Gwangalli wood-fired grilled fish, crab set & tteokgalbi: Hwadeogeuro

A rice-thief of a restaurant: Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo

A Gwangalli grilled fish restaurant with a view and parking

Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo (화덕으로간고등어) Gwangalli Waterside Park Branch serves wood-fired grilled fish sets near Gwangalli Waterside Park. It has parking and even rooms for group gatherings. When you've been out looking at the Gwangalli sea, it's often hard to decide what to eat. If you want something filling but healthy, not raw fish or meat, grilled fish is the answer.

This time I visited a place with a great view and food I was really happy with. If you're searching for Gwangalli restaurants, Gwangalli grilled fish or a spot near the waterside park, it's worth saving. It has parking and group rooms, so it works for family meals and gatherings too.

Parking, hours and seating at the Gwangalli branch

The restaurant is open from 11 am to 9 pm and has parking. The window seats look out toward the sea, and there are separate rooms for groups.

When I think of Gwangalli I always think of raw fish and barbecue, but this time I wanted properly grilled fish, so I came here.

• Hours: 11 am - 9 pm

First good thing: parking! Parking is always a worry around Gwangalli, so being able to visit easily was a relief.

The window side also has a nice view, so I could eat at leisure the whole meal without feeling cramped.

Best of all, there are separate rooms for groups, which looks great for family meals, company dinners and gatherings. It was roomy and pleasant, so a big group wouldn't be a burden.

Menu prices and the sets we ordered

The wood-fired mackerel set is in the ₩10,000s, and the other sets are in the ₩20,000s. I picked a variety, from the non-spicy mackerel to the spicy seasoned one.

Here's what I ordered to try a bit of everything.

• Wood-fired mackerel set
• Spicy wood-fired mackerel set
• West Coast marinated crab set
• Extra tteokgalbi (grilled short rib patty)

Personally, I care about the side dishes at a grilled fish place, and even the basic ones here left me very satisfied.

Even the basic banchan are rice thieves

The sets come with side dishes (banchan) like rolled omelet, potato salad, seasoned bean sprouts, seasoned sea mustard stems and a spicy side. I tried them one by one before the main dishes arrived, and they were all better than I expected.

The fluffy rolled omelet is the kind kids would love, and the mild potato salad was perfect for resetting my palate between bites. It was nutty and soft, so I kept reaching for it.

Crunchy bean sprouts, savory sea mustard stems and a spicy side that wakes up the appetite: not a weak one in the bunch. They cut the richness of the grilled fish, and you could finish a bowl of rice on these alone. I thought, so this is how a Gwangalli grilled fish place that does it right differs, starting with the sides.

Wood-fired mackerel set: the textbook crisp outside, juicy inside

The wood-fired mackerel was crisp outside and moist inside, with almost no fishy smell. I tried the plain one first. Maybe because it comes out of the wood-fired oven, the skin was crisp while the flesh stayed moist.

The surface is grilled just right with a nutty flavor, and the flesh comes off soft, so it's really good with rice. With almost no fishy smell and a clean taste, even people who aren't big on fish could eat it without trouble.

It's tasty as is, and wrapped in leafy greens with a bit of sauce it felt like something different again! It felt like a healthy meal. I could kind of see why this place is a word-of-mouth Gwangalli favorite.

How spicy is the spicy wood-fired mackerel?

The spicy wood-fired mackerel isn't sharply hot; it's a savory, mildly spicy seasoning. Personally, this was the one that impressed me more. The savory-yet-spicy style kept me reaching for more.

Put some fish on rice, add a little seasoning, and that's it, done. I'd definitely recommend this one to people who like spicy food. The mackerel was plump and the seasoning had soaked in well, so I enjoyed it to the last bite. It made me want to order extra rice.

The West Coast marinated crab set is a treat too

The West Coast marinated crab (seoihaean yangnyeom gejang, 서해안 양념게장) set comes with crab that's not salty but sweet and savory.

The marinated crab I ordered alongside was beyond my expectations too. It's not just salty; it's sweet and deeply savory, a true rice thief.

Take a bite, put some on rice, and the bowl of rice just magically shrinks... It also goes well with the spicy mackerel, and eating them together was even better.

Glad I added the tteokgalbi

The extra tteokgalbi (grilled short rib patty) comes on an iron plate with onions, with a sweet sauce and a tender texture. Eating only fish might feel a little lacking, so adding the tteokgalbi was a masterstroke. The sweet sauce and soft texture are something kids and adults would both love!

I also liked that it arrives on the iron plate with onions, so you can eat it warm. It has a different charm from the mackerel, so the combination worked quite well.

Recommended for a healthy meal in Gwangalli

Hwadeogeuro Gwangalli is a place I'd recommend when you want a healthy, filling grilled fish meal in Gwangalli instead of raw fish or meat.

In Gwangalli I always end up eating the same kinds of food, so this healthy yet filling meal left me very satisfied. I'd recommend it to anyone hunting for a Gwangalli restaurant, anyone looking for somewhere to take their parents, and anyone who wants proper Gwangalli grilled fish.

If you're looking for a place near the waterside park, this one has a good view, parking and rooms, so it's worth a visit. Next time I'll come back with my family and try the other fish dishes.