Seongsu budae jjigae restaurant with kids' pork cutlet: Songtan

On days like these, when mornings and evenings turn a little cooler, I somehow find myself craving something warm and spicy-hot~

I had errands in Seongsu-dong and was mulling over lunch options when I suddenly craved budae jjigae (army stew), so I headed to Songtan Jindaegwang Budae Jjigae Seongsu Branch. A stew loaded with ham and sausage plus a warm bowl of rice makes for such a filling meal~~ Especially if you're looking for a lunch spot near Seongsu Station where you can eat with a group?? Budae jjigae turns out to be a pretty solid choice!!

Songtan Jindaegwang Budae Jjigae Seongsu Branch: close to Seongsu Station

Songtan Jindaegwang Budae Jjigae Seongsu Branch is located at 97 Achasan-ro, 2nd floor, Unit 201, Seongdong-gu, Seoul! It's within walking distance from Seongsu Station, so it's easy to reach by public transit, and it also seemed like a good spot for a work lunch or meetup in the Seongsu-dong area~

Parking isn't easy to find in a lot of Seongsu-dong, but this place apparently has a parking space right in front of the building~ Though parking availability can change depending on the situation, so if you're driving, it's probably most accurate to check with the store beforehand!!

What was the atmosphere like?

Walking inside, the place was even more old-school than I expected, and I loved it~ Can't believe I'm already the age where I appreciate this...

The song playing in the background... while eating budae jjigae... I found myself swaying and humming along ㅠㅠ

I really felt like a full-on ajumma. When you think of a budae jjigae specialty restaurant, you usually picture a noisy, bustling place, but here the tables were spaced comfortably apart and the whole vibe was so old-school that it just... ha... I recommend it!

It looked good for a simple solo meal, and also nice for visiting with coworkers or friends!

There's also seating for larger groups, so if you're looking for a Seongsu-dong lunch meetup or small get-together spot, this one's worth keeping in mind!! Takeout and delivery are both available, and outside the store there are separate men's and women's restrooms!

Budae jjigae loaded with ham

When our budae jjigae arrived, the first thing that caught my eye was, of course, the generous amount of ham and sausage!!

The pot was so full of ham, sausage, and all sorts of other ingredients that it looked seriously filling even before we started cooking it!!

After we turned on the burner and waited a bit, the broth started bubbling away and that distinctive spicy-hot smell of budae jjigae rose up!?

On a cold or rainy day, just looking at this makes you feel like you could polish off a bowl of rice in no time~~ Ahh~~

How was the broth?

Once the broth had boiled enough, I took a spoonful, and the first taste was spicy-hot with a savory depth coming from the ham and other ingredients.

Rather than being overly intense, it was more the kind of budae jjigae broth that pairs nicely with rice. Budae jjigae gets more flavor from the ham and sausage the longer you simmer it, right~? The taste was different at the start versus after it had reduced a bit more, so there was fun in continuing to cook it as we ate!!

The ham and sausages had slightly different textures depending on the type, so it was fun picking through them one by one — especially topping rice with a piece of ham and lightly dipping it in the broth, which worked really well.

Extra millet rice and side dishes, a Seongsu Station lunch

Extra millet rice and side dishes, a Seongsu Station lunch

Rice is essential with budae jjigae, right!? Being able to add on millet rice and side dishes here felt like a real plus for anyone wanting a hearty, filling meal! They say a spoonful of broth, a bite of rice, a piece of ham on top, and before you know it the rice disappears — but for us it was ramen over rice any day..❤️

Prices matter when you're grabbing lunch near Seongsu Station, but if you order budae jjigae to share among a group, it felt like a solid, reasonable meal option. Seriously... highly recommend!

When's the best time to add the ramen noodles?

You usually add the ramen noodles after eating some of the budae jjigae, right? We just throw them in right from the start! For the rest of you, if you add the ramen once the broth has reduced a bit, the noodles soak up all that ham-and-sausage flavor and it's delicious — so do that! We're just too impatient and dig in right away!

Eating the chewy, perfectly-cooked ramen with a piece of ham gives a totally different feeling from when we started with rice. Even after your stomach's pretty full, you keep reaching for more — the combo of budae jjigae and ramen noodles really is hard to resist...

If you're with kids: pork cutlet

Going with a kid who won't eat budae jjigae? Hmm~ Don't worry!

They've got pork cutlet on the menu here too! A bite of cutlet! A bite of ham! Our son polished off a whole bowl of rice like that ㅋㅋㅋ

Looking for a filling meal in Seongsu-dong?

Seongsu-dong has tons of cafés and famous restaurants, but sometimes you just want a warm broth and a hearty bowl of rice instead of something flashy, right? For those days, Songtan Jindaegwang Budae Jjigae Seongsu Branch was a solid pick! Budae jjigae loaded with plenty of ham and sausage, paired with rice, and finished off with ramen noodles made for a really filling meal!!

If you're looking for a good budae jjigae spot near Seongsu Station, a Seongsu Station lunch spot to share with coworkers, or a Seongsu-dong restaurant where a group can eat comfortably, this one might be worth keeping on your list.

Visit info

• Songtan Jindaegwang Budae Jjigae Seongsu Branch
• Address: 97 Achasan-ro, Unit 201, Seongdong-gu, Seoul
• Near Seongsu Station
• Takeout and delivery available
• Group seating available
• Best to confirm parking before your visit!!!!!!

Oh, and one more thing! The slushies and yogurt drinks here are free-!