I. Odeng Sikdang(Restaurant) (오뎅식당)
The food I will introduce this time is “Budae-jjigae” (hereinafter referred to as BDJG). BDJG originated around the 1960s in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, when a restaurant selling fish cake soup received sausages, bacon, and Spam left unused by the U.S. military unit stationed in Uijeongbu at the time, and mixed them with Korean ingredients. Therefore, since it is associated with the U.S. military “unit,” it is also called BDJG, and in English it is also known as Sausage Stew (Korean Style), and some even say that this is the true symbol of the Korea-U.S. alliance.
Anyway, the restaurant I will introduce this time is “Odeng Restaurant,” which is the restaurant in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province mentioned above, known as the origin of BDJG. Then, do you have to go all the way up to Uijeongbu, which takes about two hours from the center of Seoul, just to eat that BDJG? There is no need for that. Odeng Restaurant opened a branch on the 6th floor of Lotte World Mall in Jamsil (the only branch outside of Uijeongbu), and if you are visiting Korea and are near Jamsil, or if you visit the Lotte Tower observatory in Jamsil, I recommend that you consider visiting this place once. Odeng Restaurant Lotte World Mall branch is located in the restaurant area on the 6th floor of Lotte World Mall, and it is right in front of the 6th floor escalator, so it is easy to find.
II. Information
1. Address
- Songpa-gu, Olympic-ro 300, Lotte World Mall, 6th Floor
- https://maps.app.goo.gl/TB1b4BeFqfgNdMAg7
2. Opening Hours
- Monday ~ Sunday : 10:30 AM – 10:00 PM
3. Menu & Prices (as of 2025):
- BDJG (1 serving): 12,000 KRW (includes a bowl of rice)
- Cheolpan BDJG Stir-fry: 15,000 KRW (includes a bowl of rice)
- Set Menus
- 2-person set – BDJG for 2 + assorted sides + 1 drink: 33,000 KRW
- 3-person set – BDJG for 3 + assorted sides + 1 drink: 44,000 KRW
- 4-person set – BDJG for 4 + assorted sides + ramen noodles + 2 drinks: 58,000 KRW
III. Tips for Using the Restaurant
1. Reservation of Waiting Number
There is always a waiting line, so you need to reserve a waiting number using your phone number. However, foreign travelers naturally may not have a Korean phone number, and you need to check items written in Korean when making the reservation, which can make it difficult. Therefore, ask a staff member at the counter for help and have them reserve the waiting number directly for you. They call each reservation number three times, and if there is no response, they move on to the next number, so be sure to ask them to call your reservation number in English. Once you have your waiting number, the waiting time is approximately 15–20 minutes.
2. How to Order
Perhaps because foreign tourists have not yet visited this restaurant much, the menu is entirely in Korean, so ordering may be difficult. Even if you are given a sheet written in Korean, as shown in the photo below, there is no need to worry too much, and since most Korean customers order in the same style, you can simply follow their example when placing your order.
You can do that by ordering the Set Menu. That is, if there are 2 visitors, order the 2-person set; if 3, the 3-person set. If there are 5 or more people, ask a staff member once, and they will take your order accordingly. The set menu includes assorted sides (ham, sausage, bacon, minced meats (beef), rice cake slices, sujebi, ongshimi (dumplings), and ramen noodles included as the Extra Menu).
If you want to add more than the assorted sides, you can add more from the Extra Menu. The Set Menu already includes the top “Extra Assorted,” so it should be sufficient, but if you want more, you can add it; however, in that case, the broth will decrease in the middle, and it may become slightly salty. In that case, you can ask a staff member to pour more broth (chae-soo or yook-soo).
IV. Inside the Restaurant
V. The Food
Once you place your order, a staff member will bring the food and turn on the burner. When it boils to a certain level, the staff member will come again to check it once more. Then they will come one more time and tell you that you can start eating. In other words, you do not need to touch the food or cook it yourself; just sit still, and the staff will take care of everything. When they say you can start eating, you can begin. Enjoy to your heart’s content.
VI. Final Check
1. Does it offer a uniquely Korean authenticity?
→ In fact, the restaurant is located in a modern shopping mall, so it is not necessarily that way. The point is that you get to eat BDJG at the restaurant that originally created BDJG in Korea. However, isn’t it difficult to go all the way to the Uijeongbu main branch? Even Koreans do not usually go all the way to Uijeongbu. Instead, for reference, I will attach some photos of the Uijeongbu main branch. (In fact, there is not much for you to enjoy in Uijeongbu…)
2. Is it a must-visit when in Seoul?
→ Not necessarily. BDJG is actually a relatively lesser-known dish compared to other foods, so it may not be at the top of your priority list. However, if you have already tried most of the representative Korean dishes and happen to be near Lotte World Mall in Jamsil, it is worth considering a visit at least once.
3. Is it Instagram-worthy?
→ As seen in the photo above, the food itself is not visually flashy. Also, there is no kind of performance in the cooking process, so it is probably not suitable for Instagram.
4. What level of experience in Korea is it suited for?
→ If it is your first visit to Korea, there is no need to come here specifically. However, if you have always been interested in BDJG, happen to be at Lotte World Mall, and do not have a specific restaurant on your must-visit list, it might be good to give it a try.
5. Accessibility from central Seoul?
→ Very convenient. Located near Jamsil Station and Olympic Park, the convenience of this restaurant’s location goes without saying.