Incheon Korean restaurant, octopus set for two: Boksakkot Pineun Jip

Sometimes when you're craving good food, a place where you can enjoy a generous variety of dishes rather than just one menu item feels even more welcoming. I heard about a place where you could sit down and try everything from spicy octopus stir-fry to salad, mukbap (chilled acorn jelly soup), and wood-fired pizza all at once, so I went to check it out.

Boksakkot Pineun Jip Incheon Branch

Boksakkot Pineun Jip Incheon Branch is a Korean restaurant specializing in spicy charcoal-grilled dishes served alongside wood-fired pizza.

How big is Boksakkot Pineun Jip Incheon, and is there parking or a wait?

Arriving at Boksakkot Pineun Jip Incheon Branch, the first thing that caught my eye was the spacious layout. Parking space was also generous, so visiting by car felt easy.

Even though I arrived before lunchtime, there was already a waitlist — clearly a popular spot. Thanks to our reservation, we were seated right away at a window table with no wait.

Once inside, the place was bigger and more neatly decorated than I expected. Tables were spaced generously apart, with partitions between them, so we could enjoy our meal comfortably without worrying about neighboring tables. The overall atmosphere was cozy yet relaxed, suiting both family outings and group gatherings.

Menu lineup and the price of the spicy octopus stir-fry set

There's a range of charcoal-grilled dishes stir-fried spicy with smoky flavor — baby octopus, octopus stir-fry, spicy pork stir-fry — plus mushroom bulgogi hot pot, octopus and bulgogi, braised short ribs, spaghetti, pizza, rice balls, and fries, so there's plenty to choose from depending on your taste.

What stands out is that ordering a set menu comes with salad, mukbap, wood-fired pizza, and a variety of side dishes, making for a generous meal. We ordered the spicy octopus stir-fry set at ₩17,900 (wood-fired pizza + salad + mukbap) for two.

What the self-bar offers: free soda and yagwanmun tea

There's a separate self-bar, so you can freely help yourself to anything you're running low on.

What surprised me most was that soda is free to drink as much as you like. On top of that, there was even yagwanmun tea available — such thoughtful service that I was impressed before the meal even started.

They're also running a Naver review event giving out rice snacks (ssalgangjeong).

Side dishes, salad and mukbap that start the meal

While we were looking around, a generously loaded table was set before us.

Basic side dishes came out — young radish kimchi, seasoned greens, mukmuchim (seasoned acorn jelly), and bean sprouts. Every one of them tasted great, so we refilled several times.

The salad, with crisp fresh vegetables and a savory dressing, was a nice light way to start the meal.

The mukbap, loaded with sesame and acorn jelly, was perfect for whetting the appetite before the main dish. The chewy jelly paired with a tangy, refreshing broth made it clean and enjoyable.

How spicy is level 1 flame-grilled octopus stir-fry?

The smoky, charcoal-grilled octopus stir-fry looked appetizing just to look at. The spice level can be adjusted to taste, and since level 1 was said to be about as spicy as Shin Ramyun, we spice-wimps ordered level 1.

We took a cautious first bite and felt a slight spiciness, but it was a pleasant kind of heat, easier to handle than expected. The octopus retained its chewy texture, and with the spicy yet subtly spreading smoky flavor added, our chopsticks kept reaching for more.

The seasoning soaked deep into the octopus, naturally making you want to mix it with rice. Eating it together with rice and greens made it even tastier, and the spiciness really brought our appetite alive.

Eating it alongside the seaweed soup from the self-bar softened the spiciness of the octopus stir-fry nicely — the two paired really well together.

The handmade wood-fired pizza in the set: choosing gorgonzola

Just as our mouths were filling up with spice, the gorgonzola pizza arrived. The handmade wood-fired pizza can be chosen seasonally between rucola pizza (March–May), pepperoni pizza (June–February), and gorgonzola pizza (year-round).

Being cheese lovers, we picked gorgonzola. The freshly baked wood-fired pizza stirred the appetite with its savory cheese aroma from the start, and lifting a warm slice to see the cheese stretch was enough to make our mouths water.

The rich, distinctive gorgonzola flavor paired beautifully with the light, chewy dough, and surprisingly, it went well eaten together with the spicy octopus stir-fry.

Every single dish tasted good and the portions were generous, so we never got bored — we enjoyed a satisfying meal right to the very end.

Free after-meal drinks and the outdoor tables

What impressed us even more was the drink service offered after the meal.

Rather than just one option, there were several different drinks available so everyone could pour and pick according to their taste — and all of these drinks were free.

We chose plum tea and iced tea.

There were relaxed tables scattered around the restaurant, so we didn't have to go elsewhere to enjoy dessert — we could round off the meal fully in one place.

Boksakkot Pineun Jip Incheon Branch let us enjoy a generous variety of dishes all in one sitting, with the fun of picking and choosing. Overall, the taste and composition of the food, along with the comfortable atmosphere and service, made for a satisfying visit in every way.

How to get to Boksakkot Pineun Jip Incheon, and opening hours

• Address: 595-24 Hogupo-ro, Namdong-gu, Incheon, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 11:00 – 21:30
• Break time: 15:30 – 16:30 / Last order 20:30