Namdong Korean restaurant for family dinners: Guksuhwa

A family dinner after a day out at Incheon Grand Park

Guksuhwa, a popular spot near Namdong District Office, has parking in front of the building. It is also close to Incheon Grand Park, so it was great for eating out with family after a day trip. The weather has suddenly warmed up lately, so I imagine lots of people are planning picnics—a bike ride at Incheon Grand Park followed by dinner at Guksuhwa is a course I recommend.

Weekend reservations and dining with children

There are quite a lot of tables inside. We went at 6 p.m. on Sunday, and the restaurant was already quite full. We had reserved a time in advance through Naver Booking, so we got in without waiting. If you are worried about a weekend wait at Guksuhwa, I recommend making a Naver reservation.

You can buy Guksuhwa ready-made meals at the entrance, and there is a self-service bar inside. Kimchi, broth, and sauces are available.

There is even something to cleanse your palate after the meal.

Overall, the restaurant was spacious and the tables were not cramped together, so it was perfectly fine for a meal with children. When you are out and about with two little ones like us, practical things such as parking, seating, and high chairs can matter just as much as the food when choosing a restaurant. When eating out with 29-month-olds, sometimes finishing one meal safely(?) matters more than delicious food 🤣 But that day, we were able to finish our meal more comfortably than expected.

Ordering royal rib noodle hot pot and octopus bulgogi

• Royal rib noodle hot pot
• Nakji bulgogi (octopus bulgogi)
• Bbasak Handon Minari Jeon (crisp pork and water parsley pancake)

There was no gas burner or electric cooktop to use, which was also nice for eating out with children.

A refreshing, sweet salad comes as a basic side, along with kimchi and sauces.

Octopus bulgogi and the children clearing their plates

The children loved the salad—probably the dressing—so much that watching the 29-month-olds devour it was quite something. Little cave-people style, treating utensils as if they do not exist.

First, the bulgogi and octopus for the nakji bulgogi come separately. Once the bulgogi is fully cooked, you add the octopus and stir-fry it briefly. Everyone was so excited about a family meal out for the first time in a while that we did not listen carefully to the instructions and ate the octopus and bulgogi separately... 🤣 The bulgogi and stir-fried octopus were each delicious on their own, though. If it tastes good, that is what counts, right~?

This was when we were supposed to add the octopus.

When you order the nakji bulgogi, a bowl of rice and miyeokguk (seaweed soup) come with it. Our kids, who are usually not great eaters, cleared their plates with just salad and seaweed soup. 👍🏻

Royal rib noodle hot pot, from meat to noodles and porridge

Our second order was the royal rib noodle hot pot. We ordered three servings and received three huge beef ribs. The meat on the ribs was substantial, and every kind of vegetable was fresh.

For Guksuhwa's royal rib noodle hot pot, you first simmer and eat the meat and vegetables, then cook the noodles and porridge in sequence.

Everyone said they were full from the noodles onward, but we still finished everything.

The Bbasak Handon Minari Jeon arrived genuinely crisp, just as its name suggests. It was salty, so only the adults ate it. Although it was cooked crisp, the water parsley aroma remained and paired well with the pork.

This is the pomegranate juice they brought out near the end of the meal. Sweet~ just that familiar taste.

If you are planning to eat out after a picnic at Incheon Grand Park or near Namdong District Office, skip the menu deliberation and try Guksuhwa. There are seats on the second floor too, so it looked good for gatherings.

By the time we happily finished our meal and came outside, it had gotten quite dark. The little globe lights strung around the parking lot really elevated the atmosphere.