Chinese bar by Yeongildae, Pohang: brisket jjajang & yaki udon, Hwamok

What is Hwamok Restaurant Gaekjan in Pohang?

Hwamok Restaurant Gaekjan (화목 반점 객잔) is a Chinese restaurant in Idong, Nam-gu, Pohang. It serves familiar basics like jajangmyeon (noodles in black bean sauce) and jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup), plus signature fusion dishes made with seafood and chadol (thin-sliced beef brisket). It's a spot I'd recommend both as an Idong, Pohang restaurant and as a bar with really good Chinese food.

Is there parking at Hwamok Restaurant Gaekjan?

🚗 There's parking in front of and beside the restaurant, so I could visit without worrying about it.

Opening hours and break time

Hwamok Restaurant Gaekjan is open from 10:50 a.m. to 11 p.m., with no break time. Many Chinese restaurants focus on meals only, but this one has a stylish interior that suits a night out too, so it's a good option when you're looking for a bar in Idong, Pohang.

You can have a hearty lunch, a dinner or a drink with various Chinese dishes as snacks, or drop in late for a midnight meal. It suits every time of day! And with no break time, even that awkward gap between lunch and dinner is fine.

With its spacious room, nice atmosphere and menu everyone can enjoy, it's good for family meals and get-togethers with friends, and it also suits a company dinner.

Hwamok Restaurant Gaekjan menu and prices

Besides basic jajangmyeon and jjamppong, Hwamok Restaurant Gaekjan has special items like kimchi jajang, chadol jajangmyeon, stone-plate seafood tray jajang and stone-plate seafood yakiudon (stir-fried thick noodles), so you can try something different. The choice is wide enough that everyone can find something to their taste, and for just ₩1,000 more you can get an extra-large portion.

There are also Chinese dishes like tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork), kimchi pizza tangsuyuk, kkanpunggi (spicy fried chicken), kkanpung shrimp, palbochae (eight-treasure stir-fry) and gochujapchae (pepper stir-fry). Chinese dishes usually cost a lot, so you often have to steel yourself to order them. Here the prices aren't burdensome, which is a big plus.

They also offer mini dishes, so it's easy to add a side to your meal.

Here's what we ordered that day.

• Stone-plate seafood yakiudon ₩22,000
• Chadol jjajang ₩10,000
• Original tangsuyuk (small) ₩22,000

Drinks and corkage

They have a variety of drinks, including gaoliang (Chinese liquor), sake, wine, whisky and vodka, so you can pick what suits your food. Corkage is allowed too (for a fee).

Review: two of us at the open bar table

We were so hungry that the two of us threw a feast with three dishes, haha. Leftovers can be packed to go, so I felt free to order generously.

The weather was nice and cool, so we sat at the open bar table. The chairs were a little low, but I loved the airy feel, so it was fine by me!

Portions at Hwamok Restaurant Gaekjan are generous in general, and the stone-plate dishes are big enough for two or more.

Danmuji (yellow pickled radish) and onions come as standard!

How was the stone-plate seafood yaki udon?

The stone-plate seafood yakiudon (₩22,000) arrives sizzling on a hot stone plate, and it passes the looks test right away. There were so many dishes I wanted to try that I agonized over the choice, but I was really happy with this one.

Because it comes on a stone plate, it stays warm until the last bite, and the stir-fried flavor made it taste even better. The sauce soaks deep into the noodles and gets richer as you go, so I never got tired of it.

It isn't too spicy and has a subtle sweetness, but the spicy, hearty kick really pulls you in.

The seafood is squid and shrimp, and there's meat too, so you get a nice mix of flavors from the different ingredients.

Glossy noodles soaked in sauce! They clung to the mouth in the best way.

What is the beef brisket jjajang like?

The chadol jajangmyeon at Hwamok Restaurant Gaekjan comes topped with big pieces of chadol, and small bits of meat are mixed into the black bean sauce too, so the savory flavor was rich. The basics are solid here, so even the basic dishes are really good.

The noodles are springy too, and if you miss old-fashioned jajangmyeon, definitely try it. At ₩7,000, it's cheap as well.

After eating the basic jajangmyeon, I'm now super curious about the signature kimchi jajangmyeon too.

Share jjajang noodles and yaki udon half and half

If you order both jajangmyeon and yakiudon at Hwamok Restaurant Gaekjan, put half of each on your small plate and eat them together. It has a different charm from eating them separately, and it was a real treat. The flavors go great together!

Original tangsuyuk: pour the sauce or dip it?

Hwamok Restaurant Gaekjan has tangsuyuk in several flavors, but I was curious about the basic one, so I got the original tangsuyuk (small, ₩22,000). Crispy, perfectly fried tangsuyuk!

Thoughtfully, the sauce comes separately, so you can pour it on or dip as you like.

I'm a dipper, to keep the crunch intact. Dunking the savory tangsuyuk into the sweet, thick sauce was so good.

The food was great and the staff looked after us kindly, which made it even better. Hwamok Restaurant Gaekjan is an Idong, Pohang favorite I'd love to visit again.

A walk to Yeongildae Beach after the meal

Eating a hearty meal at Hwamok Restaurant Gaekjan and then taking a light stroll at nearby Yeongildae Beach made a great course!