뚝배기 ddukbaegi — Restaurant in Philadelphia

Came here a few times just to try everything at least once. It was very daunting to see an empty restaurant especially when the food is great here! The first visit was great! Service was amazing compared to other korean restaurants. They were nice and attentive in refilling waters and banchan. The other visits were very much lacking in service and lack of variety in banchan sadly, still came in support! Seafood pancake was delightfully crispy on the outside and paired nicely with the kimchi. Mandu was also crispy and didn’t need any sauce since it was already flavorful by itself. Yukgaejang came out piping hot in their stone bowl. Great beef flavor, not as oily as others that I’ve had and loved that they added glass noodles. Bibimbap with pork was nicely cooked, perfect combination of sweet and savory. Kimchi jjigae tastes very different from what I usually like. It was a very strong tomato bisque flavor that cut through the subtle taste of kimchi. Not something, I would get again. After a few minutes, I had to ask for the rice on the side because they forgot. Ask for cold noodles, they do not have it listed on the menu, but some places do offer seasonal items which you only need to ask. Unfortunately my experience ordering it was offputting as it came with a hair on my egg. I lost my appetite after they replaced it. It came with 2 slices of beef and a nice crisp slice of an apple. Noodles were perfectly chewy and loved that they gave vinegar and mustard to add some variety to the flavor. Took a few bites then took...

한 달 만에 다시 찾은 뚝배기!!

이번엔 친구 다섯 명이랑 다 같이 갔어요. BYOB라 맥주랑 소주까지 챙겨서 제대로 즐겼죠. 이번엔 국밥 대신 안주 중심으로 주문했는데… 소문 듣던 대로 진짜 미쳤습니다!

족발, 골뱅이무침, 두부김치, 매운 닭볶음, 거기에 새로 출시된 물냉, 비냉까지 시켜서 정말 푸짐하게 먹었어요 😆

족발은 진짜 미쳤어요. 평소에 저는 족발 먹을 때 살만 파먹고 지방은 잘 안 먹는데, 여기 족발은 테두리까지 쫀득하고 양념이 촥 베여서 한 점도 안 남기고 싹싹 먹었네요. 미국 온 이후로 먹은 족발 중에 단연 최고!!

골뱅이무침은 새콤 달콤 매콤 국수사리까지 들어가 술안주 끝판왕! 두부김치는 양도 넉넉하고 김치 맛도 끝내줘서 밥 있었으면 진짜 한 공기 뚝딱했을 거예요.

매운 닭볶음은 덜 맵게 부탁드렸는데… 솔직히 저한텐 그래도 매웠어요 ㅋㅋ 근데 매운 거 잘 먹는 친구들은 국물까지 싹싹 긁어먹더라구요!

물냉, 비냉은 정말 놀랐어요. 진한 육수에 깔끔한 양념, 면발 식감까지 완벽! ‘국밥집에서 이런 냉면을?’ 하고 감탄했네요.

게다가 술은 가져가고 음식값만 내니까 부담도 없고, 사장님과 직원분들 다 너무 친절해서 기분까지 업! 주방장님까지 나와 인사해주시고, 필라에서 이런 맛집 찾기 진짜 힘든데 드디어 발견해서 너무 행복합니다.

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Back to Ttukbaegi after just one month!

This time, I went with four friends (five of us total) and brought our own drinks — beer and soju, since it’s BYOB. We focused on drinking food this time, and WOW… everything was absolutely incredible!

We ordered jokbal (braised pork), spicy golbaengi muchim (sea snail salad), dubu kimchi, spicy chicken stir-fry, and their newly launched mul-naengmyeon and bibim-naengmyeon. Yeah… we went all out! 😆

Let’s talk about the jokbal… OMG, it’s a MUST-TRY. I usually avoid the fatty parts and just eat the lean meat, but here, even the edges were seasoned so well and had the perfect chewy bite — hands down, the best jokbal I’ve had since moving to the U.S.!

The golbaengi muchim had a perfect balance of tangy, sweet, and spicy flavors with noodles — such a perfect drinking dish. The dubu kimchi was so generous in portion and tasty, I swear if we had rice, I could have eaten a whole bowl.

We asked for the spicy chicken stir-fry to be made a little less spicy, but it was still quite spicy for me (not the best with spicy food 😅), but my friends LOVED it and practically licked the plate clean.

And the naengmyeon… wow. The mul-naengmyeon broth was rich and flavorful, truly restaurant-quality. The bibim-naengmyeon had a perfectly clean, refreshing seasoning — so satisfying!

If this place served alcohol, our bill would’ve easily been over $200, but since it’s BYOB, it felt way more affordable. The owner and staff kept checking in on us, making sure we were happy, and even the chef came out to say hello — everyone was so welcoming and kind.

Philly seriously needed a place like this — amazing food, great service, and a warm atmosphere.

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주인이 바뀌었다고 해서 와봤어요 ㅎㅎㅎ 너무 맛있게 먹느라 사진도 못 찍었네요 ㅠㅠ 필라에서 국밥집 찾기가 힘들어서 뉴저지 토속촌까지 올라갔었는데 이젠 여기에 정착해야겠어요 ㅎㅎㅎ 여럿이와서 돼지국밥, 순대국, 설렁탕 세가지 먹어봤구요 국물맛 깊이 있고 냄새 안나고요, 개인적으로는 토속촌 못지 않네요!! 보쌈이 맛있다고 하니 다음엔 보쌈 도전합니다!! 친절하고 빠른 서비스도 아주 좋아요!

I heard the ownership changed, so I decided to check it out — and wow, I’m so glad I did! The food was so delicious that I didn’t even get a chance to take any photos 😅

It’s hard to find good Korean soup (gukbap) in Philly, so I used to drive all the way up to Tosokchon in New Jersey. But now, I think I’ve found my new go-to spot!

We came with a group and tried the pork gukbap, soondae guk, and seolleongtang — all three were excellent. The broth was rich and flavorful without any unpleasant smell. Honestly, it’s just as good as Tosokchon, if not better.

I heard the bossam here is great too, so I’ll definitely try that next time. Also, the service was super friendly and fast....

I dined at 뚝배기 (Ddukbaegi), and it was a truly exceptional experience! From the moment I stepped in, I was welcomed with warmth, and Tea, our server, went above and beyond to make sure our meal was flawless. Their attention to detail, knowledge of the menu, and friendly demeanor made the experience even more enjoyable.

The food was nothing short of amazing. Each dish was bursting with authentic flavors and had that comforting, home-cooked touch. The highlight, of course, was the bubbling ddukbaegi — perfectly seasoned, rich, and packed with fresh ingredients. Every bite was satisfying, leaving me craving more even after the meal was done. The balance of spices and textures was spot-on, making it one of the best Korean meals I’ve ever had.

If you’re looking for a dining experience that’s authentic, delicious, and paired with outstanding service, 뚝배기 is the...