Sea eel and pomfret set for two at a Cheonan grilled fish restaurant

Today I'm bringing you a review of Hwadeuro-ganggodeungeo Cheonan Main Branch, a grilled fish specialist in Cheonan that's great for when you want a tidy, hearty Korean meal. From crispy-outside, juicy-inside wood-fired fish to a generous boyang (health-boosting) menu, it was a satisfying visit, so let me walk you through it in detail.

Where is Hwadeuro-ganggodeungeo Cheonan Main Branch, and its hours and parking

Hwadeuro-ganggodeungeo Cheonan Main Branch is located at 46-5 Handeul 2-ro, Seobuk-gu, Cheonan, Chungnam, South Korea, right next to Handeul Golf. It's open 11:00–21:30, with a weekday break time from 15:30 to 16:50.

• Hours 11:00–21:30
• Break time 15:30–16:50 (weekdays)
• Last order 14:50 (weekday lunch), 20:50 (dinner)

There's a very spacious dedicated parking area at both the front and side of the restaurant, so you can park comfortably without any worry about finding a spot.

At the entrance, a big "Hwadeuro-ganggodeungeo" sign is impossible to miss, and a large banner for the 10th-anniversary boyang set menu is hung right there too, so you'll spot the place at a glance.

Inside the restaurant: tablet ordering and the menu lineup

Stepping inside Hwadeuro-ganggodeungeo Cheonan Main Branch, you're greeted by a wide, open, comfortable hall — high ceilings and stylish lighting give it the feel of an upscale hanjeongsik (Korean set-meal) restaurant. I liked that the tables were spaced generously with plenty of room.

Every table has a tablet smart order, so you can browse menu photos and order at your own pace. Alongside the wood-fired grilled mackerel, there are various charcoal-grilled fish set menus featuring Atka mackerel, Spanish mackerel and dried yellow corvina. Beyond fish, there are meat options like stir-fried pork and crispy bulgogi, so there's something for everyone's taste. What especially caught my eye — as it had from the entrance — was the 10th-anniversary boyang set menu, and given how good the value looked, we went with the boyang set for two.

Side dishes and napa cabbage soup

Ordering the boyang set for two, the basic side dishes were set out first, and the seasoning was spot on. A napa cabbage soup came along with them too.

• 🤍Savory japchae (stir-fried glass noodles) and sesame leaf stir-fry🤍
• 🤍Black sesame lotus root salad and spicy-tangy deodeok (mountain root) muchim🤍
• 🤍Appetite-boosting pickled chili peppers🤍
• 🤍Refreshing, crisp chonggak kimchi🤍

There's a savory, refreshing napa cabbage soup that warms you up from the inside, and it paired really well with the main dishes 👍

What is on the self bar?

Beyond the basic side dishes, Hwadeuro-ganggodeungeo Cheonan Main Branch also has a large, neatly maintained self bar right in the middle of the dining room.

• 🤍Fresh wrap vegetables and assorted basic side dishes🤍
• 🤍Unlimited refills of popular dishes like japchae and tteokbokki🤍
• 🤍Warm, freshly simmered sungnyung (roasted rice tea)🤍
• 🤍Self-serve bibimbap with ingredients of your choice🤍

You can even freely build your own bibimbap with whatever ingredients you like, which makes the meal even more filling.

What comes in the 43,000-won boyang set for two?

What we ordered as our main dish that day was the boyang set for two (₩43,000), released for the restaurant's 10th anniversary! It comes packed with a healthy, generous lineup of domestic sea eel, flounder, mackerel and braised pomfret.

Grilled domestic sea eel

🤍Domestic sea eel🤍 — the standout boyang grill, with a soft, clean texture. Grilled over the wood fire, the excess oil melts away leaving just the savory flavor; dip it lightly in the soy sauce and it feels really satisfying.

Grilled oil flounder

🤍Grilled flounder🤍 — crispy outside, very moist inside, textbook crispy-juicy grilling. No fishy taste, tender flesh, easy for anyone to enjoy without any heaviness.

Wood-fired grilled mackerel

🤍Mackerel🤍 — a signature rice thief with thick, juicy flesh. Grilled over the high-heat wood fire, it carries a gentle smoky char and is fantastic piled on top of freshly cooked warm rice.

Braised deokja pomfret

🤍Braised pomfret🤍 — the spicy, savory sauce soaked deep into the flesh, pairing well with the grilled fish. Mixing the sweet, sauce-soaked radish and the fish flesh into rice was a real treat.

After the meal, there were snacks and coffee set up near the exit, so we could wrap things up nicely.

A perk worth knowing before you order

They offer a free canned drink if you write a Naver pre-visit receipt review, so it's worth taking part to get the perk.

From crispy-outside, juicy-inside wood-fired grilling to the spicy braised pomfret, this is a grilled fish spot in Cheonan I fell for thanks to sheer generosity!