Family meal with seafood braised ribs in Namdong, Incheon: Haemokjeong

Today I'm bringing you a review of a new Korean restaurant in Namdong, 'Haemokjeong Guwol Branch,' where I had a great meal with my mom not long ago.

Whenever I take my parents out to eat, I have to think about a lot of things — clean interior, easy parking, and how fresh the food is. This time at Haemokjeong, both my mom and I walked out 200% satisfied, so I'm introducing it with a bit of a personal bias, haha!

Location and hours of Haemokjeong Guwol Branch

Name: Haemokjeong Guwol Branch (seafood braised ribs / Korean restaurant) Address: 2F, Room 206, Main Plaza, 15 Seongmal-ro 13beon-gil, Namdong-gu, Incheon (about 135m from Exit 6 of Yesulhoegwan Station, next to Eto Tower) Hours: Sun–Thu: 11:00 ~ 22:00 (break time 15:00 ~ 16:00 / closed Mondays) Fri–Sat: 11:00 ~ 24:00 (break time 15:00 ~ 16:00)

Haemokjeong Guwol Branch is about a 2-minute walk (roughly 135m) from Exit 6 of Yesulhoegwan Station on Incheon Subway Line 1. It's right next to Eto Tower, on the 2nd floor (Room 206) of the Main Plaza building in Guwol-dong, so accessibility was really good. The sign is big and visible from outside the building, so I found it without getting lost.

What about parking?

There's 2 hours of free parking in the building's underground garage, which was really convenient! No worries about parking is a huge plus for anyone driving parents around.

Interestingly, the entrance looked like waves crashing. It was a satisfyingly trendy moment haha ^^

Getting off the elevator on the 2nd floor and walking in, the place felt clean and comfortable, as you'd expect from a newly opened restaurant. The bright white tones with modern ceiling and lighting meant none of that heavy or cluttered feeling you sometimes get at Korean restaurants — I liked that a lot.

Menu and prices at Haemokjeong Guwol Branch

Main menu and prices: Seafood braised ribs (for 2): ₩48,000 (signature) Spicy braised pork ribs (for 2): ₩35,000 Boneless braised monkfish (for 2): ₩35,000 Abalone seafood hot pot (for 2): ₩40,000 Self-fried rice ingredients (rice included): #1 most popular

I ordered the seafood braised ribs

Apparently Haemokjeong has appeared on SBS's 《Live Today》 and won the Korea Brand Awards, making it one of the country's certified top 3 seafood braised ribs restaurants. No wonder the presentation was so good.

Seafood braised ribs (for 2) ₩48,000 + rice (2 bowls) ₩2,000 = ₩50,000 total (self-funded), and for reference, you can adjust the spice level when booking via Naver (defaults to regular if unspecified). We also ordered regular spice.

Honest taste review: seafood braised ribs and rice

🦑 Not long after ordering, the main dish, the seafood braised ribs, arrived. The moment we saw the generous portion sitting on the burner, both my mom and I couldn't help but gasp!

It was loaded with domestic Wando abalone, big chunks of octopus, squid, and other fresh seafood, all sitting on a thick bed of well-braised, aged pork ribs. The seafood had zero fishy taste and was really plump and fresh.

The side dishes

Even before the main dish, you could feel the owner's care in the basic side dishes that were set up.

Mul kimchi (watery radish kimchi)! It's a perfect match for the spicy seafood braised ribs — the broth is so refreshing and clean that a sip resets your mouth whenever it gets tingly. My mom tried it too and said it suited her taste perfectly, and she ate a lot of it.

Buchu (garlic chives): fragrant and fresh chives paired with the braised dish added texture and boosted the flavor even more.

Other side dishes: the basic banchan were plated cleanly and neatly, none of them overly strong, so they didn't overpower the main dish and blended in harmoniously.

How spicy is 'regular'?

We cut up the plump seafood and tasted it. The sauce had a subtle smoky char and a sweet-spicy flavor soaked deep into the meat and seafood. Ordering it regular meant it wasn't too intense but still tastily spicy — the kind of flavor you keep eating without getting tired of it.

Above all, the rib meat was so tender that just touching it with tongs and scissors separated the bone from the meat instantly. Elderly folks or parents with weaker teeth could really enjoy this without any discomfort!

With freshly steamed warm rice, the seaweed soup that comes as standard, a piece of well-braised rib, and a bit of broth mixed in — it was seriously the kind of food that makes you eat way more rice than intended.

The refreshing seafood and savory meat came together so well in the sauce that a whole bowl of rice disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Chewy seafood

Seafood braised ribs with roe and milt

Milt and roe! No off smell or fishiness at all, and the chewy texture was fully intact. The spicy-sweet sauce soaked into the surface, so one bite and the savory flavor burst in your mouth.

They gave us a full bowl and I worried I couldn't finish it, but I ended up enjoying every bite

Tender seafood. They told us to cook it for about 2 more minutes, but I think braising it a bit longer so it's fully seasoned would be good too

Rice cakes, perilla leaves and more — lots of variety to enjoy, which I loved

Cutting the roe and milt into small pieces and eating them with the sauce is amazing — you keep eating even when you're already full. I'd really recommend trying it that way.

Final thoughts and would I go back?

This visit to Haemokjeong Guwol Branch with my mom checked every box — great main dish, savory roe and milt, fresh seafood, neat side dishes, cleanliness, friendly service, and convenient parking. A near-perfect Korean restaurant in Namdong!

Cost: seafood braised ribs for 2 (₩48,000) + 2 bowls of rice (₩2,000) = exactly ₩50,000 for a very satisfying, nutrient-packed meal.

• Clean and spacious dining room
• 2 hours of free parking in the basement garage
• The insane combo of seafood, roe, milt and ribs
• Refreshing mul kimchi and fresh chive banchan
• Friendly staff service

Recommended for: family meals out with parents, a clean date spot in Namdong, or a venue for work dinners and group gatherings!

My mom even said she'd want to come back here for a gathering with her friends next time, so if you're taking your parents out, you can trust this place. Next time I want to come back and try the popular boneless braised monkfish or the fried squid set!