Aewol, Jeju pork noodle spot: no-wait 2 p.m. lunch with kids, Handam

Handam Guksu Gwakji Aewol Branch for lunch on day one in Jeju

Handam Guksu Gwakji Aewol Branch (한담국수 곽지애월점) was the very first lunch spot we visited in Aewol on day 1 of our Jeju trip with my Yunyun kids 💛 When a trip starts, a good meal is the first thing that puts you in a great mood, right? 😊

I wanted a hearty lunch in Aewol, and the clean interior and very Jeju-style menu welcomed us, so I was happy with the first meal already. If you're looking for a lunch spot in Aewol, let me introduce Handam Guksu Gwakji Aewol Branch, where you can enjoy easygoing pork noodles (gogi guksu) and a variety of other dishes!

Handam Guksu Gwakji Aewol Branch hours and parking

• 📍Location: 33 Aewol-ro, Aewol-eup, Jeju-si, Jeju
• ✔️Hours: 10:00–20:30
• ✔️Break time: 15:50–17:30
• ✔️Last order: 19:50
• 🚗Parking: in front of the shop / the neighboring Randy's Donuts lot / the Handam Trail parking lot

Can you get in with no wait after 2 p.m.?

We came a bit late for lunch, after 2 p.m., and luckily we got in right away with no wait 😊 I heard Handam Guksu is so popular in Aewol that there's often a line at mealtimes!

If you're worried about waiting, you can reserve ahead through Catch Table or use remote queueing, which made the visit much easier.

An ocean-view seat overlooking Gwakji Beach

From our seat at Handam Guksu, Gwakji Beach was spread out right in front of us, and it put me in a wonderful mood the whole meal 🌊 Eating leisurely while looking at the Jeju sea, I loved the atmosphere as much as the food.

Tasty food plus a pretty ocean view made it just right for our first meal of the trip!

2 bowls of pork noodles and tteokgalbi ordered, dombe naengsuyuk sold out

We ordered 2 bowls of pork noodles and tteokgalbi (grilled short rib patty). I really wanted to try Handam Guksu's popular dombe naengsuyuk (cold boiled pork served on a cutting board) too, but sadly it was sold out the day we visited 😭

I thought that next time we come back to Jeju, I definitely want to try the dombe naengsuyuk as well!

Self-serve side dish bar, kids' tableware and high chairs

The side dishes at Handam Guksu are self-serve, and it was convenient to take as much as we wanted. There are baby spoons and small plates for those visiting with kids, so it's easy for families to use. And of course, there were high chairs too!

We brought kimchi and mumallaengi jangajji (pickled dried radish strips). They were tangy and crunchy, and went really well with the pork noodles.

How were the pork noodles and tteokgalbi?

The pork noodles at Handam Guksu had a rich broth topped generously with big pieces of meat, and the tteokgalbi looked appetizing too, so it seemed good for eating with kids. After a little while the food we'd been waiting for came out one dish at a time, and it looked so hearty it made my mouth water, so I busily took photos first 📸

It was our first meal of the trip, and it looked better than expected, so I couldn't wait to take a bite!

Pork noodles the kids finished, too

The pork noodles at Handam Guksu have a taste kids eat easily, and my Yunyun kids emptied a bowl in no time. They must have been really hungry, because they started digging in the moment the food arrived 🤭

Seeing them eat so happily from the very first meal of the trip made me happy too 💛 If you're looking for a good meal in Jeju with kids, I'd recommend it as a family dining spot.

Handam Guksu Gwakji Aewol Branch: overall review

Handam Guksu Gwakji Aewol Branch made our first meal in Jeju a satisfying one! The hearty pork noodles, the comfortable atmosphere for visiting with kids, and the Gwakji Beach ocean view all pleased us.

Next time I definitely want to try the dombe naengsuyuk that was sold out this time 😊 If you're looking for an Aewol lunch spot or an Aewol pork noodle restaurant, I recommend giving Handam Guksu Gwakji Aewol Branch a visit. It was a really good place for a hearty, tasty meal during a Jeju trip!