Grilled fish set for two near Gyeongju Hwangnidan-gil: Handa Sot

Handa Sot Gyeongju basic info

• 111 Cheomseong-ro, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongbuk, South Korea
• Daily 10:30–21:00
• ✔️Parking available in front of the store

Craving Korean food in Gyeongju? Handa Sot

Whenever I visit Gyeongju, the quiet, old-town vibe makes me crave a neat, clean Korean set meal (hanjeongsik)! While looking around near Hwangnidan-gil, I came across Handa Sot Gyeongju, which had great reviews. The moment I saw the menu, I knew this was the place and headed straight over without a second thought.

Parking at Handa Sot Gyeongju

It was convenient that there's dedicated space right in front for about two cars. And even if that's full, no need to worry too much — there are really solid public parking lots nearby. If you're driving to Hwangnidan-gil, this is a comfortable spot to visit without parking stress!

The atmosphere inside

Walking into the restaurant, the whole vibe was really clean and stylish~ The classic charm of a hanok (traditional Korean house) blends with modern interior design, so it made for great photos too!

A neat spread starting with the side dishes

We ordered the signature grilled fish set (₩38,000 for two). After a short wait, neat little side dishes started arriving one by one in clean bowls~~ You could tell each banchan (side dish) was made with real care, which made me happy just looking at them.

None of the side dishes were too strongly seasoned, so I kept reaching for more. The savory stir-fried mushrooms and the crunchy black-sesame lotus root especially suited my taste perfectly 👍 I almost filled up on side dishes before the main course even arrived, haha.

The grilled fish set spread

With the golden-brown grilled fish, freshly cooked clay-pot rice, warm seaweed soup and various side dishes all laid out, the table was completely full. It was such a generous spread I couldn't help but gasp, haha. Somehow it felt like being treated like royalty — I thought it'd be perfect for bringing parents along.

Freshly steamed, piping-hot clay-pot rice

And it wasn't just regular rice — it was freshly cooked, steaming hot clay-pot rice, which made it feel so much more special. The moment I lifted the lid, a nutty rice aroma rose up with the steam, and the grains were chewy yet fluffy and well-cooked — the rice alone was delicious!

Fish grilled in a clay oven over 500°C

Plump, chunky fish come out three to a plate. They're grilled in a high-heat clay oven that reaches over 500°C, and maybe that's why the outside was crispy while the inside stayed moist^^ On top of that, they set up a warmer underneath so you can eat warm all the way to the end — such thoughtful attention to detail.

They squeezed a lemon wedge that came with the fish lightly over the flesh! The lemon's fresh scent subtly seeped in and completely masked any fishy taste, haha. It added a savory depth to the clean-tasting fish, making it taste even cleaner and more upscale.

The flesh was so soft and moist that it flaked apart along the grain with just a light touch of the chopsticks! Even people who avoid grilled fish because of the hassle of picking out bones could eat comfortably here.

The flesh was thick and plump, so I tore off a big piece and piled it on top of my rice. The fish wasn't oily or greasy at all — clean-tasting and just right on seasoning, a flavor that anyone, any age, would like!

A clean finish with clay-pot scorched rice

You absolutely cannot skip the scorched rice (nurungji) when eating clay-pot rice, right, haha. Once we'd finished the rice that had been set aside earlier, we opened the pot — which had hot water poured in — to make a nutty scorched-rice tea (sungnyung). Drinking the warm, nutty scorched-rice broth cleaned up my palate and really settled my stomach~~

After finishing off the nutty scorched rice completely, I ended the meal feeling great and full 🤍 It felt like I'd filled up on something healthy and hearty without weighing on my stomach — very satisfying.

Handa Sot Gyeongju — final thoughts

If you're looking for a neat, well-made Korean set meal near Hwangnidan-gil in Gyeongju, I recommend Handa Sot! Besides the golden charcoal-oven grilled fish, they also have various clay-pot rice menus to choose from depending on your taste, making it a great spot for a hearty meal. If you're visiting Gyeongju, be sure to stop by!