Seafood mulhoe restaurant in Pohang's Yeongildae: Seolmeori Hwetjip

My boyfriend and I took a day trip to Pohang this weekend, and I have to share an honest review of the mulhoe I had at a place that won the Excellence Award at the 1st Pohang Mulhoe Competition — genuinely the best mulhoe of my life 😊

Where is Seolmeori Hwetjip Pohang Yeongildae Main Branch, and is there parking?

Seolmeori Hwetjip Pohang Yeongildae Main Branch sits on the coastal road near Yeongildae, at 243-2 Haean-ro, Buk-gu, Pohang-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do. It's open daily from 11:00 to 21:30 with last order at 20:30, and parking is free.

• 📍 Location: 243-2 Haean-ro, Buk-gu, Pohang-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea (Seolmeori Hwetjip Pohang Yeongildae Main Branch)
• ⏰ Hours: Daily 11:00–21:30 (last order 20:30)
• 🅿️ Free parking — a tour bus space is reserved out front, plus a large lot

Seolmeori Hwetjip, near Yeongildae, is easy to spot even from a distance. The restaurant is on the 1st floor.

Fresh snow crabs and seafood out front. Let's head inside.

Right at the entrance, signatures from famous celebrities! Ki Sung-yueng, Shin Ha-kyun, Lim Woo-il, Kim Young-kwang and more — apparently quite the celebrity hotspot.

Private rooms only: shoes off, raised chairs at Seolmeori Hwetjip

I was surprised that the entire restaurant is made up of private rooms! You take your shoes off to enter, but you sit on regular chairs, not the floor — even better.

The interior felt very clean, like a high-end restaurant. Tables seat up to 6, so it seemed great for families, gatherings, important meals, or couples alike!

Unlike a lot of restaurants, I could really feel the owner's cleanliness and attention to detail everywhere. The chopsticks are sterilized, the tissues and wet wipes are high quality, the bathroom is spotless, the chairs are cushioned — cleanliness and atmosphere matter a lot at a restaurant, and I was very satisfied here!

Each room has its own drinks fridge, so you can just grab what you want and pay later — very convenient! Now let's look at the actual menu.

Menu and what the couple ordered: dodari mulhoe and special mulhoe

We ordered dodari mulhoe (flounder cold raw fish soup) at 27,000 won and special mulhoe at 27,000 won. The owner recommended that wild-caught mulhoe and dodari mulhoe were in season right now.

There were so many menu options it was hard to choose. But since this place won an award at the mulhoe competition, we had to try their signature mulhoe! The owner recommended it — everything sells well, but wild mulhoe and dodari mulhoe are in season right now, apparently.

They also sell a variety of sake to pair with mulhoe and raw fish.

• 1. Dodari mulhoe — ₩27,000
• 2. Special mulhoe — ₩27,000

It came out faster than I expected!

The dodari mulhoe arrived first, along with a bowl of rice!

A variety of side dishes came out too — seasoned raw crab, seasoned pollock — along with the icy broth for the mulhoe. The staff's tip was to add about two ladles of broth to the mulhoe for the perfect balance. A spicy fish stew came out as a free extra as well.

Thin wheat noodles also came out, meant to be mixed into the mulhoe!

How does the mulhoe taste? Two ladles of icy broth is the sweet spot

Two ladles of the icy broth was exactly the right amount for Seolmeori's mulhoe. If it's not enough, add about one more ladle, then mix in the noodles and rice.

Adding about two ladles of broth to the mulhoe, then one more if needed, then mixing in noodles and rice — that combination was just right!

Dodari (flounder) mulhoe, 27,000 won

The in-season dodari mulhoe the owner recommended! It was my first time trying it, and the chewy, springy texture was so good. Mixed with the noodles, rice, and various vegetables, it was even more refreshing and delicious! I don't even love mulhoe that much usually, but this was so good I finished the whole bowl.

Special mulhoe with seafood toppings, 27,000 won

This is the special mulhoe my boyfriend had! (raw fish + seafood toppings) — he's a seafood lover, so he said it was incredibly good. Abalone, sea squirt, sea cucumber — he said all of it was fresh and clean with no fishy taste at all. A place where you can really taste how fresh the mulhoe is. (Not telling you he liked it so much he ate two bowls 🤫)

Side dishes and the complimentary spicy fish stew

The braised pollock and seasoned raw crab both seemed homemade, and they were so fresh and delicious. You could probably finish a whole bowl of rice on these alone haha.

The spicy fish stew comes free when you order mulhoe. How generous is that!? The stew broth was refreshing, packed with fish meat and plenty of radish — the kind of thing you'd keep eating alongside drinks lol. Good enough to cure a hangover too — really delicious.

Who will enjoy Seolmeori Hwetjip Pohang Yeongildae Main Branch?

• If you're looking for a Pohang mulhoe restaurant locals love, a Pohang mulhoe spot, a Yeongildae mulhoe restaurant, a Yeongildae favorite, or a Pohang raw fish restaurant with private rooms — highly recommend!!
• As a restaurant that won the Excellence Award at the Pohang Mulhoe Competition and has a Blue Ribbon, the mulhoe is exceptionally fresh with generous portions (it really is different). Even the side dishes and the stew that come with it are all winners, no misses.
• Beyond the food, the whole restaurant being made of private rooms made it feel private, extremely clean, and tidy, which added even more to my satisfaction.

Would I go back: yes!!