Jecheon noodle house: potato ongsimi and pollack makguksu for two

Seomin Makguksu Jecheon Main Branch: location and opening hours

Seomin Makguksu Jecheon Main Branch (서민막국수 제천본점) is at 126 Sungmun-ro, Jecheon-si, Chungbuk (Unit 105), and is open daily from 11:00 to 20:00 (closed every Wednesday, last order 19:30). Parking, groups, takeout and high chairs are all available, and the restrooms are separated for men and women.

Seomin Makguksu's main branch is a Jecheon local favorite famous for its makguksu (buckwheat noodles) made by a buckwheat master with 20 years of experience! I was playing around near Uirimji and stopped by for lunch.

How is the parking at Seomin Makguksu Jecheon?

There's a big lot in front of the restaurant that fits 50+ cars, so you can park for free without any worry.

Atmosphere and seating at Seomin Makguksu Jecheon

The restaurant has hall seating, a big separate room and bar seats for solo diners. We came late for lunch and locals still kept streaming in. Traditional mood and a sleek feel blend nicely, and the interior is spotless and pleasant ✨

Head inside and you'll find the big room. It's separate from the hall, so it looks perfect for company dinners or family gatherings. There are bar seats for people dining alone too, which is a nice touch! Plenty of tourists visiting Uirimji, Danyang and Jecheon come, like us, but this is a truly local spot that Jecheon residents love even more 👍

Seomin Makguksu menu: what's the difference between pure and regular buckwheat noodles?

The makguksu menu includes mul makguksu (cold broth), bibim makguksu (spicy mixed), kodari makguksu (semi-dried pollack), perilla oil makguksu, cheongyang pepper perilla oil makguksu and pollock roe perilla oil makguksu, and every one can be ordered with pure or regular buckwheat noodles.

• Pure buckwheat noodles: over 90% Korean buckwheat, with buckwheat's nutty aroma and a chewy texture
• Regular buckwheat noodles: 30% buckwheat, easy for anyone to enjoy

These house-made buckwheat noodles are easy to digest and leave a subtle lingering flavor. Choose to your taste, but personally I'd recommend Jecheon's signature pure buckwheat noodles 👍

You can order a large portion at no extra charge! Big eaters get great value, so that's a total win 👏👏

✔️ If you join the review event, you can pick one free item from fried dumplings, crispy jeonbyeong (buckwheat rolls), puffed rice snack or a drink, so remember that!

The basic side dishes are kimchi, white kimchi, seasoned radish and a puffed buckwheat snack. You can refill the sides freely at the self-service corner.

What we ordered that day: pure buckwheat pollack makguksu, potato ongsimi (potato dumpling soup), yukjeon (beef pan-fried in egg batter) and crispy buckwheat jeonbyeong.

Pure buckwheat pollack makguksu: do the noodles break easily?

Even with such a high buckwheat content, Seomin's pure buckwheat noodles are chewy and slide down smoothly. They say most locals choose pure buckwheat, and there's a reason! You'd think high buckwheat means noodles that snap apart, but the chewy texture and smooth finish were totally my taste. Next time we visit, we'll definitely order pure buckwheat again 😍

The pure buckwheat pollack makguksu is piled with Gangwon-do pollack, and the sauce is spicy, tangy, clean and flavorful, pairing wonderfully with the nutty buckwheat aroma. I forgot about the large portion and ordered regular, which was a little disappointing at first, but the amount was so big I seriously almost burst! With 90% Korean buckwheat it sits easy in the stomach even if you eat a lot, and I had to admit it's a great Jecheon makguksu spot 👍

How does the potato ongsimi at Seomin Makguksu taste?

The potato ongsimi is made by grinding Pyeongchang potatoes by hand and kneading them with pure buckwheat, so the dumplings are chewy and nutty. The first sip of broth was light yet rich, with a wonderfully savory depth. It also has big, rustic chunks of potato that were so soft and delicious I kept scooping up just the potatoes.

It's hot and gentle on the stomach, a perfect match with the spicy makguksu, so if two of you come, I really recommend the pure buckwheat pollack makguksu and potato ongsimi combo 🙏

Beef yukjeon for ₩20,000: is it worth it?

The beef yukjeon is ₩20,000, and it's coated in egg batter and pan-fried golden the moment you order, so the savory smell wafts out. A generous portion of yukjeon comes with a fresh chive salad.

Hot, savory and mild yukjeon, I'm speechless. The beef is tender and perfectly seasoned, so it's amazingly tasty even without any dipping sauce 👍 And with this quality, these huge pieces and this much food, isn't ₩20,000 pretty good value?

Putting yukjeon on top of the makguksu and wrapping it up is a must, it'd be cheating not to! Even when you're full you'll keep eating this amazing combo, so I highly recommend it 👍

How is the crispy buckwheat jeonbyeong different from regular buckwheat rolls?

Unlike the buckwheat jeonbyeong I've eaten so far, Seomin's is coated in a batter and fried, which makes it even richer. It's crispy outside and chewy in the wrapper, with plenty of vegetables and meat inside, a spicy and nutty treat, so please try it as a side dish.

Lunch at Seomin Makguksu Jecheon Main Branch: final thoughts

After the meal I finished with a warm cup of nutty buckwheat tea, comfortable all the way. The staff were all friendly, and everything was delicious yet easy on the stomach, so it was a satisfying lunch 😍

Seomin Makguksu's main branch is serious about buckwheat, with plenty of generous, carefully made dishes! I recommend it to anyone looking for a truly tasty Jecheon local restaurant near Uirimji 💕