Gimcheon eel grill house at opening time with Mom: Sonamu Sikdang

Sonamu Sikdang Gimcheon Main Branch hours and parking

Sonamu Sikdang (소나무식당) Gimcheon Main Branch is at 8-21 Hanji 1-gil, Apo-eup, Gimcheon-si, Gyeongbuk, and it is open 11:00 - 20:00. Break time is 15:00 - 17:00, last order is 19:55, and it is closed every Tuesday. Parking is available too.

Did you know Gimcheon has quite a lot of great restaurants? There are way more real-deal gems hiding here than you'd expect!!! Out of all of them, I visited Sonamu Sikdang Gimcheon Main Branch. The reviews looked good too.

There's a big shared parking lot right in front of Sonamu Sikdang, so you can use that. I just parked in the alley, haha. I went right at opening time and there was already one other group inside~~ The place is spacious with lots of seats, so it looked like groups come for lunch or dinner too!!

Free drink for a review and how to get side dish refills

Sonamu Sikdang gives you a free drink if you leave a Naver review, so do take part. Side dishes are set out by default, and if you want more, just ask the staff. It's not a self-serve bar, so please don't help yourself~

What are the side dishes like at Sonamu Sikdang?

The dish I ordered that day was the grilled freshwater eel, but the side dishes at Sonamu Sikdang were already moving. I heard they make every one of them by hand.

Wow, the side dishes are so good already... I was told they make everything by hand, so I had high hopes, and it was even better than expected, which surprised me. I went with my mom and she said it was delicious too. There was a seasoned vegetable dish (namul) in particular that was sooo good T_T A place with tasty side dishes is a certified real-deal restaurant^^ I immediately thought it would be perfect for bringing your parents.

How does Sonamu Sikdang's grilled freshwater eel taste?

The grilled freshwater eel at Sonamu Sikdang had none of that typical eel smell or fishiness, and the flesh was plump, chewy and tender at once. There weren't many eel reviews, so I got curious and ordered it, and wow... it's seriously good!!!! I'm not really an eel person, and I still loved it.

Order rice and the doenjang stew comes free

At Sonamu Sikdang, if you order a bowl of rice, you get doenjang stew (soybean paste stew) as a free extra!!!!! How nice is that T_T Even though it's a freebie, the stew is really good. It has a deep, nutty doenjang flavor. I feel like I could polish off a bowl of white rice with just this, haha.

Is one order of grilled freshwater eel enough?

The grilled eel is delicious just laid over white rice. At first glance I didn't think the portion was big, but each piece is huge and plump, so it really is a lot. I almost burst eating all of it, haha.

And the white rice itself is good too. I think they use Suhyangmi rice? With good rice like that, of course it tastes even better!!!!!!

Wrap it in a leaf (ssam) and it's perfection!!! I really enjoyed this meal. I think I'll come back to Sonamu Sikdang again, haha.

Where is Sonamu Sikdang Gimcheon Main Branch?

Sonamu Sikdang Gimcheon Main Branch is near Apo Station in Gimcheon. By the way, Apo Station is closed down T_T All the good restaurants are clustered around Apo, so do go to Sonamu Sikdang. By lunchtime lots of people had arrived, and it had the feel of a real-deal place that only locals know, haha.

See how clean the plates are...? I was seriously stuffed, and the flavor still kept me going!

Finish with a cup of maesil (green plum) drink by the entrance

I finished the meal with a cup of plum (maesil) drink by the entrance of Sonamu Sikdang. I mean, plum can taste this good?! It wasn't the harsh sweetness of store-bought ones; it had a gentle sweetness that rises slowly, which I loved. Anyway, I think everything about Sonamu Sikdang was perfect. If you're looking for a good restaurant in Gimcheon, definitely come here!!!!!!

Is Sonamu Sikdang good value? Final verdict

• Value for money: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Staff friendliness: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Service speed: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Would revisit: Yes