Today’s pick: Dongnae Samgyetang’s main branch, about a 10-minute walk from Dongnae Station on Busan Metro Line 1.
※ There’s also a Centum City branch.
This is the best Samgyetang I can recommend in all of Busan — stick with us to the end.
Before I moved to Sasang, I lived in Centum City and used to go to the Centum branch often — so visiting the original Dongnae main branch for the first time has me genuinely excited.
궁중약계탕 (Gungjung Yak-gyetang / Royal Court Medicinal Samgyetang): 19,000 KRW
※ The medicinal version is closer to a heavily herbal/medicinal style.
★ Menu as of May 2026 ★
I went with the standard Dongnae Samgyetang.
Banchan looks like this.
The lineup differs slightly from the Centum branch, but my favorite — the chicken gizzards — is there, and the kimchi and kkakdugi are excellent!
And of course, the obligatory insamju (ginseng wine) on the side.
And here comes the star — the Samgyetang.
Can you tell from the photo how violently it’s bubbling?!
A whole, sizeable young chicken — right there.
But the real headline is this crisp, snow-white broth!
It’s nothing like the broth at most other shops, and the depth and richness are on another level entirely!!!
Samgyetang is traditionally a summer recovery food, eaten to fight heat fatigue.
True to its reputation as a “recovery food,” this bowl feels like it’s recharging you from the very first spoonful.
The color of the broth alone tells you: this is a seriously nutritious Samgyetang.
Even the glutinous rice inside the chicken stays perfectly clean and unmuddied — a sign of a refined Samgyetang.
The very first Samgyetang I ever tried after moving to Busan was Dongnae Samgyetang — and I remember thinking “this is unreal.”
4+ years of Busan life later — and after sampling plenty of famous Samgyetang shops in Seoul too — this is still my favorite Samgyetang shop, hands down!
There’s also a Centum City branch, so if you’re in that area, you can still try Busan’s best Dongnae Samgyetang there.
↓ Map, reviews, and shop details below ↓
Our rating: ★★★★★
Dongnae Samgyetang — reviews & access
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