Cheonan budae-jjigae restaurant packed at noon on a weekday: Cheongwon

Today I want to share a spot to check out in Cheonan when you're craving a hearty lunch. This time I visited Cheongwon Restaurant: Cooking Budae-jjigae, Cheonan Dujeong Main Branch.

Where is Cheongwon Sikdang in Dujeong-dong, and what are its hours?

Cheongwon Restaurant: Cooking Budae-jjigae, Cheonan Dujeong Main Branch is located at 32-4 Dujeongsanggaon 4-gil, Seobuk-gu, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea, 1st floor. It's open from 11:00 to 21:00, with last order at 20:30, and you can park right in front of the restaurant.

Why was 90% of the noon crowd at Cheongwon men?

I visited around noon on a weekday, and the place was so busy the tables were nearly all full. What was funny was that about 90% of the customers were men! I figured it must be because this is a budae-jjigae (army stew) spot known for its hearty portions.

But around 12:40, the crowd cleared out completely, and by 1pm women customers started trickling back in. Cheongwon Restaurant: Cooking Budae-jjigae, Cheonan Dujeong Main Branch had the feel of a spot popular with office workers during lunch hour.

When we visited, there were a lot of people eating, and the table turnover was pretty quick.

So if you're trying to decide on lunch in Dujeong-dong, I think a bubbling pot of budae-jjigae with rice and ramyeon noodles would hit the spot perfectly.

Budae-jjigae for two with ham and cheese add-ons: 30,000 won

This time we ordered:

• Cheongwon budae-jjigae, 2 servings — ₩24,000
• Ham, sausage add-on — ₩5,000
• Cheese add-on — ₩1,000

₩30,000 in total, and it was quite a filling meal for two. The Cheongwon budae-jjigae follows the typical Songtan-style budae-jjigae format, with cheongyang chili peppers and beef brisket as its signature touch.

Tasting the broth, it was appropriately spicy but not as hot as I expected. Rather than just being aggressively spicy, it had a clean, sharp kick that went really well with rice, and I enjoyed it a lot.

How spicy is the cheongyang chili broth with a bowl of rice?

Once it started bubbling, the ham, sausage, and beef brisket melded together and a delicious smell rose up.

At Cheongwon, the pot comes out with the lid on at first, and a tip for eating it at its best is not to touch the lid until the staff comes to open it and stir. The broth was just spicy enough that after one spoonful, you keep reaching for more rice. Especially with the beef brisket in there, the broth had a nutty richness added to it that gave the budae-jjigae good depth of flavor.

Even with the cheongyang chili in there, the spice level wasn't overwhelming, so I think people like me who enjoy a sharp, spicy broth would find it easy to eat.

Free refills of rice and ramyeon noodles at Cheongwon

And I think one of Cheongwon's biggest strengths is that rice and ramyeon noodles are unlimited refills.

When you're eating budae-jjigae, you always end up wanting to add at least one order of ramyeon noodles, right? Here you can eat as much as you want, which makes it especially good for anyone looking for a filling, satisfying meal.

Adding ramyeon noodles to the broth and letting them bubble away makes for a proper finish.

Verdict: is Cheongwon worth it for lunch in Dujeong-dong, Cheonan?

Cheongwon Cheonan Dujeong branch felt like a good spot for when you want to eat one dish of budae-jjigae properly and leave full, rather than choosing from a flashy menu. If you're searching for good budae-jjigae in Dujeong-dong, this Cheongwon version is worth trying.

With a decently spicy broth loaded with ham, sausage, and beef brisket, plus unlimited refills of rice and ramyeon noodles, it made for a pretty satisfying meal.

Lunchtime gets busy, so if you'd like a more relaxed visit, it might be worth avoiding the peak hours. If you're craving a hearty bowl of budae-jjigae in Dujeong-dong, Cheonan, keep Cheongwon Restaurant in mind.