Changwon grilled fish lunch with crisp skin: Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo

I visited Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo, Changwon Yongwon Branch with a close unni because it is already known as a great grilled-fish spot in Jinhae! It has not been open for long, but word is already spreading around the neighborhood as a lunch place in Yongwon-dong. I had passed it often and was so curious—and after trying it myself, I can see why: the fish had a wonderfully crisp exterior and moist flesh inside!

Parking and hours at Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo, Changwon Yongwon Branch

Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo has newly opened in Yongwon-dong, Jinhae! There is space for about four cars right in front, so we parked easily before heading in.

Even from outside, there was a big wood-fired oven right there! 🔥 You know how fish grilled in an oven comes out golden and moist inside—it really is different, right? I was already so curious about the flavor, so in we went!

Spacious tables, private rooms, and unlimited side dishes

As you would expect from a newly opened restaurant, the interior was spotless! The tables were nicely spaced out and quite large, making it easy to enjoy a relaxed meal :) There are separate private-room spaces too, so I thought it would be perfect for family meals as well as group gatherings!

Another thing I loved was the unlimited refills of side dishes and rice! Every side dish was so tasty that I nearly finished a whole bowl of rice before the grilled fish even arrived!

Korean food means kimchi, of course, right? The ponytail-radish kimchi here was so good! It was crunchy, and I kept reaching for it with rice. There was also a wide range of banchan (Korean side dishes), including chili peppers, dried radish strips, lotus root, soybean-paste tofu, and seasoned fried crab, so it was fun tasting each one. But that is not all-!

There were plenty of kid-friendly dishes too, including pink sausage, stir-fried Vienna sausages and fish cake, japchae (stir-fried glass noodles), and braised tofu! It would be great for a family meal with children :) Rice is unlimited as well, and they even have sungnyung (scorched-rice tea), which makes for a clean finish after the meal!

How to make self-serve bibimbap

They had all kinds of namul (seasoned vegetables), gochujang (red chili paste), perilla oil, and sesame oil ready to go :) The vegetables were lightly seasoned and clean-tasting, and mixing a little of everything into rice was unbelievably delicious. Do make yourself a bowl of bibimbap (mixed rice), too!

A varied menu, from grilled fish to yellow crab soy sauce marinade

The menu includes grilled mackerel, Atka mackerel, Spanish mackerel, hairtail, and dried yellow corvina set meals, as well as braised mackerel with bracken and radish and a Jeju yellow crab soy sauce-marinated set meal! There is also a restorative set with several grilled and braised fish options, so it is easy to order according to your taste :)

Before the grilled fish arrived, I snapped a photo of the side dishes brought to our table and the food we had generously piled up from the self bar! 📸 Being able to enjoy all these varied dishes freely at no extra charge absolutely earns it a spot as a Yongwon-dong lunch favorite! It was delicious to have nostalgic pink sausage again too :)

This seasoned fried crab was especially a real delicacy. The seasoning was tasty, but when you bit into it—crunch!—that nutty flavor came right through, and it was so good :) I refilled it three whole times by myself before the grilled fish had even come out! 🦀

Wood-fired grilled mackerel and Spanish mackerel set meals

Our grilled mackerel and Spanish mackerel arrived with rice and siraegi doenjang-guk (soybean-paste soup with dried radish greens)! You can switch to brown rice, so my unni chose brown rice and I chose white rice, just as we liked :)

The siraegi doenjang-guk had a savory yet light broth, and it paired nicely with the mild grilled fish :)

Can you see it? That dark, almost charred-looking crisp skin, with glossy juices peeking through! Maybe because it was grilled at high heat in the oven, the skin looked crisp like a cracker while the flesh looked plump enough to burst—it looked so delicious :-)

Mild grilled Spanish mackerel

We started with the grilled Spanish mackerel, which had wonderfully thick flesh! It was moist and substantial with a pleasantly firm bite. Its mild, clean flavor made me think children would enjoy it easily too :) Dipped in wasabi soy sauce, the mild fish was even more delicious with that sharp wasabi aroma!

Rich, nutty grilled mackerel

Next up was the grilled mackerel, with its outstanding rich, nutty flavor! The skin had been beautifully browned by the oven heat, bringing out its savory aroma, while the inside was surprisingly moist and tender. And there was no fishy smell at all!

The salt seasoning was not excessive, so the fish's own umami really came through! I learned that they season it with salt that has been drained for more than 10 years. Maybe that is why it tasted clean rather than salty :) Grilling fish at home is more work than it seems, with smoke, smells, and cleanup, right? From now on, when I crave grilled fish, I think I will come to Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo in Yongwon-dong, Jinhae and enjoy it comfortably!

Finishing with sungnyung and bibimbap

You cannot skip bibimbap, right? My unni finished with sungnyung, while I thoroughly mixed up a bowl of bibimbap! We enjoyed a generous spread of moist oven-grilled fish and varied side dishes.