Yuseong, Daejeon restaurant with complimentary steamed egg: Seommaeul

I visited Daejeon's agujjim (braised monkfish) spot Seommaeul with a friend, and we had a hearty meal with the small octopus agujjim and fried rice.

Seommaeul Agujjim & Nakjibokkeum: hours, address and parking

• Hours Mon–Sat 11:00–21:30 (break 15:00–17:00), last order 20:30, closed Sundays
• High chairs, Wi-Fi, takeout, delivery, group seating, reservations, easy pay, parking, pet-friendly

What is the interior of Seommaeul like?

Seommaeul, a well-known agujjim spot near Jaun-dong and Sinseon-dong in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, has been serving agujjim (braised monkfish), haemuljjim (braised seafood), and nakjibokkeum (stir-fried octopus) for 17 years.

It had a comfortable atmosphere, great for family dinners, group gatherings, or just lunch.

Seommaeul's menu and its four spice levels

Besides agujjim, there were plenty of monkfish, octopus, and seafood dishes on the menu — ppyeojjim (braised bones), agu-munuh-jjim (monkfish and octopus braise), haemuljjim, jeonbok-munuh-jjim (abalone and octopus braise), nakjibokkeum, jeonbok-galbitang (abalone short rib soup), and ppyeo-haejangguk (bone hangover soup).

There were four spice levels — mild, default (Shin Ramyun level), spicy (Buldak level), and extra spicy. If you don't specify, they serve it at the default (Shin Ramyun) level.

Side dishes and the complimentary steamed egg at Seommaeul

After ordering, the basic side dishes get set out before the main dish arrives. The stir-fried eomuk (fish cake) was seasoned exactly to my taste, so I kept reaching for it while waiting for the agujjim.

They also brought out a complimentary gyeranjjim (steamed egg), and its size was a nice, generous portion — really appreciated that.

Is the small octopus agujjim enough for two?

Seommaeul's signature dish is definitely agujjim, but I went with the octopus agujjim, which costs a bit more but comes with a much richer flavor and fuller plate.

Even though it was the small size, it turned out to be just the right amount for two people. I picked the default spice level (Shin Ramyun level), and to my taste it really did land exactly at Shin Ramyun-level heat.

There were several plump octopus legs in the dish. Cut into bite-size pieces with scissors and mixed well into the agujjim sauce, they paired perfectly — I felt like this alone would be great for restoring your energy.

The monkfish itself was meaty, and the bean sprouts — the most important part of any agujjim — were nice and plentiful. The sauce had a bit of starchy thickness that clung well to the seafood, keeping the seasoning at just the right level throughout the meal.

Finishing with 2,000-won fried rice

Of course, you have to finish with fried rice, right? The staff took our agujjim plate away and brought back the fried rice freshly cooked in the kitchen.

The fried rice (₩2,000) was such incredible value that you'd regret it if you just ate the agujjim and skipped it. Honestly, the fried rice was even more of a hit than the agujjim itself. Next time I come, I'm definitely ordering two servings of fried rice!!

Is Seommaeul in Yuseong worth a visit?

I visited Seommaeul, an agujjim restaurant near Jaun-dong and Sinseon-dong in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, and it truly lived up to its 17-year reputation as a proper agujjim spot. The prices were so reasonable and the food so good that I already want to bring my parents next time — and when I do, I'm ordering fried rice for everyone so we can all dig in. If you're looking for a great agujjim restaurant in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, don't hesitate — definitely visit Seommaeul. You won't regret it. Highly recommend!