Two bowls compared at Sinsa buckwheat noodle spot Sammiri Makguksu

I had lunch plans in Sinsa-dong and was trying to decide what to eat, so I ended up at Sammiri Makguksu for some makguksu (buckwheat noodles). With the weather being awkwardly hot lately, I kept craving cold noodles instead of anything hot. I was torn between naengmyeon and makguksu, but that day I went with makguksu!

Inside Sammiri Makguksu: dining room and seating

Inside Sammiri Makguksu

The table spacing wasn't cramped at all and everything felt well organized, so my first impression was pretty good.

There were also seats facing the window like this, so it looked like a fine place to come eat alone too.

And the place is genuinely spotless.

When I go to a restaurant, taste matters but I also quietly notice things like the tables, dishware, and floors, so when those are clean I feel reassured right away. If you're looking for a clean spot to eat in Sinsa-dong, I think this would work well.

The staff were kind too. They were easygoing when taking our order, and it didn't feel overly attentive — more like a natural, relaxed way of looking after guests, which I liked.

What's on the menu at Sammiri Makguksu

The menu board at Sammiri Makguksu

Being a house-made noodle makguksu specialist, they had a surprising variety of dishes!

There's also tteok-mandu-guk, and it looked like they sell perilla oil cold buckwheat noodles too, though it was marked sold out on the day I went!

They also have buckwheat pancake, mandu, and suyuk (boiled pork) :)

We ordered two menu items — one sesame oil bibim makguksu, and one spicy mul makguksu. We also added a half-plate of 2 crispy fried mandu.

Soy sauce for the dumplings, a radish side dish, and cola were set down first ~ Even with delivery orders continuously coming in, our food came out pretty quickly!!

How does the sesame oil bibim makguksu taste?

We started with the sesame oil bibim makguksu, which arrived first. It's made with a special sauce fermented from fruits and vegetables plus sesame oil, and the seasoning was more cleanly spicy than I expected.

About half a serving of broth came alongside it so you can pour it in to taste! I tried mixing it without the broth first haha.

I'm not a fan of overly sweet or spicy sauces when it comes to bibim makguksu, but this one didn't hit strong or sharp right from the first bite.

Spicy, with the nutty aroma of sesame oil rising alongside it — a flavor that kept me coming back for more bites.

The noodle texture was excellent, probably because they make it in-house..!!

Maybe because of the sesame oil, it felt a bit more savory and smooth than a plain spicy bibim makguksu.

Spicy mul makguksu, the No. 1 dish for reorders

Then, the spicy mul makguksu. It was labeled as the #1 reorder menu, so I was curious and ordered it — and honestly, this one was more my style. (For reference, I'm firmly on Team Cold Broth when it comes to naengmyeon/makguksu haha.)

It's made by mixing the special bibim sauce into dongchimi (radish water kimchi) broth, and the broth is refreshingly cold with a slight spicy kick lingering at the end.

The signature refreshing taste of mul makguksu was still there, but it wasn't just plainly cold — the touch of seasoning gave it a kick that really woke up my appetite.

There's a bit of sauce sitting on top of the house-made noodles, and the spice level wasn't too intense, so I kept going back for the broth — it really lived up to the name 'spicy'! I think this would be even better on a hot day!!!

Adding the half-plate of crispy fried mandu (2 pieces)

We also had the crispy fried mandu we ordered as a side. Since it only comes with 2 pieces, it was a manageable amount to pair with the makguksu, and true to its name, the outside was fried crispy and savory.

Eating just makguksu the whole time can get a little monotonous, but having a piece of fried mandu here and there made for a good combo. Especially with the bibim makguksu — following the spicy sauce with a bite of mandu brought in a nutty flavor that worked really well. Between the two of us, two bowls of makguksu plus the mandu made for just the right amount for lunch.

Bibim or mul makguksu: which bowl should you order?

Comparing the two Sammiri Makguksu dishes,

Personally, I'd say the sesame oil bibim makguksu suits people who like savory, spicy flavors, while the spicy mul makguksu suits people who prefer a cold broth with a slight kick.

Ordering tip! If you like makguksu, order one bibim and one mul and share them. I alternated between the two dishes and that was my favorite part — each had its own distinct charm.

And I'd also recommend adding the 2-piece mandu!

The portion isn't huge, so it was just right as a side for two people.

We enjoyed our meal and left feeling good about how clean the place was too. There are plenty of makguksu options in Sinsa-dong, but it's oddly hard to pick when you're actually deciding — this time, Sammiri Makguksu left us quite satisfied. The owner was kind and the spacious, clean dining room meant nothing was uncomfortable during the meal.

When you're craving noodles for lunch in Sinsa-dong and want a bowl of makguksu in a clean space, Sammiri Makguksu is recommended!