Sokcho bibimbap restaurant with free soybean curd stew: Daecheongmaru

[Address] 430 Gwangwang-ro, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do, South Korea

[Hours] 07:20–21:30 (break time 15:30–17:00)

[Parking] Spacious parking lot!

I've traveled to Sokcho at least twice a year for the past few years, and there's one restaurant I stop at every single time, so I wanted to introduce it. I first visited on a friend's recommendation, and now I'm the one recommending it to my friends — Sokcho's Daecheongmaru!

Where is Daecheongmaru in Sokcho, and how early does it open?

Location-wise, it's close to both Sono Resort and Hanwha Resort, so I'd recommend it to travelers staying at nearby resorts. It's also great for breakfast, because it opens at 7:20am!!! They also have sundubu (soft tofu) and pollack soup that kids can eat.

It'd be nice to pair a visit with nearby sights like Cheoksan Hot Springs or Ulsanbawi Rock! The exterior alone screams good restaurant~

Floor seats, table seats and the second floor for groups

At Daecheongmaru, you take your shoes off at the entrance and there are floor and table seats. Note that the private rooms are floor-seating only! There's also a 2nd floor, so group visits are possible.

Daecheongmaru menu and prices

The menu is quite varied!

Chodang sundubu ₩14,000 Hwangtae haejangguk ₩15,000 Sanchae bibimbap ₩16,000 Hwangtae-gui ₩32,000 (2 fish), etc.

I love that they only use domestic soybeans 🫛. Somehow that makes it feel even healthier!! This time I ordered grilled dried pollack and two servings of wild greens bibimbap. Submitting more evidence this is a good restaurant #2 — plastic tablecloths~ but wait, they're eco-friendly tablecloths, so no worries.

What banchan comes with the meal, from tofu pancake to biji stew

This is Daecheongmaru's strength! A table groaning under the weight of banchan (side dishes). They may not change with the seasons, but they're always delicious and clearly made with care. Pan-fried whole tofu, soy sauce shrimp, seasoned seaweed, wild greens, seasoned cucumber, and more. Plus, since we ordered the wild greens bibimbap and grilled dried pollack, they gave us pollack soup as well, one bowl each!

And the soybean stew my mom really loved! I can't believe that's also included as a free banchan, seriously amazing.

How much is grilled dried pollack for two?

Now onto the main dishes — Daecheongmaru's grilled dried pollack is ₩32,000 for 2 fish. In person the portion is even bigger, so be warned. Spicy-sweet, crispy on the outside and chewy inside, it's total rice-thief material. It's hard to find this in Seoul, so I always make sure to eat it whenever I'm in Sokcho — highly recommend!!!!

Sanchae bibimbap mixed with extra wild greens

Next up, wild greens bibimbap! Originally we planned to eat this at the base of Seoraksan after riding the cable car, but the weather wasn't good so we couldn't go — thankfully Daecheongmaru in Sokcho serves it too.

On my mom's suggestion, we added extra sanchae from the banchan into the bibimbap and mixed it all together, and it was so good. The fried egg on top of the bibimbap was nice and moist too. FYI, if you don't eat a lot, I'd recommend not putting in all the rice — save some. What to do with the leftover rice? Eat it with the banchan!

Oh, one more note! By default it comes without sauce, but they give you gochujang (red pepper paste) sauce on the side, so add it if you want. I personally don't love strong seasoning so I skipped it, and it was still plenty tasty.

A very satisfying proof-of-meal shot! We cleaned out not just the main dishes but almost all the banchan too. My parents were happy and said we should come back together next time we're in Sokcho.

Local products and the mix coffee machine by the register

After finishing your meal, on your way out you'll find local specialty products for sale next to the counter. And right by the shoe area there's a mix coffee vending machine! (Kind of charming, haha)

The parking lot is spacious and the staff are all kind. Above all, it's satisfying to notice that the taste hasn't changed at all over the years I've been visiting. If you're staying nearby, I highly recommend stopping by during your trip.