Gyeongju Hwangnidan-gil restaurant for eel and short rib solbap: Handa
In short
Handa Sot Gyeongju is a Korean restaurant on Hwangnidan-gil in Gyeongju that serves wood-fired grilled fish alongside solbap (rice cooked in a stone pot). On a Monday family lunch, the writer ordered the wood-fired grilled fish set for two, prime short rib solbap, charcoal-grilled eel solbap and an extra bowl of rice, eating on the second floor because the first floor was full. The grilled fish was set over a warmer so it stayed hot to the last bite, and the short rib and the thick eel looked as good as they tasted — a satisfying first meal of the Gyeongju trip.
Good to know
- Address
- 111 Cheomseong-ro, Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk (Handa Sot Gyeongju)
- Hours
- Daily 10:30 AM – 9:00 PM
- Last order
- 8:00 PM
- What we ordered
- Wood-fired grilled fish set for two, prime short rib solbap, charcoal-grilled eel solbap, 1 bowl of rice
- Fish in the set
- Atka mackerel, mackerel, Spanish mackerel
- Parking
- Room for about 2 cars in front; the Daereungwon Hwangnam public parking lot is recommended
- Waiting
- You can join the waitlist on the CatchTable kiosk at the entrance
- Seating
- 1st and 2nd floors; the 2nd floor has floor-to-ceiling windows
as written by the visitor on Sep 6, 2026
Let me introduce Handa Sot, where we had our first meal of this Gyeongju trip. I really wanted to try hanjeongsik (Korean set meal) or hot pot rice at least once in Gyeongju, and this place lets you enjoy wood-fired grilled fish alongside all kinds of hot pot rice, so I went in with high expectations. Even on a weekday lunch there were so many customers — I immediately understood why it's popular, haha.
Handa Sot Gyeongju hours and how the waitlist works
Handa Sot Gyeongju is open daily from 10:30 AM to 9:00 PM, with last order at 8:00 PM. There's a CatchTable kiosk at the entrance, so registering for the waitlist was easy. Luckily on the day I visited there was no wait at all, haha.
The signature dishes were displayed with photos at the entrance, so I could already plan what to order before even walking in, haha.
Full even on a Monday: window seats on the second floor
We visited on a Monday for lunch, and the first floor of Handa Sot Gyeongju was already full. Luckily we were seated upstairs and could eat comfortably. Seeing it this busy on a weekday made me think both locals and tourists come here often.
The interior has a hanok (traditional Korean house) feel, and the large floor-to-ceiling windows gave a real sense of openness — with a green view to enjoy too, the atmosphere was great the whole meal, haha.
Where to park near Handa Sot Gyeongju
There's parking for about 2 cars in front of the restaurant, but spots are limited. If you're driving, the Daereungwon Hwangnam public parking lot is close by and convenient!
What our family of four ordered at Handa Sot
At Handa Sot Gyeongju we ordered a grilled fish set for two, short rib hot pot rice, charcoal-grilled eel hot pot rice, and one bowl of rice. Visiting as a family let us try a good variety, and every single dish was satisfying, haha.
Wood-fired grilled fish that stays warm to the last bite
Handa Sot's wood-fired grilled fish set came with a good mix of Atka mackerel, mackerel, and Spanish mackerel. What I liked most was that it's placed on a grill that looks like a Zaigle, kept warm the whole time on a low induction setting. Grilled fish usually cools down fast, so being able to eat it warm until the last bite was really nice, haha.
The fish had no fishy smell at all, and the flesh was plump and easy to pull apart. Crisp and golden on the outside, moist inside — perfect with rice.
The seaweed soup that came with it was good too, haha. I mixed rice into the soup and topped it with fish for my kid, and they cleaned out an entire bowl of rice, haha. My kid usually likes fish anyway, but eating this well made me happy as a mom too 😊
Prime short rib solbap: the best-looking dish on the table
My kid picked Handa Sot's short rib hot pot rice. The moment it arrived, we all said "Wow!" — the presentation was incredible. A whole, generous short rib sat right on top, and just looking at it made me hungrier.
The rib was grilled just right — tender, not tough at all, and still juicy. Really delicious, haha.
They gave the rib sauce on the side so you could mix it in to taste. I stole a bite and honestly wanted to order this dish myself next time, hahahaha.
Charcoal-grilled eel solbap and the size of that eel
My other kid chose Handa Sot's charcoal-grilled eel hot pot rice. This one was just as impressive to look at — the eel was way bigger than I expected, and I was surprised from the first glance.
First we piled the eel onto the rice, then mixed in the eel sauce, and finally — the crispy scorched rice at the bottom!!!! Watching them scrape up every bit of that nurungji (scorched rice), another charm of solbap (hot pot rice), you could tell they really loved it, haha.
Was Handa Sot a good first meal on Hwangnidan-gil?
Aside from the takeout sashimi we had for dinner, Handa Sot Gyeongju was the first restaurant meal of this Gyeongju trip, and it was genuinely satisfying.
I already like hanjeongsik and hot pot rice, so I had high expectations, and they were exceeded. The wood-fired grilled fish stayed warm the whole way through, and both the short rib and eel hot pot rice were satisfying from the look to the taste. Our whole family ate well and left happy, which started the trip off on a great note, haha.
Final verdict on Handa Sot Gyeongju
If you're looking for a hearty meal in Gyeongju, I'd recommend Handa Sot! It's great for anyone hunting for a Hwangnidan-gil hanjeongsik spot, and just as satisfying for anyone who wants both hot pot rice and wood-fired grilled fish in one meal. Our family really enjoyed it, and even though this was a sponsored visit, it was good enough that I'd want to come back and pay out of my own pocket next time we're in Gyeongju!
Where it is
111 Cheomseong-ro, Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk, South Korea경상북도 경주시 첨성로 111
