Sokcho sashimi restaurant near Dongmyeong Port: Singa Hoetjip

Last weekend, I escaped the stifling city for a food-filled trip—some refreshing sea breeze and delicious food therapy! Before leaving, we combed through lists of local Sokcho favorites, saying we had to have sashimi somewhere with proper banchan this time. That’s how we found Singa Hoetjip (신가횟집), a seafood restaurant famous around Dongmyeong Port. To give you the conclusion first: thanks to its truly next-level banchan spread, we ate until we practically burst, so I’m here with my honest review! 🙌🏻

Singa Hoetjip location, hours, and parking

• Location: 45 Dongmyeonghang-gil, Sokcho-si, Gangwon State, South Korea (강원특별자치도 속초시 동명항길 45)
• Hours: Daily 10:00–22:00
• Parking: Free; parking is available in front of the restaurant and on the road outside

An easy-to-reach location with plenty of parking

When you’re looking for a restaurant while traveling, flavor matters, but you can’t ignore location and parking convenience, right? Singa Hoetjip was honestly ideal for planning a Sokcho itinerary 👍🏻 It was only a 1–2 minute walk from Dongmyeong Port, Yeonggeumjeong Pavilion, and the Sokcho Lighthouse Observatory. Cheongcho Lake and Yeonggeumjeong were also just two minutes away by car, so it was perfect for walking over once we’d leisurely explored the sights and started feeling hungry 🙌🏻

And for travelers driving in, there was a spacious free parking area right in front of the restaurant 🚙 At many famous Sokcho restaurants, you end up circling side streets over and over or hunting for paid parking, but there was absolutely no parking stress here. Even new drivers could visit comfortably 😙 I can see why it works so well for group gatherings too—you can eat without worrying about parking at all~

Another thing that stood out: it’s dog-friendly! So many people travel with their pups these days, but there actually aren’t that many seafood restaurants near the beach that allow dogs!! 👍🏻

On one side of the restaurant, I spotted fish swimming busily in the tanks. The water was kept crystal clear and clean! I visited around lunchtime, and lively fish were being delivered(?) then too, so I could see the fresh live seafood for myself~ It definitely made me trust the food even more 👍🏻

A spacious hall and private rooms

The interior was much larger and tidier than I expected~ Disposable tablecloths…?! I think they’re basically the universal rule for cleanliness, so I actually like seeing them laid out~! This place has carried on in the same spot for 15 years, so it had a slightly old-school atmosphere, but it was clearly well maintained. Along with the roomy central main hall, there were several private rooms where you could dine in peace.

With these well-equipped private rooms, it looked perfect for family gatherings, group work dinners, or a quiet meal with people you care about~ I also overheard that they get lots of group guests 👍🏻 It really had the presence of a Sokcho local favorite that has won everyone over, you know?!?!

Banchan so abundant the table could collapse

After being shown to our table, I examined the menu carefully! I wanted a satisfying spread at a good value, so I ordered the small farmed assorted sashimi platter. (You’ll understand why I call it good value when you see the banchan!! 👍🏻) The water wasn’t ordinary water either, so it immediately earned a gold medal in my heart, haha.

Not long after ordering, the basic side dishes started arriving one by one. At first, I had no idea there would be this much banchan, so I just stared in complete, defenseless shock... 👀‼️ It kept coming to the point where my mouth wouldn’t close! Rather than the usual seafood-restaurant feeling... it felt more like we’d come to a Japanese restaurant?

Just seeing the banchan cover the whole table was overwhelming 🙌🏻 These weren’t merely the simple side dishes you usually get at a sashimi restaurant—each one had enough care put into it to be called a dish in its own right! 😍 Of the first dishes, I especially loved the sliced octopus; it was so tender and delicious, haha. The abalone had the best crisp-chewy bite too ✨

The mulhoe (spicy chilled raw-fish soup) was insanely good too... the broth had that addictive flavor that keeps you going back for more!!

I don’t know what this was, but it had a texture that melted softly in the mouth. I wondered if it was jellyfish... but it felt different from jellyfish, haha. Does anyone know what it is..? 🤔

While we were tasting a little of everything, a second round of banchan arrived! Golden grilled fish, jeonbyeong pancakes, takoyaki, fish cutlets, and more! The range was wildly colorful 🌈 Since there were so many kinds, even children or older diners who aren’t big on sashimi could enjoy what suited their tastes. I love fried food, so I’d already filled myself about halfway on banchan before the main dish even arrived, haha. I thought, ah, this must be why everyone comes to Singa Hoetjip for assorted sashimi around Dongmyeong Port 🤔

I think this was a salad dish with fish roe on top~ It was bright, refreshing, and so tasty that I still want a light bite of it before a meal now 😆

Honestly, I wondered whether to eat the takoyaki, thinking it might have been made ages ago and no longer even warm. But hesitation only delays the timing!! It didn’t have that telltale sogginess, so after trying one, I ate all the rest myself, hahaha. When there are this many side dishes, a lot can go to waste... but everything was delicious, and it started disappearing in no time haha 🫶🏻

And this was another one I ate a lot of!! The okonomiyaki was the genuinely delicious kind, packed with cheese ㅠㅠ Seriously, please try it... I fully approve of this banchan gem 🫶🏻 Cheers with the cola that came with the side dishes 🥤

Small farmed assorted sashimi and the finishing dishes

Just as I was marveling at the flavors, the star of the day—the main assorted sashimi—arrived! We definitely ordered the smallest size, yet the plate was piled high with sashimi. Completely satisfied, super satisfied 😆 Even the clear sheen glistening across the fish told me how fresh it was 😚 The slices were just the right thickness, so there was a proper bite too! With every chew, the pleasantly firm yet springy texture settled perfectly on the tongue 😍 Maybe because it had just been prepared from the tank, there wasn’t even a hint of fishiness. I thought, “Farmed fish is totally great at this level!!” 😆

It was a delicacy dipped in soy sauce with a touch of wasabi, and it was also a perfect match with sweet-tangy chojang sauce 👍🏻 Put two big slices of sashimi on fresh lettuce or perilla leaf, add plenty of garlic and ssamjang, then wrap it up—pure, mouth-filling happiness 🫢 If you especially love the aroma of perilla leaves, try adding kkosiraegi seaweed to the chojang too. Another perfect pairing!

Once we’d almost finished the sashimi, it was time for the final banchan~ 🙌🏻 Fried dishes came first, and wow, that crunch.. Being in Sokcho, Gangwon, they served fried potatoes? I’d never seen a place serve fried potatoes before, haha. Seriously delicious 👍🏻 And sweet-potato fritters? No explanation needed~~!

Then the maeuntang (spicy fish stew) arrived 🤗 I really care about avoiding fishiness, and this had zero fishy smell. There was plenty of fish meat on the bones too, so picking it off was fun! So tender ✨ I wanted to ask for sujebi dough flakes to add, but I didn’t have enough stomach space left even to ask, so I just kept spooning it down!!

At other seafood restaurants, you usually only get maeuntang or have to order a bowl of rice separately. Here, though, a mini albap (fish roe rice) came with the stew as a complimentary dish! The mini albap crackled as it cooked in its stone pot, and it was full of savory seaweed flakes and flying-fish roe. Mixed together, it was so nutty and delicious 🙌🏻

A spoonful of bubbling, peppery maeuntang with its deep, wonderful broth, followed by a bite of roe rice—it was an absolutely crazy-good combination 😋 The mini albap made the meal feel special right to the end. But? It wasn’t over: maki was the final final finale!! Hahahaha, the banchan was seriously incredible.. 🥳 If you finish the maki too, I officially acknowledge that you have a huge stomach 👍🏻

What we ordered and prices

The king crab looked like it would be pretty delicious.. 🫢

I ordered the small farmed assorted sashimi platter for ₩120,000 and a cola for ₩2,000! Have a look at the country-of-origin information too 🙌🏻

On the way out after our meal, it was perfect to make a warm cup of coffee from the thoughtfully provided coffee machine as a palate cleanser! I think it would be right up older diners’ alley too!!

I feel like I experienced with my whole body why this place has been loved by so many tourists and locals in one spot for 15 long years. The flavor and freshness, generous portions and service, spacious parking, and dog-friendly policy—next time I’m in Sokcho, I’m totally bringing my parents back! If you want proper sashimi and a generous banchan spread near Dongmyeong Port, I definitely recommend stopping by Singa Hoetjip, a Dongmyeong-dong seafood restaurant 🙌🏻