Pohang restaurant for a late-night second stop: squid mulhoe at Ppwang Mulhoe

It was my birthday, so I came to Pohang! We set the mood at Seongsan Myeongga for round one, then went looking for a good second stop and landed on Ppwang Mulhoe, a squid mulhoe (raw seafood in cold broth) restaurant near Yeongildae Beach. Coming all the way to Pohang without eating mulhoe felt like a waste, so we went. Located in Duho-dong, Pohang, Ppwang Mulhoe sits right on the main road by Yeongildae Beach, so it's easy to find.

With an unlimited self bar full of side dishes, plus fresh squid mulhoe, flounder mulhoe, squid pajeon, boiled squid, fried squid and other specialty menu items, it's a great spot whether you're eating a full meal by Yeongildae or dropping in as a second stop.

A Duho-dong hotspot, a Yeongildae hotspot — Ppwang Mulhoe. Visited as our second stop, with fresh mulhoe and a wide range of dishes.

Right in front of Yeongildae Beach: parking and location

Ppwang Mulhoe sits right on the main road by Yeongildae Beach, so it's very accessible. Parking is available directly in front of the restaurant. If there's no space out front, the Yeongildae Beach public parking lot is right across the street — only about 10-30 seconds on foot. We walked over, and since it's so close to Yeongildae Beach, it's also a great spot for a beach walk after eating. One note: if you're driving, navigation apps may route you through the back alley, but the restaurant is actually on the Haean-ro road side, so it's worth double-checking before you go.

There's a terrace out front, and pets are welcome. When we visited, there was an adorable border collie there.

Ppwang Mulhoe's biggest perk is the unlimited self bar! It has kid-friendly options like tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), sausages, kimmari (fried seaweed rolls), tteokgalbi (grilled short rib patties), macaroni salad and more, so plenty of families with kids were dining there too.

Pink interior and the waiting area

There's a waiting area right when you walk in, so waiting indoors shouldn't feel like a burden even in hot summer or cold winter. It was the weekend, so there were plenty of family gatherings and group diners, and even past 8:30pm the place was still busy. Apparently peak meal times see quite a wait, so keep that in mind if you're planning a weekend lunch or dinner visit.

What caught my eye most was the pink interior. The whole restaurant runs on a pink concept, giving it a cute, charming feel. From the baby chairs to the aprons to the delivery bags — all pink — it somehow felt extra sweet and endearing!

The restaurant is spacious, and the tables have decent spacing between them. Looked like a good fit for families or larger groups. The layout faces Yeongildae's water, with big picture windows, so if you visit during the day you can eat mulhoe while looking out at Yeongildae Beach — a real plus. There are also rooms and a second-floor dining space. Rooms fit 4 to 8 people, and group seating handles anywhere from 4 to 50.

Ppwang Mulhoe's menu and prices

• Ppwang Mulhoe (3 kinds of seafood) ₩25,000
• Squid mulhoe ₩20,000
• Flounder mulhoe ₩20,000
• Half-and-half mulhoe (squid + flounder) ₩20,000
• Squid pajeon (pancake) ₩15,000
• Fried squid ₩15,000

Ppwang Mulhoe serves a wide range of seafood — mulhoe, hoedeopbap (raw fish rice bowl), sweet shrimp, squid, and more — but the standout favorites are the squid sashimi and the Ppwang Mulhoe set. The Ppwang Mulhoe set combines squid, flounder, and whatever seasonal fish is in — three kinds in one bowl. With several types of mulhoe to choose from, you can pick based on your taste. There are plenty of squid specialty dishes too, so it's easy to order a variety.

Unlimited self bar and the basic table setup

Another strong point of Ppwang Mulhoe is the unlimited self bar. With tteokbokki, sausages, kimmari, macaroni salad and more, it looked like a great setup for families dining with kids. Since we visited late, the self bar was a bit sparse (T_T), but apparently the lineup rotates and is fuller at other times of day.

There was also squid soup available — if you're visiting with kids, order a shrimp fried rice and hit the self bar, and that's a full meal sorted!

On the table were chojang (vinegar-chili sauce), soy sauce, paper cups, and a bottle opener, with a chopstick holder and wet wipes stocked against the wall.

Second stop, but we still ordered squid mulhoe, pajeon, and fried squid

Since this was our second stop, we were already full, but having come all the way to Pohang, there was no way we weren't eating. One bowl of mulhoe alone felt too little, so we ordered a spread: squid mulhoe, squid pajeon, and fried squid.

Pohang is famous for its super fresh raw fish and seafood, so I was already excited before the first bite.

The broth comes served separately, so you can adjust the amount to your taste. The proper move is to dip in some noodles from the self bar first, then add more broth at the end and mix in rice too. Since this was our second stop and we were already full, we couldn't manage the noodles and rice properly — that was the biggest regret.

Personally, I'm not usually a big fan of mulhoe. So I ordered without high expectations, but it was genuinely delicious!!!

The squid was really fresh. No fishy or muddy smell at all, and the texture was tender yet springy. It had more sweetness and tang than a typical mulhoe, which was distinctive — I think that's probably down to Ppwang Mulhoe's own gochujang (red chili paste) sauce recipe. And I really liked that the tablet ordering system lets you choose cucumber on or off, so you can order exactly to your taste.

Squid pajeon

The squid pajeon has plenty of squid piled on top of chives, with egg fried over the top.

Pajeon really has to be torn apart with chopsticks to taste right.

It looked appetizing just from the visual, and there was genuinely so much squid packed in that you could really feel its texture. Savory and clean-tasting — glad we ordered it.

Fried squid

Fresh out of the fryer, warm and crispy — this fried squid was on a whole other level from the fried squid you get at a bunsik (Korean street food) shop.

Crispy outside, chewy inside. Thick pieces of squid wrapped in a savory batter, and eating it alongside the cold mulhoe made for a really good combo.

We packed up the leftover squid pajeon and fried squid to take home. When we asked to get it to go, the owner kindly brought containers right over, making it easy to bring the leftovers along.

Final verdict: pair it with a walk around Yeongildae

Ppwang Mulhoe is under a 10-minute walk from the Yeongildae observation deck, making it a great spot to combine with time by the sea before or after your meal. If you're visiting Pohang, stopping at Ppwang Mulhoe for your first or last meal, eating mulhoe while looking out at Yeongildae Beach, then walking along Yeongildae afterward, sounds like a great route.

Overall, Ppwang Mulhoe was a satisfying restaurant. It's a menu even first-time mulhoe eaters could enjoy. My biggest regret was not properly finishing off the noodles and rice with the mulhoe like you're supposed to... Ordering fresh squid sashimi, fried squid, and squid pajeon together lets you enjoy a variety of squid dishes, and the self bar has plenty of kid-friendly options too, making it good for families. If you're looking for a Yeongildae restaurant, a mulhoe restaurant, or a squid restaurant in Pohang, I'd recommend giving Ppwang Mulhoe a try. Strongly recommend it as your first or last meal of a Pohang trip.