Busan Korean restaurant: 3 servings for a family of four, Songjeongok

Today I want to introduce Songjeongok, a Songjeong Beach restaurant we visited last weekend. It's the best Korean food I think my family has eaten since we moved to Busan, so I'm recommending it as a Songjeong Korean restaurant — here's my Songjeongok review for anyone looking for good food in Songjeong, Busan.

How many cars can park at Songjeongok?

There are 6 double-parking spots right in front of Songjeongok. I figured there'd be no space on a weekend visit, but luckily there was a spot, so we parked there!! When it's full, you'll probably need to use roadside parking or a nearby lot.

Songjeongok location and opening hours

The address is 54-1 Songjeonggwangeogol-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan, South Korea, 1F and 2F, and hours are 11:00–22:00. Songjeongok is within a 5-minute walk of Songjeong Beach, so it's very accessible for travelers.

What Songjeongok looks like inside

The quiet, old-fashioned interior really stood out — it looks like a proper Korean restaurant. Songjeongok has a second floor too, but we were seated on the first floor. There can be a wait on weekend visits, so I'd recommend booking through Naver Reservation.

What is on the Songjeongok menu?

• Abalone pot rice set
• Abalone seafood hinoki (cypress steam box) set
• Whole octopus sukhoe (boiled octopus)

Abalone pot rice is the base, and if you order the seafood hinoki set, you get the pot rice plus a hinoki steam box on the side. Bossam (boiled pork wraps) and extra pot rice can be added. The abalone pot rice set and the abalone seafood hinoki set only differ by ₩4,000, so getting the hinoki set seems like a solid choice!

The food at Songjeongok, from yuzu salad to stir-fried squid

A refreshing yuzu salad came out first. It was a nice light bite before the main meal.

Stir-fried squid came out too, and the sauce was seriously delicious. You could tell this is a true Korean food spot from this dish alone. The kind of seasoning you want to mix straight into your rice.

Doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) also came out. No Korean meal is complete without it.

Family of four with kids aged 8 and 6: how many servings to order?

We ordered two abalone pot rice sets and one abalone seafood hinoki set at Songjeongok. Since we were eating with our 8- and 6-year-olds, we ordered three servings total, and honestly I thought we'd burst haha... If your kids are preschool age, ordering two servings plus an extra pot rice or bossam would probably be enough.

Songjeongok's boiled pork (suyuk) is genuinely amazing. It's tender and cuts easily even with a fork, so the kids ate it up. My eldest daughter, who usually refuses anything even slightly dry or chewy, said it was delicious and really cleaned her plate.

Which side dishes come with the meal?

Vinegared squid, julienned radish, cockle salad, seasoned crab — literally every single one was delicious~!! The tofu was nutty and good too, honestly not a single miss!! Whatever you pick up with your chopsticks, it's good. My husband and I both kept saying this is the best food we've had since moving here haha. The seasoning isn't overdone, just right, so you keep reaching for more haha. You could eat two bowls of rice with just these side dishes alone.

Songjeongok abalone pot rice: will kids eat it?

Between the boiled pork and the side dishes, the abalone pot rice arrived too~ A truly authentic abalone pot rice with abalone, egg, and even the innards mixed in. Forget Busan milmyeon (cold wheat noodles) and gukbap (rice soup) — this is the real Songjeong food spot.

The abalone isn't fishy at all — nutty and tender — so even the kids ate it well.

The hinoki set for 4,000 won more

For ₩4,000 more on the abalone pot rice, you can get the hinoki set as well, so it's worth trying together. It comes with abalone, shrimp, clams and squid over a bed of bean sprouts. Try dipping it in the peanut and chili sauce on the side~!

Nurungji (crispy rice) to finish, and the verdict on Songjeongok

They even finish you off with nurungji (scorched rice)~! It was seriously delicious and we left happily, comfortably full~ I think we'll be back often whenever we're craving Korean food. The side dishes are neatly plated and the whole table setting feels refined, so I think parents would love it too. I'll definitely bring people here on their next Busan trip. If you're looking for a great Korean restaurant in Songjeong, Busan, it's Songjeongok!! It was genuinely delicious, so I really want to recommend it~!!