Sokcho makguksu restaurant with kids' menu jjajangbap: Topgol

Today I'm introducing a Sokcho makguksu spot I loved — Topgol Makguksu.

Makguksu (buckwheat noodles) is one of those dishes you have to eat when you travel to Gangwon-do! But even when a place gets recommended over and over as a must-try, honestly it's often just so-so when you actually try it. This time, while looking for a proper Sokcho makguksu spot, I found this place!! The perilla-oil-makguksu holy land of Sokcho — Topgol Makguksu.

Location and parking at Sokcho Topgol Makguksu

📍12 Haeoreum-ro 188beon-gil, 1st floor, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do ⏰ Daily 09:30–21:00 🅿️ Sokcho Beach Public Parking Lots 1, 2, 3 (free for 2 hours)

If you park at Sokcho Beach Public Parking Lots 1, 2, or 3, you get 2 hours free! It's right next to Sokcho Beach and Sokchoi, so accessibility was great too — a good stop to make during a Sokcho trip with kids.

Self-milled noodles — what makes it different

Apparently Topgol Makguksu is the first place in Korea's history to register a trademark with the patent office. The defining feature is that the noodles are self-milled, mixing Bongpyeong buckwheat with 100% squid ink and yeongji (reishi mushroom)!

Events worth knowing before you visit

Topgol Makguksu has some fun events, so check these out before you go.

• Free wang mandu (jumbo dumplings) if you're wearing a military uniform!!
• Free deulmemak (perilla makguksu) if you eat it within 11 seconds!!
• Free paper photo in front of the entrance!!

What we ordered with the kids

Once we sat down, we ordered right away~ The perilla oil makguksu made with freshly pressed perilla oil is the signature menu, so it's a must-order!!

Topgol Makguksu order — perilla oil makguksu / suyuk (boiled pork) / potato pancake / jjajangbap.

When you go to a makguksu restaurant with kids, they actually end up eating the noodles surprisingly well, and Topgol Makguksu has jjajangbap on the kids' menu. Our first kid is such a jjajang lover that we ordered this right away haha.

When the food came out, every single dish looked incredibly appetizing from the visuals alone.

How did the perilla oil makguksu taste?

If you come to Topgol Makguksu, I think the perilla oil makguksu is a must-try. First off, the perilla oil aroma is genuinely intense.

I tried it plain first, then mixed in dongchimi (radish water kimchi) broth, and the flavor changed completely — it was great to enjoy it two different ways. Overall, a very clean, savory flavor!

Eating it together with perilla leaves and roasted seaweed flakes added even more savoriness and fragrance — it was really delicious. Above all, the self-milled noodles themselves were fantastic. The clean buckwheat flavor paired really well with the nutty perilla oil, and the kids ate it much better than I expected, which made me really happy.

Solo-portion suyuk and pollack salad

We ordered the solo-portion suyuk (boiled pork), and it was a perfect side to pair with the makguksu. No gamey smell at all, and the meat was on the tender side!

Wrapping a bite with the pollack salad, garlic, chili, and salted shrimp was really delicious. If you feel like makguksu alone isn't quite enough, I'd recommend ordering suyuk alongside it too.

The potato pancake's surprising size

And personally, the potato pancake stole the show visually! It was so huge that as soon as it arrived I was like, whoa, what is this?? Its chewy texture was on point — using both shredded potato and potato starch gave it a different charm from a typical potato pancake.

Honestly, if I hadn't been driving, I really should've had this with a glass of makgeolli (rice wine)... If you love potato pancakes, definitely order this one too.

How was it as a family meal with kids?

If you're visiting Sokcho Beach or Sokchoi during your trip, Topgol Makguksu is great for a meal nearby!! Especially with the self-milled noodles and the intense perilla oil aroma, it was one of the more satisfying meals of this trip.

We visited with our kid, and it was great that there was a kids' menu jjajangbap, plus a wide range of choices with the makguksu, suyuk, and potato pancake. If you're searching for a makguksu restaurant in Gangwon-do and thinking, like I was, 'I really want to eat some genuinely good makguksu this time!' — I recommend Topgol Makguksu, a Sokcho makguksu spot. I enjoyed it so much I'm already planning to go back! 😋