Gangneung Korean restaurant with crab sundubu jjigae: Jeong Eunsuk

Taking my dad to Gangneung's Chodang sundubu village

I came down to my hometown of Gangneung and had a meal with my dad for the first time in a while. I try to make it back once a month to share a meal with him like this.

My dad loves tofu dishes, so I went looking for a restaurant with deep, rich flavor and ended up at Jeong Eunsuk Chodang Sundubu, known as one of the best Chodang sundubu spots in Gangneung.

Basic info on Jeong Eunsuk Chodang Sundubu

• Name: Jeong Eunsuk Chodang Sundubu
• Signature menu: Chodang Deluxe Table, Chodang Tofu Table, Tofu Samhap
• Hours: 08:00–18:30 (last order 17:30), closed every Tuesday
• Notable: run by a certified Korean Cooking Master, using 100% domestic soybeans

Exterior and atmosphere

A large Cooking Master plaque is mounted on the building's exterior, giving you confidence in the food before you even step inside. There's a long row of waiting seats along one side of the entrance for guests coming and going.

We had a reservation, but as a popular Chodang sundubu spot in Gangneung, there were plenty of people waiting, so I worried we'd have to wait a long time — but the turnover was fast and we were seated without much delay.

Location and parking

It's located inside the Gangneung Chodang sundubu village, so it's easy to find. There's a well-arranged private lot, so it's convenient to visit by car.

Interior and the self-serve side dish bar

The interior is clean and tidy overall. One side displays the owner's Korean Cooking Master certificate and plaque, which catches the eye, and there's a self-serve bar for extra side dishes that's kept hygienically managed.

The restaurant is spacious enough to comfortably seat the crowds who come for the food, and it had a clean feel I really liked.

The Chodang Deluxe Table: sundubu jjigae with crab

What we ordered that day was the 'Chodang Deluxe Table.' It comes with sundubu jjigae (soft tofu stew), tofu samhap (tofu trio), and seasoned grilled kodari (dried pollock), all served together as one full spread.

The table was so overflowing with food I wondered if we could finish it all — but we polished it off before we knew it, which had us both laughing.

Once the stew started bubbling, I took a spoonful of the broth and — with crab in it, the broth had an especially refreshing, deep flavor. Unlike other Chodang sundubu restaurants, this one had crab in it, so it was so refreshing and savory that I couldn't stop eating — it had a kind of magic to it. The soft, fluffy tofu's nuttiness mixed with the seafood's savoriness left my stomach feeling comfortably settled.

Tofu samhap and seasoned grilled kodari

Tender boiled pork belly, nutty handmade tofu, and sweet-spicy grilled kodari — each side dish worked beautifully together. It felt a touch sweet at times, but eating it alongside the sundubu jjigae balanced it out nicely, and the texture was easy for my dad to eat too.

My dad said this was hands-down the best sundubu he's had among all the sundubu restaurants we've been to together, and hearing that made me proud — it made me want to bring him out more often.

Tips and recommended combos

Even if there's a line, tables turn over quickly, so I'd recommend waiting briefly at the front-door seating. Seats open up fast, so you won't have to wait long to eat.

When eating the tofu samhap, try placing a piece of boiled pork and some seasoned chives on top of a warm piece of handmade tofu and wrapping it together — you get the nuttiness and savoriness at once.

Final thoughts

This was a spread that brought out the deep, natural flavor of the ingredients without being overly strong. True to its reputation as one of the best Chodang sundubu restaurants in Gangneung, Jeong Eunsuk Chodang Sundubu left a lasting impression with its clean food and refreshing stew broth. It's an ideal place to bring your parents.