Hoe-makguksu with pollock jeotgal at Goshine Donghae, Jongno

Today I want to introduce a place where you can enjoy cozy hanok vibes and proper Gangwon-do local food at the same time — Goshine Donghae Makguksu Jongno branch, well known as a Korean restaurant near Anguk Station!

5 minutes from Anguk Station Exit 6, a hanok Korean restaurant in Insa-dong

It's a 5-minute walk from Anguk Station Exit 6, so subway access is great, and it's right next to Insadong Ssamziegil, which made it perfect for a date. I loved the atmospheric hanok exterior, and seeing the words 'house-made noodles' made me want to dive into the makguksu (buckwheat noodles) right away, haha.

• Address – 3 Insadong12-gil, 1st floor, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours – Daily 11:00–21:30
• Amenities – Group seating available, takeout, reservations, Wi-Fi

I was already excited about the house-made noodles, and curious how good the buckwheat gimbap would be from the place that first invented it.

Especially since this is the first directly-run branch, in downtown Seoul's Insa-dong, of a restaurant with a proud two-generation history on Gangmun Beach in Gangwon-do — my expectations were high, and the cozy interior put me at ease right away.

Seating and atmosphere

Most tables were set up for four people like this, and the dining room was bigger than expected, so we could eat comfortably.

What we ordered and the prices

You order through a table-order tablet, and there was a wide range of dishes ready — from sets to makguksu, rice dishes, buckwheat gimbap, and side dishes, haha. The signature menu items are perilla oil makguksu, chodang sundubu (soft tofu), buckwheat gimbap, and kkamak-jang pork belly, and since we wanted to try a variety, we ordered several dishes, haha.

• Pork belly set ₩21,000 + change to hoe-makguksu ₩3,000
• Clear chodang sundubu ₩10,000
• Salad buckwheat gimbap ₩7,000
• Half-and-half buckwheat pancakes ₩9,000

The drinks and alcohol menu was simple, but I thought it was a nice touch that they had dongdongju (rice wine) available.

Also, maybe because the original branch started in Gangwon-do, there was a corner selling Gangwon-do souvenirs, and the interior really matched the hanok setting beautifully.

The food arrived so neatly plated that I felt great even before taking a bite — the generous portions and varied spread were really satisfying.

So how does the hoe-makguksu with pollock jeotgal taste?

First up, the mixed makguksu made with house-made noodles and topped with pollock jeotgal (fermented pollock relish) — there was a generous amount of the jeotgal, so I could really enjoy its rich umami.

The pollock jeotgal was really soft, and each bite delivered a rich umami flavor. I liked that the seasoning wasn't too sharp — the jeotgal and noodles were well balanced, making for a really well-rounded mixed makguksu.

Since the buckwheat noodles are house-made, you could really taste the subtle buckwheat aroma in the noodles — genuinely delicious, haha.

The pork belly that came with the set

And the pork belly that came with the set — boiled without any gamey smell, so tender and delicious, and pairing it with green onion kimchi was a great combination too.

Chodang sundubu, made in the heart of Seoul

And this is chodang sundubu (soft tofu), the dish I usually seek out when I visit Gangneung — I really loved that you can get this level of quality in the heart of Seoul.

Scooping it up like this, the soft tofu rose in soft, cloud-like curds that looked so appetizing,

and once in my mouth, it just melted away, leaving a really rich, nutty flavor — genuinely delicious chodang sundubu! The clean, nutty taste was great on its own, but if it's a bit bland for you, you can mix in the seasoning sauce served on the side, haha.

Salad buckwheat gimbap and half-and-half buckwheat pancakes

And this is the buckwheat gimbap first created by Goshine Donghae Makguksu, truly famous as a Korean restaurant near Anguk Station — packed with buckwheat noodles and crisp, fresh vegetables. One bite delivers a great texture, soft buckwheat noodles, and the freshness of the sauce, all coming together into a really healthy, delicious combination.

And then there's buckwheat pancakes, which our little one loves — she doesn't like the steamed kind, but likes the kind that's fried in oil like this. The visual of the crispy fried pancakes here was already so appealing.

Since it was half-and-half, we got to enjoy two flavors — a meat pancake with a clean, well-balanced meat flavor, and a kimchi pancake with a nicely spicy kick, haha. Both were great side dishes to share alongside the other dishes.

Would I recommend this for a Korean-restaurant date in Insa-dong?

I visited Goshine Donghae Makguksu, which I'd recommend as a Korean-restaurant date spot near Anguk Station where you can feel the quiet charm of a hanok in the middle of a busy city while tasting proper Gangwon-do local food. If you're looking for a restaurant near Anguk Station or a Korean restaurant in Insa-dong with real atmosphere, I definitely recommend stopping by Goshine Donghae Makguksu Jongno branch — a place that's already appeared on TV, which only adds to the trust!