Andeok-myeon seafood restaurant with abalone rice set: Sikgwa Hamkke

One dish you really can't skip on a Jeju trip has to be cutlassfish stew, right? Every time I go to Jeju I make a point of eating it at least once, and this time I visited Sikgwa Hamkke near Sanbangsan. What made it especially good here is that it's served as boneless cutlassfish stew, so I could enjoy it without the hassle of picking out bones. If you're looking for a great cutlassfish stew spot in Jeju, or a place to eat near Sanbangsan on a family trip, keep reading!

Where is Sikgwa Hamkke Jeju Sanbangsan Branch, and how to book a morning slot

Sikgwa Hamkke is located in Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo, Jeju, and it fits nicely into a meal stop while touring around Sanbangsan. We booked a morning slot and were able to eat quite early, which was great for fueling up before starting the day's travels.

Where do you park at Sikgwa Hamkke?

Parking was easy — just along the road near the restaurant. It's not a no-parking/no-stopping zone, so we could park right nearby without any hassle. At some other Jeju spots I've been to, the dedicated lot was tiny, or I ended up driving in circles looking for a spot before even eating. Sikgwa Hamkke had none of that stress — you just park and walk right in, which made it comfortable for a family trip too.

Inside Sikgwa Hamkke: seating and atmosphere

Walking inside, the restaurant was bigger and more spacious than I expected. The tables had good spacing, and there was room for larger groups, so it seemed like it could comfortably handle group diners too.

Since we'd booked ahead, our table was already set when we arrived, so we could sit right down. On Jeju family trips, the bigger the group, the more I've worried about seating or parking before — but here, we could eat with plenty of room to spare. The vibe wasn't flashy, more just a comfortable place to have a good meal, which made me think it'd be fine to bring parents along too.

Sikgwa Hamkke menu: a la carte vs course

The main item on the menu is boneless cutlassfish stew. You can order it à la carte or as a course. Even the à la carte boneless cutlassfish stew comes as a full spread with course side dishes included, so it felt like great value. If you want to try even more dishes — marinated raw shrimp, whole rockfish fry, grilled cutlassfish, and more — I'd recommend going for the course.

Boneless braised cutlassfish set for two: honest review

I started by trying the side dishes that came out first, and every single one had real homemade flavor. The seasoned turban shell whetted the appetite, and the soy-marinated crab went so well with rice that my chopsticks kept reaching for more rice even before the main dish arrived.

Abalone, turban shell and shrimp-roe rice with fried cutlassfish

Personally, what I really loved was the abalone-turban shell-roe rice. When you order by headcount, it apparently comes together with fried cutlassfish and this rice dish! Rather than just eating boneless cutlassfish stew alone, it felt like tasting several Jeju dishes at once, so the table setup itself was fun to look at.

The roe rice with abalone and turban shell was savory enough on its own, but piling on the crispy fried cutlassfish made the combination even better.

Deboned cutlassfish, so no picking out bones

The boneless cutlassfish stew was genuinely amazing haha. I love cutlassfish stew, but picking out the bones has always been a bit of a chore for me — being boneless here was such a relief right from the start.

The flesh was cut in big pieces, easy to eat, and mixed with the radish and sauce it was so good that no other side dish felt necessary. The sauce had a strong, deep savoriness. Piling the boneless cutlassfish with the thoroughly braised radish and plenty of sauce onto rice, one spoonful in and I remembered all over again why cutlassfish stew is a must-eat in Jeju.

Unlike usual, when I'd normally pick off small bits of flesh because of the bones, this time I could eat generous mouthfuls comfortably, which made it even more satisfying. What stuck with me most was that it wasn't just the stew that was good — the roe rice, the fried cutlassfish, and the side dishes were all evenly delicious. It didn't feel like a place good at just one or two dishes, but one with genuinely skilled home-style cooking across the board.

Verdict: who should eat at Sikgwa Hamkke?

Sikgwa Hamkke, which I visited while looking for good restaurants near Sanbangsan in Jeju, was satisfying overall, from the easy-to-eat boneless Jeju cutlassfish stew to the generous side dishes. As someone who loves cutlassfish stew but has always found picking out bones a hassle, the boneless Jeju cutlassfish stew here was exactly what I wanted. Mixing the boneless cutlassfish stew with the seasoned radish was the most memorable part of the meal, and I'd also recommend the combo of piling fried cutlassfish onto the abalone-turban shell-roe rice.

For anyone traveling with parents, being able to eat comfortably without worrying about bones should also be a big plus. It's one of the places I'd want to visit again on my next Jeju trip. If you're looking for a great cutlassfish stew spot near Sanbangsan in Jeju, or want to enjoy a hearty spread of boneless Jeju cutlassfish stew, give Sikgwa Hamkke a try ◡̈