Korean restaurant in Jungmun, Jeju with a stroller: abalone porridge

Here's my recommendation for a Jeju sightseeing-worthy meal: Jungmun Godeungeo Ssam-bap (중문고등어쌈밥). Isn't this place already famous? It seems to be the first thing that pops up when you search for Jungmun restaurants. Given the menu, it's great for couples, and your parents will love it too on a family trip.

Jungmun Godeungeo Ssam-bap 1240 Ilju-seo-ro, Seogwipo-si, Jeju (1st floor) Hours: 09:30–20:00 Last order 19:00 Private parking available

Jeju with a baby: can a stroller get in?

The parking lot is big, breakfast is available, and the restaurant is spacious enough for a stroller to fit easily, so it's a comfortable place to eat while traveling in Jeju with a baby.

It's a 5-minute drive from Jungmun Tourist Complex and about 10 minutes from Jusangjeolli Cliff, so it fits perfectly into a Jungmun sightseeing route. In early summer the 3,500-pyeong garden greets you with blooming roses. We visited at the end of July, so we saw sunflowers and hydrangeas instead.

Waiting at 12:30 and the self-serve bar

When we arrived around 12:30, the dining room was already packed. I really liked that there's a waiting area by the entrance, so even if you have to wait, you can do it comfortably and in the cool.

The self-serve bar has plenty of food beyond the basic side dishes. If you visit Jungmun Godeungeo Ssam-bap, you absolutely have to take a look at it, haha. They say there are about 16 side dishes, the ssam vegetables were fresh, and when we went there were also jeyuk-bokkeum (spicy stir-fried pork), japchae (glass noodle stir-fry) and homemade sikhye (sweet rice drink).

Jungmun Godeungeo Ssam-bap menu and prices

Aged-kimchi mackerel ssam-bap + abalone stone-pot rice ₩18,000 Fat grilled mackerel + abalone stone-pot rice ₩18,000 Abalone-packed abalone porridge ₩15,000 Abalone sea urchin seaweed soup + abalone stone-pot rice ₩18,000

We came for the aged-kimchi mackerel ssam-bap, so we ordered two portions of it. Note that Jungmun Godeungeo Ssam-bap requires one menu item per person. We were five adults (plus one baby who only drinks formula), so we ordered five dishes.

How do the aged-kimchi mackerel and abalone stone-pot rice taste?

The abalone stone-pot rice isn't optional, it's a must. It's packed with hijiki and abalone, and because it's cooked in a stone pot it's piping hot and wonderfully chewy!! The aged-kimchi mackerel has kimchi that's fermented until soft, so the flavor is deep, and the chunks of mackerel are big. It was my favorite dish. If you visit Jungmun Godeungeo Ssam-bap, definitely!! order the aged-kimchi mackerel!!

Every dish was delicious, so this is a place where everyone should get their own stone-pot rice. If you're wondering where to eat near Jungmun Tourist Complex, give it a visit.

Free abalone porridge vs. the ₩15,000 abalone porridge

If you visit before 12:00, or search for Jungmun Godeungeo Ssam-bap on Naver and follow the restaurant, you get free abalone porridge. We arrived around 12:30, so we ordered the porridge separately, haha. I think the difference between the free and paid porridge is mainly the amount of abalone. The one we ordered had big chunks of abalone, plenty of it, and even generous abalone innards, so it had a rich, creamy flavor that was great.

The rose garden at Jungmun Godeungeo Ssam-bap

A restaurant garden this big and pretty?!! We came to Jeju with a baby, and there's no way we'd skip photos in a beautiful spot. The midday sun was strong, but we hurried out and took photos in the rose garden anyway. They say that in May the roses bloom from the entrance all the way to the inner garden, making it a famous rose spot among Jeju restaurants.

Lastly, by the counter there's information on Jungmun attractions that partner with the restaurant, so don't miss out on the perks~ There were lots of baby-friendly Jeju attractions. The discounts are pretty good, so take your receipt or snap a photo!