Honbokjip

About

Longstanding Yeouido basement restaurant serving comforting blowfish dishes, from savoury bok-bulgogi to refreshing jiri and spicy stews.

Tucked into the basement of Yeouido’s Daeha Building across from the National Assembly, Honbokjip operates with the unhurried confidence of a seasoned *nopo*. Dried blowfish models dangle from the ceiling, their tagged bellies hovering over a dining room split between linoleum table seating and raised floor areas. Run by an elderly couple, this local institution stakes its reputation on Imjingang yellow pufferfish, drawing lunch rushes of office workers nursing hangovers before settling into a quiet, attentive cadence come evening. The evening set course offers a meticulous tour through the fish’s textures. Dinner begins with homestyle banchan—stir-fried anchovies with shishito peppers, scallion kimchi, and yeolmu-kimchi—alongside *bok-keopjil-muchim*. Tossed with carrots, onions, and an avalanche of fresh water parsley (*minari*), the collagen-rich pufferfish skin delivers a cold, snappy chew bathed in a bright, tart dressing. The centerpiece is *bok-bulgogi*, a rare preparation where delicate blowfish meat simmers on the stovetop in a mild, lightly sweet and savory sauce. To keep the tender white flesh from flaking into pieces, the owner tends the pan tableside, using wooden chopsticks to gently fold the fillets through mounds of wilted greens. Alongside comes piping-hot *bok-twigim*, thick fillets encased in a crisp batter that contrasts with the pillowy meat inside. To conclude the course, diners transition to *bok-jiri*, a crystal-clear broth brimming with more water parsley that washes away the rich profile of the grilled fish with clean, restorative warmth. Leftover broth is whisked back to the kitchen and returned as comforting, savory rice porridge (*juk*). Daytime diners lean toward the hearty lunchtime pots of *kkachi-boktang* (magpie pufferfish stew), simmered in an earthy, doenjang-kissed broth packed with rich fish liver and chased with a scrape of fried rice straight from the pan.

Menu

• Blowfish Bulgogi복불고기₩29,000
• Deep-fried Blowfish복튀김
• Kkachi Blowfish Soup까치복탕₩24,000
• Dinner Set Course저녁 정식₩29,000
• Clear Blowfish Soup복지리
• Special Spicy Blowfish Stew특매운탕
• Boiled Fugu Platter복수육₩58,000
• Braised Spicy Blowfish복찜₩58,000
• 냉동복탕₩15,000

Details

Nearest station

National Assembly Station

Opening hours

Sunday

11:30–22:30

Monday

11:30–22:30

Tuesday

11:30–22:30

Wednesday

11:30–22:30

Thursday

11:30–22:30

Friday

11:30–22:30

Saturday

11:30–22:30

22:30 까지