Gangneung makguksu restaurant: buckwheat mandu and pancake, Samgyori

Hi everyone! It's food blogger Anna. If you're looking for a great lunch spot in Gangneung, you can't skip Samgyori Dongchimi Makguksu Namhangjin branch. While figuring out what to eat for lunch on this Gangneung trip, I heard locals rave about this place and decided to check it out. After trying it myself, the tangy, cool dongchimi (radish water kimchi) broth paired really well with the buckwheat noodles. Today I'll walk you through the menu, the taste, and the vibe at this Gangneung makguksu (buckwheat noodle) restaurant.

Where is Samgyori Dongchimi Makguksu Namhangjin branch?

Samgyori Dongchimi Makguksu Namhangjin branch sits right in front of Namhangjin Beach in Gangneung. It's also only about 3 minutes by car from Anmok Beach, so it's easy to combine with a beach visit.

Inside the restaurant: window seats and high chairs

The inside of Samgyori Dongchimi Makguksu Namhangjin branch was bigger and cleaner than I expected. The tables weren't cramped, and the floor-to-ceiling windows let in a lot of light, giving the whole place a bright, breezy feel.

When I visited, there were quite a few lunch customers around. Baby chairs were available too, so it looked like a comfortable option for families with kids.

One wall had the history of Samgyori Dongchimi Makguksu on display. It started in Gangneung's Jumunjin-eup in 1976, opened the Namhangjin branch in 1998, and reopened at its current location in a newly built building in 2023. It was impressive to see a place with this much history.

Another wall was packed with autographs from celebrities who'd visited, and there was also a small corner with snacks, ice cream, and instant coffee mix.

Menu prices and what we ordered

The menu at Samgyori Dongchimi Makguksu Namhangjin branch features their signature makguksu, buckwheat mandu (dumplings), domestic pork suyuk (boiled pork), and buckwheat pancake. Plain makguksu is ₩11,000, pollack sashimi makguksu is ₩13,000, and the mandu and pancake that go well alongside are ₩8,000 each. We ordered two pollack sashimi makguksu, buckwheat mandu, and buckwheat pancake.

They're also running a Naver receipt review event, so make sure to take part!

How to mix the dongchimi broth, sauce and perilla oil

Samgyori Dongchimi Makguksu doesn't separate water-style and mixed-style makguksu — instead you adjust the amount of dongchimi broth and sauce yourself to suit your taste. If you want it more like the broth-based version, add plenty of broth; if you'd rather have it mixed, use just a little broth and add more sauce and perilla oil.

The basic side dishes were yeolmu kimchi (young radish kimchi) and dongchimi radish. It was a simple, clean lineup that worked well as a palate cleanser between bites.

Everything we ordered came out at once. With the buckwheat mandu and pancake added in, it made for a really filling lunch. The makguksu was topped generously with roasted seaweed flakes and sesame seeds, plus a boiled egg and sauce on the side — it looked delicious just sitting there.

It arrived with almost no broth at first, so you add the dongchimi broth yourself depending on your preference.

Above all, the dongchimi broth with ice slush floating in it looked refreshing just by looking at it.

Following the instructions, we added one ladle of dongchimi broth along with the sauce and perilla oil.

We mixed it thoroughly so the noodles and sauce blended together evenly. As the sauce, seaweed flakes, and sesame seeds worked their way through the noodles, it started looking more and more appetizing. Gently loosening the buckwheat noodles as we mixed kept them from clumping, and the cool dongchimi broth soaked in naturally.

What the pollack sashimi makguksu tastes like

Even just the noodles on their own were delicious, with the nutty buckwheat flavor working nicely with the sauce. The noodles were soft yet had just the right chew, easy to slurp up. Adding a piece of pollack sashimi on top brought a whole different charm — the tangy-sweet seasoned pollack sashimi's savory depth and chewy texture went so well with the buckwheat noodles that I kept reaching for more.

Buckwheat mandu and buckwheat pancake

One bite into the buckwheat mandu revealed a filling packed tighter than I expected, so it was surprisingly hearty. The buckwheat-mixed dumpling skin was soft and chewy, and inside was a generous filling of meat and vegetables.

It had a mild, nutty flavor that wasn't overpowering, making it a nice pairing with the makguksu. Alternating between the cool noodles and a warm buckwheat mandu felt like a great combo.

The buckwheat pancake came golden-fried and sliced into bite-sized pieces. The outside was slightly crispy while still having that chewy texture typical of buckwheat pancake skin.

Inside was a generous amount of spicy-seasoned kimchi, meat, and vegetables, getting more savory the more you chewed. The mild buckwheat skin and the spicy filling made a great pair.

Is Samgyori Namhangjin worth a Gangneung lunch stop?

Samgyori Dongchimi Makguksu Namhangjin branch was a great place to enjoy a cool lunch during my Gangneung trip. The dongchimi broth and buckwheat noodles combo was clean and mild, and adding the pollack sashimi brought extra savory depth and texture that made it even tastier. With the hearty buckwheat mandu and spicy buckwheat pancake added on, it turned into an even more filling meal. Being close to both Namhangjin Beach and Anmok Beach, it's a solid choice if you're looking for a satisfying lunch spot during a Gangneung trip.