octopus menu options, but after browsing, we went with the Jju Baksa set menu. Since we were planning to eat fried rice too, we picked the jjusamgyeop fried rice set without hesitation.

What comes in the jjusamgyeop fried rice set

The jjusamgyeop fried rice set I ordered came with 3 servings of jjusamgyeop, a free crab egg custard, cheese fried rice, and flying fish roe. Instead of just jjusamgyeop on its own, it came with egg custard and fried rice included, so I didn't need to order extra dishes separately, which I liked.

A bit after ordering, the basic side dishes were laid out one by one — perilla leaves, bean sprouts, pickled radish, hot plate corn mayo, mayo sauce, and cheonsa noodles, quite a variety.

Wrapping octopus and pork belly in a perilla leaf is delicious, and it's also good paired with bean sprouts or pickled radish, or dipped in the mayo sauce for an extra savory touch. With so many side dishes, I liked that there were many ways to enjoy the octopus.

Jjusamgyeop grilled for you by the staff

The jjusamgyeop at Jju Baksa Magok Branch was cooked entirely by the staff. They grilled it from start to finish and told us exactly when it was ready to eat, so we could just wait comfortably and dig in right on cue.

Octopus in particular can get tough if overcooked, but since it was cooked to just the right doneness for us, it was very convenient.

Maybe because it was 3 servings of jjusamgyeop, the portion on the hot plate was quite generous. It wasn't just octopus — pork belly and rice cake were mixed in too, making it very filling.

The octopus wasn't tough at all — chewy yet tender, with a spicy sauce that spread through your mouth more with each bite. The pork belly added a savory, tender note that paired well with the octopus's spicy seasoning.

The octopus tasted different eaten alone versus with the pork belly, so I kept alternating between the two and couldn't stop reaching for more. The rice cake soaked up the sauce nicely too, making for a fun, chewy bite.

The free crab egg custard we picked

The crab egg custard we picked as the free option was soft, with crab mixed in for a savory, mild flavor.

After eating the spicy octopus, a bite of the egg custard softened the heat nicely, a great pairing. Getting both jjusamgyeop and egg custard together made the set feel really well-rounded.

Finishing the hot plate with cheese fried rice

Once the jjusamgyeop was finished, it was fried rice time!

They stir-fried the rice right on the hot plate and topped it with savory cheese. One bite in, the spicy octopus sauce paired wonderfully with the cheese's soft, savory flavor.

I was already pretty full from the jjusamgyeop, but somehow there was still room for the fried rice~ Finishing off octopus with fried rice really is the unspoken rule.

Is the jjusamgyeop set at Jju Baksa good value?

Eating at Jju Baksa Magok Branch this time, I liked how well-rounded and filling the set was. With 3 servings of jjusamgyeop, a free crab egg custard, cheese fried rice, and flying fish roe all included, I could enjoy a variety of dishes at once without ordering separately.

With plenty of side dishes on top of the octopus, pork belly, and rice cake, it was an overall hearty meal. If you're planning to eat jjusamgyeop and then finish with fried rice, ordering the set menu is the convenient, well-rounded way to go.

Where to eat octopus near Seoul Botanic Park

I visited Jju Baksa Magok Branch after craving spicy octopus nearby following a trip to Seoul Botanic Park. It's close to Yangcheon Hyanggyo Station, and with free parking for 2 hours 30 minutes at the Daebang DMC Tower 2 lot, it was also convenient to visit by car.

Best of all, I could enjoy jjusamgyeop, egg custard, and cheese fried rice all in one filling meal. Plump, chewy octopus with savory pork belly, finished off with cheese fried rice — a solid, satisfying meal! If you're looking for a Seoul Botanic Park restaurant, a Magok octopus spot, a place near Yangcheon Hyanggyo Station, or a dog-friendly restaurant, I'd recommend Jju Baksa Magok Branch.