Three-person grilled fish lunch in Uiwang: Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo

I'm bringing you an honest review of Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Baegun Lake Branch, a place that's really famous as a Baegun Lake restaurant. From the clean interior everyone talks about, to the incredible side dishes, to the fish grilled golden brown over a wood fire — this is a great spot to bring your parents 😍

Where Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo is, and parking by the Baegun Lake trail

Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Baegun Lake Branch is close to the Baegun Lake trail, making it the perfect stop on a drive around the lake. There's a spacious parking area right in front, so we could arrive without any parking stress. The interior is also very spacious and kept extremely clean, making it a great fit for family gatherings or bringing your parents along.

How many side dishes? The self-serve refill bar

Not long after we ordered, the basic side dishes were set out — and the standard sides alone came to over 10 varieties 🫣 Japchae (glass noodle stir-fry), lotus root salad, various wild greens, geotjeori (fresh kimchi), salad, bellflower root salad, and more — every single side dish was clearly made with care.

The seasoning wasn't too strong, just right, so my mouth was already happy just picking at the sides before the mains arrived. And the fact that we could freely grab more from the self-serve bar without feeling awkward made it even better. Honestly, these sides alone with just soup could've been enough for a whole bowl of rice 🫨🫨🫨

Three sets for three people

We visited today as a party of three and wanted to try a variety of dishes to suit everyone's taste, so we each ordered something different: grilled oily flounder, bracken and radish braised mackerel, and a pork bulgogi set.

Grilled atka mackerel (imyeonsu)

Grilled hot and fast over the wood fire, the fish came out with a crispy outside and a moist inside. All the excess oil was rendered out, so there wasn't a hint of fishiness, and even the skin was light and nutty to eat ❤️ The seasoning wasn't overly salty, which paired nicely with the side dishes.

The stir-fried pork set

Since this is a fish-grill specialty restaurant, I didn't expect much from the pork bulgogi — but I would've regretted not ordering it 🫠 It had a subtle smoky char, with a sweet-spicy sauce well soaked into the meat. No gamey smell at all, and the ratio of lean meat to fat was just right, so the flavor was 🙀🙀 Wrapping a piece of the pork with the fresh lettuce leaves served alongside made for a nice change of pace from the grilled fish — good to order alongside it.

Mackerel braised with bracken and radish

This dish was a true hidden rice-stealer. It was loaded with thick, plump chunks of mackerel, well-cooked bracken, and radish deeply soaked in sauce. The spicy, savory sauce soaked right into the mackerel flesh and bracken, and mixing it into rice was so good!!!! The tender bracken (not chewy at all) and the nutty mackerel — genuinely rice-stealing.

Finishing with nurungji from the rice pot

After scraping all the rice out into a bowl, we poured warm water into the pot and started eating. After happily enjoying the main dishes and sides, opening the lid at the end to find the nicely soaked scorched rice (nurungji) felt like a clean, satisfying finish. A spoonful of nurungji topped with the salty bracken-mackerel stew or other sides wrapped up the meal on a full, delicious note.

Who it suits, and the verdict

• Recommended for: anyone who wants a neat, generous Korean meal after a walk around Baegun Lake, or is looking for a place to eat with parents or family — highly recommended
• Would I return: 200%! I plan to come back to try other grilled fish menu items next time
• Overall: over 10 neat side dishes, wood-fired grilled fish with standout flavor, a spicy braise, smoky pork bulgogi, and savory scorched rice to finish — every beat of the meal was on point

If you want a proper Korean table spread near Baegun Lake, give Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Baegun Lake Branch a visit.