Gimhae Korean restaurant near Costco, weekday lunch with easy parking

I had some errands to run near Juchon in Gimhae recently, and while trying to figure out what to eat for lunch, I ended up at this place. I was craving something hot and hearty that day, so after some searching I visited Ppyeodae Itneun Haejangguk Juchon Branch.

Going by the name alone you'd think it's just a haejangguk (hangover soup) specialist, but they also serve gamjatang (pork bone and potato stew), so that's what we ordered that day.

The Juchon area in Gimhae has had a lot of new restaurants popping up lately, so it's a good spot to find a place to eat. Juchon also has a Costco Gimhae location, so a lot of people grab a meal nearby before or after shopping.

Since we were already in Juchon, we looked for somewhere good and landed here — the location was solid and parking was easy, which I liked.

Easy parking made it even better

These days, when I pick a restaurant, taste matters, but I've started to always check whether parking is easy too. Especially when visiting with family or moving around with kids, bad parking can wear you out before the meal even starts.

But Ppyeodae Itneun Haejangguk Juchon Branch has a decent amount of parking space, so it was easy to visit by car.

If you're looking for a place to eat in Juchon and parking is a concern, I think this is a solid option.

It's also fairly close to Costco Gimhae, so I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a good restaurant near Costco.

After filling up a cart at Costco, you get hungry and want a solid meal before heading home — and stopping in for gamjatang would be perfect for that.

Ordering a hearty gamjatang

Sitting down and looking through the menu, we ordered the gamjatang.

Gamjatang really does taste best shared among several people. Even the visual — a huge pot packed with potatoes and bones — looked appetizing from the start.

Simmering away right on the table, the smell rising up really got my appetite going.

The broth is the most important part of gamjatang, right? Simmered with meat off the bone and napa cabbage in the deeply infused broth, the flavor kept getting richer as it cooked.

The first spoonful of broth I tried was spicy with that distinctive savory gamjatang flavor. It went great with rice, and it'd be just as good as a drinking snack.

Plenty of meat on the bone too

What satisfied me most while eating the gamjatang was, unsurprisingly, the meat.

Some gamjatang places give you big bones with barely any meat on them, but the one I had this day had quite a bit of meat still attached, making it fun to pick off.

Gently pulling the meat off with chopsticks and eating it with rice and broth was really filling.

Eating the napa cabbage together with the broth was especially good. A bite of meat, some napa cabbage, and a piece of kkakdugi (radish kimchi) on top — that combo kept me going!

Gamjatang always seems like more food than you expect once you start eating, and I wondered at first if we'd finish it all, but before I knew it the pot was emptying out.

Even better with the side dishes

The gamjatang came with basic banchan (side dishes) like kimchi and kkakdugi that paired well with the soup.

Crunchy, tangy kkakdugi is a must when eating gamjatang.

A spoonful of hot gamjatang broth followed by a bite of kkakdugi cleanses the palate, and then you're back to the meat — an endless loop.

If the side dishes ran low, we could just help ourselves at the self-serve bar, which was convenient.

A good spot for a family meal too

The interior was bigger than I expected, so it seemed fine for visiting with a group.

It's a good spot for a meal with friends, and the atmosphere is relaxed enough for a family outing or gathering too.

Since people in Juchon tend to get around by car, easy parking is something you look for in a restaurant, and this place delivered on that too.

If you're looking for a place to eat in Juchon, Gimhae like we were, I think this one's worth a visit.

A bowl of gamjatang after Costco shopping

Personally, I liked that it's close to Costco.

After shopping at Costco, your cart is full, your energy's drained, and you're hungry — a hot pot of gamjatang would really hit the spot then. So I'm filing this away as a good restaurant near Costco.

If you're planning a trip to Costco Gimhae, you end up looking for restaurants nearby before or after shopping — when you can't decide, gamjatang at Ppyeodae Itneun Haejangguk Juchon Branch would be a solid choice.

It's especially good for groups — order one pot of gamjatang to share, and everyone gets plenty of meat and broth for a satisfying meal.

Overall thoughts

Ppyeodae Itneun Haejangguk Juchon Branch, true to its name, serves great haejangguk, but the gamjatang was just as good.

Hearty bones and meat, hot rich broth, and side dishes that paired well with the gamjatang made for a really filling meal.

Best of all, parking was easy and the store was fairly spacious, making it a good choice for visiting with family.

If you want a hearty meal in Juchon, Gimhae, or you're craving gamjatang, I think it's worth a visit.

And if you're heading to Costco Gimhae to shop, this is worth keeping in mind as a good restaurant nearby.

Next time I have a reason to head to Juchon, I think this is the place I'll be craving hot gamjatang from.