Suwon Korean restaurant, kimchi mackerel: Godeungeo Myeongpumi Doeda

I recently had a health checkup, and after hearing a whole lot from the doctor about improving my eating habits, I felt like I needed a healthy Korean meal 😏 So I went to Godeungeo Myeongpumi Doeda Suwon Branch (고등어명품이되다 수원점), a Suwon favorite for grilled fish that my parents love. I come here often on my own dime too, so the taste is 100% proven.

Parking and waiting at Godeungeo Myeongpumi Doeda Suwon Branch

It is on the first floor at 1731 Seobu-ro, Gwonseon-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. It is open daily from 10:40 to 22:00, with last orders at 20:50. You can use the restaurant parking lot, and the restrooms are outside, separated by gender, and exclusively for Godeungeo Myeongpumi Doeda.

Want to eat somewhere with easy parking? Godeungeo Myeongpumi Doeda is a great fit. The spacious parking area makes arriving by car very convenient.

For the wait, use Catchtable; if your party has five or more people, you also need to let the counter know. Waiting is essential at weekday lunch and weekend peak times. (For lunch, I recommend arriving at opening time; it seems okay until about 30 minutes after opening.)

As you would expect from a popular place with a wait, the waiting area is perfectly set up too.

When you come in, tell them how many people are in your party and they give you water! There were three of us including me, and we received two bottles.

A spacious dining room busy even on a weekday evening

Here is the interior. I always visit at lunch, so I thought it would be quiet at night,, but even when I came at 8 p.m. on a weekday, every table except the ones in the photo above was full!! All of the four-person tables were occupied, aside from the six-person tables. The restaurant is really spacious and has so many tables.

Aprons are hanging around the restaurant, so just take one when you need it.

High chairs are, of course, placed throughout the restaurant. There is also a microwave by the self-serve bar! It looked like one specifically for warming baby food, haha. It seems like a really nice place for a family gathering or meal out with children!

Table ordering and complimentary side dishes

You order through the table-order system. I loved that there was a call button beneath it. So many places these days do not even have a staff-call option on the tablet ㅠㅠ Give us call buttons,,,

Here is the menu. We ordered one grilled mackerel and braised mackerel for two.

Spoons, chopsticks, tissues, wet wipes, and a bottle opener are all in the drawer on the side of the table. Interestingly, there are also little dipping dishes, soy sauce, and wasabi.

First, they set out the complimentary side dishes. I did not take a separate photo, but the miyeok-guk (seaweed soup) is truly a specialty. It goes down so easily when your throat feels dry—warm and seriously delicious! 👍🏻

They also provide jeyuk-bokkeum (spicy pork stir-fry) once as a complimentary dish, and this little guy is really delicious too. It is the kind of flavor even kids who do not like grilled fish would enjoy. You could easily finish a whole bowl of rice with this alone!!

Beyond the sides served to you, there are more dishes at the self-serve bar! The staff manage it frequently too, so it is reaaally clean and well kept considering the number of customers. ✨

These are the self-serve bar options! If you do not like seaweed soup, there is also savory sungnyung (scorched-rice tea). Everything is nicely seasoned and tasty, but the especially good dishes are the yeolmu-kimchi (young radish kimchi) and the red side dish that seemed to be seasoned bellflower root 🤤

And I do not think they have ice, but if you follow my blog, you know I always check whether there is ice! I really hate drinks or water that are not cold ㅠㅠ Yet there are only three places in the entire country where I do not look for ice, and Godeungeo Myeongpumi Doeda Suwon Branch is one of them, hahaha. Even without ice, the drinks and water are genuinely cold 👍🏻

We brought back a few more side dishes from the self-serve bar and were all ready to eat.

After waiting a little longer, our order arrived.

Savory grilled mackerel and my first braised mackerel here

Grilled mackerel is what we order every time we come. Its clean, savory flavor is no joke, and if you look at the other tables, everyone makes sure to order one!! We cut it into easy-to-eat pieces.

True to its reputation as a Suwon grilled-fish favorite, it is crisp outside and moist inside. The salty and nutty flavors work together especially well, so I think it would pair nicely with alcohol too 😏

Next was the braised mackerel. This was actually my first time trying it at Godeungeo Myeongpumi Doeda Suwon Branch—I was really craving something braised?! There was plenty of radish and kimchi inside too. The kimchi is laid underneath, so carefully take it out and cut it to keep it from splashing!

This kimchi fanatic approves: it is a true kimchi gem,,, The sauce is so good that tearing off kimchi and eating it with plain rice is legendary 🤤 From now on, I think I will absolutely order the braised mackerel whenever I visit Godeungeo Myeongpumi Doeda Suwon Branch!!

The fish was plump and had no fishy smell. Best of all, the slightly spicy-sweet sauce had soaked in beautifully, so it was delicious 🤤

You can also make yourself coffee in the waiting area I mentioned earlier.

The restrooms are outside. But because they are exclusively for Godeungeo Myeongpumi Doeda Suwon Branch, they are extremely clean!

For a family meal in West Suwon, Homaesil, or Tap-dong; somewhere to go with your parents; or a healthy Korean restaurant! Above all, if you are looking for great grilled fish in Suwon, I totally recommend visiting Godeungeo Myeongpumi Doeda Suwon Branch! It is one of my family's again-and-again-and-again places. Of course, my intention to return is 20,000%. The staff and owner are always kind too.