Goyang restaurant for minari shrimp pancake dinner: Doonjeong

My partner and I had just wrapped up a fun day out in Seoul and were heading home. We'd wandered around looking at this and that, and before we knew it we were starving. Rather than just grabbing something quick, we wanted a proper, satisfying dinner, so we started looking for somewhere to eat.

On a day when I was craving warm soup and good rice, we chose Doonjeong (도온정), a well-known spot in Hyangdong. They had beef gomtang, beef yukhoe bibimbap, hot pots, and all sorts of menu items — exactly what we needed for a filling meal.

Daily 11:00-21:00 15:00-17:00 (break time) Last order 14:30 / 20:30

Where do you park at Doonjeong? Public lot with the fee covered

Doonjeong is located on Kkonnaeum 1-gil in Deogyang-gu, Goyang, in an area with strict illegal parking enforcement, so it's a good idea to check parking in advance. There was parking guidance posted at the restaurant too — you can use a nearby public parking lot, and they said they cover the parking fee.

We parked comfortably at the designated lot and headed inside. It was dinner time and the place was busy, so I thought we might have to wait, but luckily we got a table right away. Customers kept streaming in the whole time we were eating — it clearly draws a lot of people looking for a hearty meal in Hyangdong.

Doonjeong menu and prices

Doonjeong has a wide variety of dishes, with beef yukhoe bibimbap, spicy tripe gomtang, and seasoned beef tripe being the popular picks. We'd actually wanted to try one of the spicy dishes too, but unfortunately it was sold out that day. Making a mental note to try it next time, we ordered our favorites instead.

Beef yukhoe bibimbap ₩15,000 Clear beef gomtang ₩12,000 Minari shrimp pancake ₩19,000

Those three, in total.

Before the food came out, napa cabbage kimchi and diced radish kimchi arrived first, and they looked neat and refined right from the start. The kimchi wasn't overly fermented — it still had a nice, crisp bite that really suited my taste. It was even better paired with the hot gomtang.

Pepper and salt for seasoning the gomtang were also set on every table. Ready to eat! We waited.

Hanwoo yukhoe bibimbap piled with raw beef, 15,000 won

The beef yukhoe bibimbap (₩15,000) came out first, and I loved how generous the portion was. Most of all, there was way more yukhoe than I expected — not just a small garnish on top, but enough that you could taste it in every bite as you mixed it into the rice.

Maybe it's because I was so hungry, but even one bowl felt really filling. Mixing it all together with the various ingredients made for a satisfying meal.

If you like a hearty rice dish, the beef yukhoe bibimbap at this Hyangdong restaurant is well worth trying.

Clear hanwoo gomtang with generous beef, 12,000 won

The clear beef gomtang (₩12,000) was also really good. The broth was clear and clean, so it was easy to eat without feeling heavy, and there was plenty of meat in it, which made it fun to eat.

A dipping sauce for the meat in the gomtang came on the side too. It was already tasty and mild plain, but dipping it in the sauce added a nice change of pace.

It wasn't just broth with little else — the generous meat made it that much more satisfying. This is a Hyangdong restaurant I'd want to come back to whenever I'm craving a warm, hearty soup.

Minari shrimp pancake: crisp batter full of plump shrimp, 19,000 won

And one of the most memorable dishes that day was the Doonjeong minari shrimp pancake (₩19,000). The outside was crispy, and inside it was generously packed with plump, thick shrimp. I've had shrimp pancakes many times, but I think this was the first time I'd had one this loaded with such large, thick shrimp.

Every bite was full of shrimp, and the fragrant flavor of minari (water dropwort) blended in beautifully. The crispy texture was great, and the shrimp was so abundant that I kept marveling with every bite. My partner said it was seriously delicious while eating it, and I felt exactly the same. Eating it alongside the beef yukhoe bibimbap and clear beef gomtang, the combination of all three dishes worked really well together. This is a dish I'd order again without hesitation if I come back.

Is Doonjeong worth a dinner stop in Deogyang-gu, Goyang?

On our way home after a day out in Seoul, starving and searching for somewhere to eat properly, we ended up at Doonjeong — and it turned out to be a truly satisfying dinner.

The beef yukhoe bibimbap was great with its generous portion of raw beef, and the clear beef gomtang was hearty thanks to all the meat. And the crispy, plump shrimp-filled minari shrimp pancake left nothing to be desired either. The two of us ate really well, and beyond just feeling full, we had that happy feeling you get from eating truly good food. We walked in starving and walked out satisfied and in a good mood.

If you're ever in Hyangdong craving a warm beef gomtang, wanting a hearty beef yukhoe bibimbap, or just looking for a filling meal, this place is worth remembering. For me, Doonjeong will stick in my mind as a Hyangdong favorite I want to return to, a satisfying restaurant in Deogyang-gu. Next time, I definitely want to try the spicy dish that was sold out this visit. It's a place I'd love to come back to whenever I want to fill up on good food.