Handmade burgers near St. John's Hotel, Chodang-dong: Moana Burger

Last year when I stayed at St. John's Hotel in Gangneung, I figured, well, I'm in Gangneung, so of course I have to eat sundubu (soft tofu stew), and went off to Chodang Sundubu Village. But this time I discovered Moana Burger. If only I'd known about this place back then!! haha

It's near Chodang Sundubu Village, so it's easy to fold into a Gangneung itinerary, and the handmade burgers are genuinely delicious, plus the vibe is so hip — I was completely won over.

And honestly, burger aside, the buffalo wings I had here were absolutely insane. Personally, they'd rank among the best buffalo wings I've ever had.

A burger spot with this kind of vibe in Chodang-dong?

The exterior catches your eye right away. A big MOANA BURGER sign plus a black-and-white striped awning!

When you think Chodang-dong, Gangneung, sundubu restaurants come to mind first, so the sudden shift in vibe made me double-check I was still in Gangneung haha.

Step inside and it's even more hip. Exposed concrete, stainless steel tables, an open kitchen decked out in black-and-white check tile. It felt like a local burger joint somewhere in the US or Hawaii. Not overly styled, just that free, casual atmosphere unique to handmade burger places, and I loved that.

The open kitchen made it even better

And here's the part I really liked! An open kitchen where you can see almost everything. You can watch the burgers being made, and the whole kitchen being visible somehow made me trust the place more. (Mom-of-a-kid instincts at work.)

With handmade burgers, freshness matters so much, so being able to watch the whole thing being made up close as you wait was part of the fun.

Dogs are welcome here too 🐶

While I was taking photos, there was this ridiculously cute dog lying comfortably in the store haha. Turns out Moana Burger is pet-friendly.

A lot of people travel to Gangneung with their dogs, so this could be a great find for anyone looking for a Chodang-dong restaurant they can bring their pup to. The space itself is spacious rather than cramped, which made it even more relaxing. Retrievers are just pure love ♡

🍔 This is what a real 'handmade burger' should taste like

The burger finally arrived! There are so many handmade burger places these days, right? But a lot of them, once you actually taste them, don't feel much different from franchise burgers. With Moana Burger, one bite in and I thought, 'ah, this is a real handmade burger!'

The patty has real presence, and even though the cheese, pickles, and sauce all come together, each flavor still stands on its own. Above all, the overall taste didn't feel artificial at all!! I kept feeding bites to my son.

From the bun to the patty, cheese, and sauce, it didn't feel like ingredients just assembled by formula — it felt like a properly made handmade burger, built as one dish. With a juicy patty and cheese melted just right, just looking at the photos again makes me want it once more haha.

🍗 But the real showstopper was the buffalo wings

And... if you go, I definitely recommend ordering the buffalo wings alongside your burger. I'm not exaggerating much when I say these might be the best buffalo wings I've ever had.

The outside was nicely charred while the inside stayed juicy, and above all, the seasoning was genuinely delicious. Buffalo wings usually go too heavy on the sauce, or come out too spicy, too salty, or with a sharp sourness, but these were different.

They apparently use a house-made sauce, and it really shows — not the usual store-bought sauce taste, but something with its own distinct character. As pictured, the sauce coats the wings thoroughly, but it's not just about the sauce being strong — you can still taste the chicken itself underneath.

They come with celery, carrots, and sauce on the side, so snacking on those in between was a great combo. I went for the burger and left more impressed by the buffalo wings haha.

The menu is simpler than you'd expect

• Moana Burger + fries ₩13,000
• Hawaiian Burger + fries ₩14,000
• Moana Double Burger + fries ₩16,000
• Buffalo wings ₩15,000
• Chili beans wedge fries ₩12,000
• Fries ₩5,000 and more

The burger lineup isn't overwhelming, which actually made it easier to pick. And the menu board in the photo also showed a ₩2,000 discount on beer with a burger order.

If you're near St. John's and wondering what to eat besides sundubu

When we stayed at St. John's Hotel last year, my husband and I kept saying, if only we'd known about this place back then.

Chodang sundubu is great when you're in Gangneung, but if you've been eating nothing but Korean food or seafood the whole trip, don't you start craving something like this halfway through? That's exactly when a properly made handmade burger hits the spot. Nanseolheon-ro, where Moana Burger sits, is right in Chodang-dong near Chodang Sundubu Village, so it's easy to fit into your route when you're looking for something other than sundubu.

Above all, what stuck with me most: a handmade burger that actually tastes handmade, buffalo wings with house-made sauce, and the hip atmosphere. Those three things. Especially the buffalo wings — I'm ordering them again for sure next time!