Sokcho makguksu restaurant for a late-evening dinner: Topgol

Wandering into Sokcho Topgol Makguksu after Sokcho Tourist and Fishery Market

Walking with my husband in the cool autumn breeze, we happened upon a healing spot: Sokcho Topgol Makguksu Main Branch. On the first day of our Gangwon-do trip to Sokcho, we'd casually browsed Sokcho Tourist Fisheries Market (Jungang Market) with my husband and were walking the beach promenade to see the sea. As it got late in the evening, hunger started creeping in, and on the way back to our lodging, a clean-looking restaurant caught our eye — we practically wandered in as if pulled by something.

I love noodle dishes so much that I usually go hunting for regional noodle spots, and this place we happened into turned out to be one I'd only heard buzz about on social media — so my expectations grew the moment I sat down.

Where is Sokcho Topgol Makguksu, and how does parking work?

The accessibility of Sokcho Topgol Makguksu Main Branch is really excellent — it's just a 1-minute walk toward the sea from the Sokcho-I Ferris wheel ticket booth. From Sokcho Express Bus Terminal, it's also reachable within 2 minutes at a brisk walk toward the beach, making it very convenient for travelers relying on public transportation.

If you're driving, you can use the Sokcho Beach public parking lot right in front of the restaurant, which has plenty of spacious spots so we could park without any stress.

When we finished our meal and told them our license plate number on the way out, they handed us a 1-hour parking discount coupon, neatly taking care of the parking fee worry.

First impression: a big dining room with its own waiting area

Once we opened the door and stepped inside, the dining hall was much bigger and more pleasant than it looked from outside. Even though it was a bit past the evening peak, families and travelers kept steadily coming in, but the tables were spaced generously so it never felt crowded. Near the entrance there was a cozy waiting area along with little touches for taking memorable photos, so even waiting wouldn't feel boring. The staff greeted each guest kindly despite being busy, which made the first impression comfortable from the start.

What is on the Sokcho Topgol Makguksu menu, and how much does it cost?

The signature dish, perilla oil buckwheat makguksu, was 13,000 won, and the pollack sashimi makguksu with its appealing spicy seasoning was also 13,000 won. Browsing the tablet menu at our table, the prices were quite reasonable considering this is a tourist area.

There was also a crispy-fried potato pancake for 17,000 won, so my husband and I ordering the two main makguksu dishes plus the pancake to share made for a perfectly balanced combination. The portions and quality relative to the price were great — I already felt like it was a bargain just from ordering.

How do the deulmemak and the potato pancake taste?

Not long after ordering, the food was set on the table looking delicious. The first thing I reached for was this restaurant's ambitious dish — the perilla oil buckwheat makguksu — which apparently even has its trademark registered with the Korean Intellectual Property Office.

They said they use perilla oil pressed in-house from perilla seeds grown in Goseong-gun, Gangwon-do, exposed to land and sea winds — and sure enough, the moment it hit the table, an intensely nutty aroma wafted up and set my mouth watering. Perhaps because the noodles are made in-house with 100% Bongpyeong buckwheat flour plus squid ink and reishi/sanghwang mushroom, the strands didn't break apart, staying chewy yet smooth going down. It wasn't overpowering — clean-tasting, yet the deeper nuttiness built with each bite, and I immediately understood why this dish is called a pilgrimage-worthy destination.

About halfway through, I tried pouring in a little of the fruit dongchimi (fruit-fermented radish water kimchi) broth, aged over 40 days in a crock — with no artificial sweetness, just the natural refreshing tartness drawn from the fruit, it turned into a whole new delicacy.

My husband's pick, the pollack sashimi makguksu, also came piled high with tender pollack and a sweet-spicy special sauce, making for great fun chewing alongside the chewy buckwheat noodles.

The potato pancake we added as a side was crispy like a cracker on the outside and chewy inside, so our chopsticks never stopped moving.

With the clean radish salad and yeolmu (young radish) kimchi side dishes rounding things out, it became a perfectly satisfying dinner right down to the last bite.

Would I go back to Sokcho Topgol Makguksu on my next Sokcho trip?

I've often been disappointed by the overly commercial taste typical of tourist spots, but Sokcho Topgol Makguksu, which we happened into this time, was true to the fundamentals — from the carefully made in-house noodles to the deeply aged dongchimi. It wasn't overpowering, sat easy on the stomach, yet still had real depth of flavor, so my husband and I agreed out loud, 'We're definitely coming back here on our next Sokcho trip.' If you're near Sokcho Beach looking for a clean, can't-miss meal, I genuinely recommend seeking out this nutty, flavorful bowl of makguksu without a second thought.