Gangneung makguksu restaurant with fish-broth cold noodles: Gossi's

I'm bringing you a review of Gossi's Donghae Makguksu (고씨네동해막국수), a beloved local favorite at Gangmun Beach that you have to stop by when visiting Gangneung! You can enjoy an open ocean view while digging into refreshing mul-makguksu (cold buckwheat noodle soup), spicy sundubu (soft tofu) stew, tender gamakjang pork, and the special flying fish roe buckwheat gimbap — and it's dog-friendly too.

One minute from Gangmun Beach: outside Gossi's Donghae Makguksu main branch

My partner and I stopped by after a walk on Gangmun Beach — it's just a one-minute walk from the beach, so it's perfect to visit before or after a stroll along the sea.

Gossi's Donghae Makguksu takes up the whole building, from the 1st to the 3rd floor, so it stood out even from a distance. It started as Jeongdongjin Donghae Makguksu under first-generation owner Ko Mi-ae, then moved to ocean-view Gangmun Beach in 2020 and changed its name to 'Gossi's Donghae Makguksu,' now run by the second generation.

Opening hours and break time at Gossi's Donghae Makguksu

Break time is from 15:30 to 17:00. On weekdays it's open from 10am to 8:30pm, and on weekends from 8am to 8:30pm.

Is there a wait on a Monday at 11am?

True to its status as a local favorite near Gangmun Beach, there is a wait, but the turnover is fast so you get in quickly. Even though we visited on a Monday at 11am, the place filled up in no time.

Where to park near Gangmun Beach

You can park at Gangmun Beach public parking lots 1 or 2, both free for the first hour.

The 2nd-floor window table for two with a full ocean view

Gossi's Donghae Makguksu has 1st, 2nd, and 3rd floors, and we were seated on the 2nd floor. As soon as we walked up, the blue Gangneung sea opened up beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows!

You can eat while soaking in the ocean-view mood. There are solo seats, 2-person tables, and 4-person tables, and some of the 2-person tables face the window, so we sat right by the glass.

Dog-friendly seating is available on the 3rd floor or in the annex, so you can have a relaxed meal with your beloved pet without worrying about other guests. For large dogs, it's best to call ahead.

Aprons and baby chairs are provided. There's also a self-serve corner where you can grab extra side dishes.

The 1st floor sells sauces, buckwheat noodles, and alcohol, which would make a nice gift for parents.

With up to 100 seats, group reservations are possible, so it's convenient for family gatherings or larger group meals.

Gossi's Donghae Makguksu menu and prices

The menu includes buckwheat makguksu, sundubu kalguksu, sundubu, gamakjang pork, buckwheat gimbap, and roll-katsu — dishes everyone from kids to adults can enjoy.

Gossi's Donghae Makguksu makes its own noodles in-house, pulling and cooking them fresh the moment you order.

They also offer 1-person and 2-person sets that let you try a noodle/soup dish together with gamakjang pork — perfect for us since we wanted both.

There's a wide range: mul-makguksu, perilla oil makguksu, perilla oil sundubu kalguksu, spicy sundubu kalguksu, perilla oil sundubu, spicy sundubu, and even the patented buckwheat gimbap.

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Set for two, 37,000 won, plus flying fish roe buckwheat gimbap, 6,500 won

My partner and I ordered the 2-person set (mul-makguksu + spicy sundubu + gamakjang pork) and the flying fish roe buckwheat gimbap. The 2-person set lets you pick two noodle/soup dishes plus gamakjang pork in the combination you want.

I heard even Gangneung locals line up for the patented buckwheat gimbap here, so I got a little greedy trying to sample everything ><

The dishes came out in order, faster than I expected. You get to enjoy them with the ocean right in front of you.

Fish-broth mul-makguksu, 10,000 won: how does it taste?

The main dish, mul-makguksu, came out first — the single-order price is ₩10,000.

The bouncy buckwheat noodles paired with a rich, savory broth made from fish rather than dongchimi (radish water kimchi) — one sip and it was so refreshing and clean I wanted to pour it into a tumbler to take with me!

Since the noodles are made in-house, they were noticeably chewy with the first bite.

Every table has mustard, vinegar, salt, and sugar, so you can season it to your taste.

Spicy sundubu, 11,000 won

The true taste of Gangneung! A spicy, hot-and-tangy 'spicy sundubu.' Single-order price is ₩11,000.

Soft, nutty Chodang tofu soaked up the deep seasoning — I hadn't been drinking, but it would honestly be a great hangover cure.

The tofu and meat were both generously portioned.

I liked that the spiciness didn't feel artificial. A bite of the spicy sundubu with white rice was hot and tangy in just the right way. Alternating it with the cold mul-makguksu made for a nice harmony of hot and cold.

Gamakjang boiled pork, included in the set

Out came the perfect partner for makguksu — the boiled pork. The 'gamakjang pork' had deep, savory gamakjang (black fermented sauce) flavor soaked through, moist and tender with no gamey smell. I'd hesitated to order it as a single dish because of the portion size, but it was great to enjoy it as part of the set — and even as part of the 2-person set, the portion was generous!

The ratio of lean meat to fat was perfect, melting in the mouth.

Wrapping it in the bossam radish or over the makguksu noodles that come alongside — that's pure happiness right there.

Flying fish roe buckwheat gimbap, 6,500 won

I'd never tried buckwheat gimbap (seaweed rice roll) before, so I was curious and ordered it — and it turned out to be a real specialty!!!

Instead of rice, it's packed with patented black-vinegar-aged buckwheat noodles, filled generously with ingredients, and topped with plenty of flying fish roe — this is the 'flying fish roe buckwheat gimbap,' priced at ₩6,500.

If this place were near my house I'd order it all the time. There are apparently 11 varieties depending on the toppings for the buckwheat gimbap, and I wanted to try them all. Now I have another reason to go back to Gangneung, honey!

It's also so pretty to look at.

Pop it in your mouth and you get bursting flying fish roe, nutty buckwheat aroma, and a fresh tang all at once — a fun mix of textures filling your mouth.

Is Gossi's Donghae Makguksu worth a stop in Gangneung?

This is a true local favorite where you can enjoy Gangneung's signature foods — buckwheat makguksu, Chodang sundubu, gamakjang pork, and the specialty buckwheat gimbap — all with a floor-to-ceiling ocean view! The open sea view adds a real sense of leisure to a Gangneung trip.

• Floor-to-ceiling ocean-view restaurant right in front of Gangmun Beach
• A comfortable dog-friendly restaurant where you can dine with your pet
• Bouncy in-house noodles and a deep, refreshing mul-makguksu broth
• Savory, tender, and soft gamakjang pork
• Soft, spicy sundubu stew
• A special treat: flying fish roe buckwheat gimbap that pops in your mouth
• Friendly staff