Lotte Outlet Gijang restaurant lunch: hotpot rice, tteokgalbi for two

Today I stopped by Dongam Tteokgalbi (동암떡갈비) for lunch while out at Lotte Outlet East Busan in Gijang.

Location and hours

• Address: 160 Gijanghaean-ro, Gijang-eup, Gijang-gun, Busan, 3rd floor
• Hours: 11:00 – 21:00
• Break time: Weekdays 15:00 – 16:30
• Parking: Available on the 1st floor of the building / free
• Amenities: Baby chairs, self-bar available

Time flies when you're browsing Lotte Outlet, doesn't it? That day too, before I knew it, it was already lunchtime. I was trying to figure out what to eat and suddenly craved tteokgalbi, so I dropped in.

Lotte Outlet East Busan has a fairly large parking lot so it's convenient to drive there, but it can fill up on weekends or during the lunch peak, so it's worth arriving with a bit of buffer time.

The Dongam Tteokgalbi restaurant is located on the 2nd floor.

A spacious dining room with mother-of-pearl decor

The moment I walked in, I was a little surprised by how much bigger it was than I expected. I'd figured it was just an ordinary tteokgalbi restaurant, but the space is really large and the overall atmosphere is quite stylish.

There's also a well-set-up waiting area so you can sit comfortably if there's a line.

I especially enjoyed looking around at all the mother-of-pearl cabinets and antique-style props scattered around the space. It kept a traditional feel without looking dated, and I thought — the owner has good taste, haha.

How are the self-bar side dishes?

On top of the basic side dishes served with the meal, there were several more you could freely help yourself to at the self-bar. There were more varieties than I expected, so it was fun tasting a little of everything.

The Dongam Tteokgalbi table for two

What we ordered was Dongam Tteokgalbi for two.

When the tteokgalbi arrived, the whole table setup really was neat and tidy.

There were plenty of side dishes and the overall spread was clean, so it seemed like a good place to bring parents too. I'd assumed there would mostly be families here, but looking around, quite a few couples were also having a meal.

Tteokgalbi is a dish that's easy to like across ages, so it works for a family meal, and also when you're craving Korean food on a date.

The pairing of hotpot rice and tteokgalbi

Especially the combination of warm hotpot rice and tteokgalbi really works well together. The rice was fresh out of the pot, warm and fluffy, so topping it with sides one at a time, a whole bowl disappeared in no time. Shopping at Lotte Outlet East Busan and then eating a hearty meal of warm hotpot rice and tteokgalbi — it felt like a proper Gijang outing!

A good pairing with Haedong Yonggungsa and outlet shopping

A lot of people visiting Gijang combine it with a stop at Haedong Yonggungsa temple and Lotte Outlet East Busan. So it's a convenient stop for anyone searching for a Haedong Yonggungsa restaurant while moving toward East Busan, and also an easy, no-pressure choice when deciding on a Gijang lunch spot before or after shopping, since it's Korean food. If you're looking for a Gijang Lotte Outlet restaurant with hotpot rice and want to enjoy tteokgalbi generously alongside it, this one is worth a visit.

What I liked most was that with the spacious dining room, a neat table setting, and a good variety of side dishes, it's easy to visit with a group.

I only went in planning to simply eat tteokgalbi, but I was surprised once by how much bigger and more stylish the space was than expected, and surprised again by the self-serve side dish setup, haha.

If you're looking for a Gijang Lotte Outlet restaurant with hotpot rice, Dongam Tteokgalbi is an easy place to visit — whether for a meal with parents, a family outing, or a couple's lunch.