Gagyeong-dong pot rice restaurant with free parking, Cheongju: Sorori

Here's my review of a few days ago at Sorori Sotbap, a well-known spot near the Gagyeong-dong ipark!

16 Seohyeonnam-ro, B105, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju, Chungbuk, South Korea / Sorori Sotbap Gagyeong Direct Branch / Hours 11:00–20:30 / Break time 15:00–17:00 (no break time on weekends) / 2 hours free parking

I had a great meal at the Munhwajejochang direct branch before, and thought this would be a good place for my parents too, so this time I took them to the Gagyeong branch close to home, haha.

Where do you park at Sorori Sotbap Gagyeong? 2 hours free behind the building

Sorori Sotbap Gagyeong Direct Branch has a large parking lot right behind the store, so you don't need to worry about parking. Two hours are free. Parking is one of my top criteria when choosing a restaurant, and here you can come without any stress.

No need to walk around front after parking — Sorori Sotbap is right there on the ground floor.

Besides pot rice, they also sell gimbap (seaweed rice roll), so it'd be nice to grab some to go as a quick snack while picking up the kids!

Inside Sorori Sotbap: wood-toned rooms for family meals, high chairs on hand

The clean, warm wood-tone interior is easy on the eyes — perfect for dates, gatherings, and family meals!

High chairs are provided, along with kids' tableware and utensils, so families with young children can dine comfortably.

Menu and prices: beef short rib, abalone butter and mackerel pot rice

Sorori Sotbap Gagyeong branch has a huge menu, with all kinds of pot rice, gimbap, and drinks to pair. We wanted to eat heartily, so we ordered all pot rice: beef short rib pot rice ₩16,000, abalone butter pot rice ₩16,000, and mackerel pot rice ₩13,000, haha.

Don't worry if it's your first visit. There are friendly instructions on the table for how to use everything and how to enjoy it best — just read through and follow along.

At Sorori Sotbap, a well-known Gagyeong-dong spot, the rice starts cooking the moment you order. You get to enjoy warm, freshly cooked, sweet rice.

It takes a bit of waiting, but I recommend checking out their review event while you wait, haha.

Beef short rib pot rice, 16,000 won — the signature everyone at the table likes

Beef short rib pot rice is Sorori Sotbap's signature dish. If it's your first visit, this is one you have to order!

The seasoned rib meat meets the chewy pot rice in a perfect match — the sweet, salty, savory sauce soaks deep into the meat, so it's a flavor with no dissenters, young or old.

A flavor everyone will love. The tender meat texture is just art, hahaha.

You use the hot water in this cute little kettle to make sungnyung (scorched rice tea) — totally my kind of thing, hahaha.

Abalone butter pot rice, 16,000 won — rich abalone innards, chewy abalone

Abalone with butter — an unbeatable combo, can't go wrong.

The richness and savoriness of the abalone innards, deeply infused with ocean flavor, hit your tongue with an intense umami — truly excellent.

A fantastic collaboration of chewy texture, fresh abalone and perfectly balanced pot rice. A hearty, proper meal from a well-known Gagyeong-dong pot rice spot!

Why the scallop seaweed soup steals the meal

Only the pot rice dish differs — the side dishes are the same across menus. I'm a seaweed soup addict, and this is the first restaurant I've seen serve scallop seaweed soup as a side. This soup is seriously a hidden gem, hahaha! It'd be great for feeding kids too — the ocean flavor plus tasty clams was genuinely delicious, haha.

Mackerel pot rice, 13,000 won — two plump fillets with no fishy taste

I wanted mackerel but it smells too strong to grill at home, so I tried it at Sorori Sotbap — this is one of their best dishes too! A ring of lemon cuts the fishy taste, and it comes with two big, plump pieces of mackerel!

No need to worry about bones while eating. It's tender, has absolutely no fishy taste, and is seasoned just right — a mackerel flavor that pairs perfectly with pot rice!

It's even better wrapped in butter and gim (dried seaweed), haha. Stop eating just pork and beef all the time — I highly recommend fresh mackerel, hahaha.

Sungnyung (toasted rice tea) and the self-serve bar: no one leaves hungry

Now it's time to eat the sungnyung rice we made, haha. There were more side dishes than expected, so eating them with the sungnyung rice was delicious.

It's salty and addictive, a total rice thief. Worried the portion looks small? No need to worry — there's a self-serve bar so you can eat without any pressure. Just take as much as you want, no need to feel awkward about it.

Before you go: book ahead and validate your parking at Sorori Sotbap

Sorori Sotbap Gagyeong Direct Branch takes reservations via Naver or by phone. If you want to set up a meal in advance with people you care about, I'd recommend reserving. We had a really hearty, delicious dinner.

Make sure to validate your parking on the way out to get the 2 hours free, haha. If you're looking for a well-known Gagyeong-dong pot rice spot with convenient parking, be sure to visit Sorori Sotbap.