Jinju naengmyeon restaurant with extra-large bowls for two: Songgiwon

Today's post is about a place I visited for lunch while out in Jinju — Songgiwon Jinju Naengmyeon 💗 You can't talk about Jinju without talking about Jinju naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles)!!!! I wanted to try a proper bowl this time, so after some searching I ended up at Songgiwon.

Where Songgiwon Jinju Naengmyeon is, plus parking and the lunch wait

Songgiwon Jinju Naengmyeon Direct Store is at 49 Cheonsu-ro, 1st floor, Jinju-si, Gyeongsangnam-do. Hours are 11:00–21:00, with a break time from 16:00–17:00, and it's closed on Tuesdays. It's known as a place that's carried on Jinju naengmyeon tradition for a long time, so a lot of people looking for the best Jinju naengmyeon spot come here.

There's a dedicated parking lot right in front of the restaurant, so parking was easy.

We got there around 12:30pm and there was a wait, so we registered on the Catch Table waitlist. Turnover was faster than expected though, so we didn't have to wait too long!

What the seating inside Songgiwon looks like

Once inside, there were more seating options than I expected — from two-tops to group tables for several people, so plenty of families seemed to be dining there too.

The overall vibe is clean and tidy, so it seems like a solid choice for a family meal or a stop while traveling around Jinju.

We were seated at a table for two.

Reading the menu: Sunjo, Nongae and Songgiwon naengmyeon compared

For the Songgiwon Jinju Naengmyeon menu, it's easiest to think of it this way: Sunjo Naengmyeon is water naengmyeon, Nonggae Naengmyeon is bibim (mixed/spicy) naengmyeon, and Songgiwon Naengmyeon is a mul-bibim (mixed with broth) style. We looked over the menu once we sat down, and since there are several types of Jinju naengmyeon, it was a bit of a puzzle figuring out what to order on a first visit!!

Both are naengmyeon, but the styles are different, so it's nice to be able to pick according to your taste.

Also, if you do a review event, they'll add extra yukjeon as a topping — worth keeping in mind for anyone visiting.

There was vinegar set out on the table, and it was labeled as Baekgeum vinegar!!

Kimchi and pickled radish come as the basic side dishes, and you can get more from the self-serve bar if you need it!

How do the extra-large Nongae and Songgiwon naengmyeon and the yukjeon taste?

We ordered Nonggae Naengmyeon and Songgiwon Naengmyeon at Songgiwon, plus the yukjeon, which you can't skip. We ordered both noodles in large size, and the large portion is seriously huge. We ate and ate and it never seemed to shrink — like it was multiplying ㅠㅠ haha ••

The yukjeon we ordered separately! This was so good eaten alongside the naengmyeon. They say it's made with domestic Korean beef, and the meat was tender with no chewiness at all — really delicious.

The yukjeon was so savory and soft, I think it'd be great wrapped with rice too haha.

Nongae Naengmyeon (bibim): a mild, not-too-sweet sauce

We tried the Nonggae Naengmyeon first. Since it's a bibim (mixed) naengmyeon, I expected the seasoning to be strong and punchy, but it was actually pretty light.

It's more the style where you can really taste the ingredients and feel the texture of the noodles! The seasoning isn't too sweet or heavy, and it goes down cleanly, so I kept reaching for more.

And the yukjeon on top of the naengmyeon was really good too. The default amount of yukjeon on top is honestly huge...!

I grabbed a big bundle of noodles and wrapped it with the yukjeon — you really have to try eating it this way!!

The broth and the buckwheat noodles at Songgiwon

They say the broth is made by simmering Korean beef bones along with seafood, and maybe that's why the broth itself had a deep savory flavor.

You could taste the faint, nutty aroma unique to buckwheat noodles, and the noodles hadn't gone soft, so the chewy texture was great too.

I'm not usually someone who adds a lot of vinegar to naengmyeon, but I tried a little and it added a subtle tang that gave the dish a different feel.

Naengmyeon with kimchi is a pretty solid combo too.

I'd also recommend dipping the yukjeon lightly in the soy sauce that comes with it! And wrapping it in kimchi is good too!

We finished with a warm broth as a palate cleanser — everyone should definitely finish with this, it's genuinely delicious •• ෆ

Is Songgiwon worth a meal on a Jinju trip?

When you travel to Jinju, it's nice to try at least one dish you can only really have there. For a taste you can only get in Jinju, I'd recommend Songgiwon Jinju Naengmyeon, a top pick for Jinju naengmyeon 🌟