Makguksu lunch with two daughters at Gangmun Beach, Gangneung: Gossi's

Looking for a Gangneung restaurant recommendation, I found Gossi's Donghae Makguksu, right in front of Gangmun Beach. You can eat cool makguksu (buckwheat cold noodles) while looking out at the Gangmun sea through the floor-to-ceiling windows, and I got to try everything from makguksu to boiled pork to buckwheat gimbap.

I stopped by after walking the beach at Gangmun with my two daughters, craving makguksu. Being right in front of Gangmun Beach made it super convenient to combine sightseeing and a meal.

Gossi's Donghae Makguksu is a three-story building. The 1st floor is mostly kitchen and counter, and you head up to the 2nd floor to eat.

Parking at Gangmun Beach and how to get to Gossi's

If you're driving, you can use Gangmun Beach Public Parking Lots 1 and 2.

The first hour after entering is free, and if you need a 30-minute extension, just ask at the 1st-floor counter.

The 2nd-floor window seats with a Gangmun Beach view

Going up to the 2nd floor, the hall was bigger than I expected. But what caught my eye first was the floor-to-ceiling window looking out at the sea.

Gangmun Beach really spreads out refreshingly beyond the window. Eating makguksu while looking at the sea I'd just been walking with my two daughters made me really feel like I was on a Gangneung trip.

There were baby chairs ready too, so it looked convenient to visit with kids.

You can grab basic side dishes like yeolmu kimchi (young radish kimchi) and kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) as needed from the self-serve corner. The 3rd floor is run as a space where you can dine together with your dog.

The menu at Gossi's and what we ordered

You can order from your seat using a tablet.

How did the makguksu and boiled pork taste?

First, the bibim makguksu came with a spicy sauce piled generously with cucumber and toppings. Mixing the sauce evenly through the noodles, it had a spicy, appetite-whetting flavor, and the buckwheat noodles had good texture too.

The mul makguksu had buckwheat noodles, cucumber and gim (seaweed) flakes in a cool broth, and eating cool makguksu while looking at the sea felt like I'd picked exactly the right dish for the day.

The signature 2-person set came with makguksu plus boiled pork, which made it quite filling.

The boiled pork was sliced thick, and it was soft, moist, and chewy.

With the salmon keto buckwheat gimbap, the salmon on top caught my eye first.

Lifting the salmon, I found buckwheat noodles and vegetables instead of rice, which gave it a nice texture and paired well with the soft salmon.

The cheese roll cutlet came out long and hefty.

Cutting into it, the cheese stretched out from inside.

The outside was crispy while the inside had meat and soft cheese together in every bite — a dish my daughters ate up too.

Is Gossi's Donghae Makguksu worth a stop with kids?

After looking at the sea with my two daughters at Gangmun Beach, I got a craving for makguksu and stopped in here.

I got to try several dishes together while looking out at the sea — makguksu, boiled pork, buckwheat gimbap, and cheese roll cutlet. Being right in front of Gangmun Beach, it was a great spot to look at the sea and continue on to a meal during a Gangneung trip.

Hours, address and other visitor information

• Name: Gossi's Donghae Makguksu & Sundubu Kalguksu Main Branch
• Address: 25 Changhae-ro 350beon-gil, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do, South Korea, 1st–3rd floor
• Hours: Weekdays 10:00–20:30 / Weekends & holidays 08:00–20:30
• Break time: 15:30–17:00
• Parking: Gangmun Beach Public Parking Lots 1 & 2, first hour free, ask at 1st-floor counter for a 30-min extension
• Dogs: Allowed on the 3rd floor