Stone-milled tofu restaurant near Yangcheonhyanggyo Station, Seoul

I finally got to visit Maetdolroman, a true local favorite near Yangcheonhyanggyo Station that I recently discovered, so here's my honest review!

• Address: 166 Gangseo-ro 56ga-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: 06:00–21:00
• Parking: Available
• ⭐️ Special note: A tofu specialty restaurant that grinds its own tofu every day with a stone mill

A huge stone mill at the entrance: watch the tofu being made during the day

Right at the entrance you can see a huge stone mill. Apparently you can watch them make tofu here during the day, but since we went in the evening, we missed it — so sad ㅠㅠ

Next to it, there was a mountain of soybeans used for making tofu, along with whole tofu for sale. A friend who's lived in the neighborhood for a long time told me the handmade tofu tastes completely different from regular tofu, so I was excited!

Maetdolroman, a favorite near Yangcheonhyanggyo Station, also sells cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew) made the traditional way — I was too curious not to try it.

Seating and atmosphere

There were tons of tables extending all the way to the back, so no need to worry about waiting!

There were also a lot of celebrity autographs on the wall, confirming this is a proper local favorite 😆

What we ordered and what it cost

• Hanwoo sundubu (Korean beef soft tofu stew): ₩11,000
• Cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew): ₩10,000
• Kongbiji-jeon (soybean pulp pancake): ₩8,000

⭐️ When we went around 8:30pm, the kongguksu (cold soy milk noodles) was already sold out. It seems to be a popular menu item, so you'd need to go early to try it!

After ordering, the auntie brought out the basic side dishes first. The well-fermented kimchi paired really well with the tofu.

There was also a separate self-serve corner,

Unlimited sundubu refills: we went back twice

The best part of Maetdolroman Deungchon Branch! The sundubu (soft tofu) is unlimited refills 💛

Look how bouncy and firm it is 🤍

I only took a small portion at first, worried I wouldn't have room for the main dishes, but it was so good I refilled it twice 😆

Since the sundubu is made fresh in-house, it was surprising how the tofu kept its texture, and the nutty flavor was on a completely different level.

And finally, the dishes we actually ordered arrive 💛

Cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew)

The cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew) made the traditional way

It came out bubbling and boiling and looked so delicious

My boyfriend has been having stomach trouble lately, and since this only had healthy ingredients like tofu and zucchini, it seemed like it would be easy to digest!

There was zero added seasoning, and with plenty of cheonggukjang, it was thick and really rich.

There aren't many simple Korean restaurants nearby, so I'd fully recommend this as a favorite spot near Seoul Botanic Park too 💛

Hanwoo sundubu (Korean beef soft tofu stew)

The hanwoo sundubu (Korean beef soft tofu stew) I ordered!

There was chili oil in it, but it wasn't spicy or harsh — the nutty flavor of the tofu was more memorable.

This is what the sundubu looks like at Maetdolroman Deungchon Branch! Not the mushy soft tofu you get from the mart — it kept a real tofu texture.

It felt like the sundubu stew was over 80% sundubu — the broth was more of a supporting role 😆

There was also a ton of meat, and none of it was tough — it just melted in your mouth. The broth, made with hanwoo (Korean beef), was really rich and nutty too 💛

Even after eating more than half, there was still so much tofu left 🤍 I used to go all the way to Paju for tofu dishes, but Maetdolroman is so much better that I don't think I need to anymore.

Kongbiji-jeon (soybean pulp pancake)

The kongbiji-jeon (soybean pulp pancake) we ordered as a side ⭐️

I thought it would be greasy since it's a pancake, but it was light with no oiliness at all. Yet it was still crispy, which was surprising — I wonder how they cooked it.

Since it's made with biji (soybean pulp) instead of flour, it crumbled more easily, but I actually liked that — it let the biji flavor come through more clearly 💛

So crispy and light — this kongbiji-jeon! I was torn between this and the tofu meatballs, but I'm so glad I went with the kongbiji-jeon.

Free soybean pulp to take home, and what to order next time

Next to the register, they had biji (soybean pulp) set out for customers to take home. Since it was free, we grabbed a bag too.

There was even a recipe posted nearby for how to make biji-jjigae (soybean pulp stew), so I'm planning to make it myself at home 🧡

I'm also curious about the whole tofu, so next time I want to try one of the full set meals.

The Naver review event

They're also running a Naver review event, so be sure to participate and get a free drink!

Final verdict

• A Korean restaurant favorite near Yangcheonhyanggyo Station
• A local favorite near Seoul Botanic Park
• A tofu specialty restaurant that makes everything in-house
• Fully recommended as a healthy lunch option