Seocho makguksu restaurant, sesame oil bibim bowl: Sammiri Makguksu

Sammiri Makguksu (삼미리막국수) is a makguksu (buckwheat noodle) spot that opened in Sinsa-dong. Since they make their own noodles, the noodles were chewy and the seasoning wasn't harsh, just clean and satisfying. A tidy space with friendly service made for a perfect lunch. I'd recommend it for Sinsa office lunches or solo dining.

Where is Sammiri Makguksu, and is there parking?

Sammiri Makguksu sits between Sinsa Station and Jamwon-dong, a bit closer to Sinsa. I was on a business trip and spotted a newly opened restaurant nearby, so I dropped in. There looked to be room for about 1-2 cars to park in front. Even tucked in an alley, it had quite a few customers.

Can you eat alone? Six window seats and the 1pm weekday crowd

Inside, Sammiri Makguksu has four 4-person tables and about 6 window seats. There are solo seats, so I'd recommend it as a Sinsa Station solo dining spot. I arrived a little past the weekday lunch rush, around 1pm, and there were still quite a lot of customers. All the tables were full and only a few window seats were open. Since it's a Sinsa Station lunch favorite, there's probably a wait during peak times.

You order via tablet, which lets you pay right there too — very convenient. The staff were really kind as well.

Sammiri Makguksu's menu and prices

Let me walk through the menu. True to a Sinsa-dong makguksu spot, they have perilla oil, sesame oil bibim, spicy broth, and dongchimi (radish water kimchi) makguksu, with large portions available too. Now that the weather's cooling down, warm dishes have appeared as well — tteok-mandu-guk (rice cake and dumpling soup) and warm perilla buckwheat noodles. For sides there's buckwheat pancake and fried mandu. Mandu can be ordered as a half-plate, which is great for solo dining near Sinsa Station. Prices are easy on the wallet too, in the low ₩10,000s (large portions in the mid ₩10,000s).

The cold broth that arrives first, in a charming little bowl

I ordered the sesame oil bibim and buckwheat pancake. They brought out the broth first. Isn't the bowl adorable?? As you'll see later, it has a pointed side, apparently so you can pour it over the makguksu haha. It was cold with a tangy finish that kept me coming back for more sips. It's great on its own, but even better mixed into the noodles.

How the memil jeonbyeong tastes: crisp outside, soft inside, kimchi filling

The buckwheat pancake came out first. Let's try one while it's piping hot. It came with an onion soy sauce dip too.

The outside was crispy while still showing off the buckwheat's chewiness, and the inside was packed with kimchi filling. Properly crispy outside, soft inside. It's not too spicy, so it goes well alongside the makguksu.

Sesame oil bibim makguksu: pour the broth around, then mix

Next came the bibim makguksu. Since it's the 'sesame oil' bibim, it comes loaded with sesame seeds too. The nutty and spicy balance was really good.

And just like that, a full Sinsa-dong makguksu spread was laid out. Since it's buckwheat instead of wheat, it was easy on the stomach and delicious. I'd recommend it for a Sinsa Station lunch. I was dining solo but it was so good I didn't feel lonely at all lol.

First, let the egg protect your stomach haha. The regular portion is light enough for one person, so guys should be able to easily finish even the large portion.

If you just mix it as is, it can feel a bit stiff. Pouring the broth around it makes it easier to mix and even tastier.

Since the noodles are house-made, they were chewy, and the seasoning had a clean spiciness without the heaviness of red pepper flakes, with the nutty aroma of sesame oil (and sesame seeds) adding savory depth. Personally, I found it much tastier than a regular bibim. It's not very spicy, so anyone can enjoy it — if it feels too spicy, adding broth helps.

Who Sammiri Makguksu suits best

I cleaned my plate. It was generous, and so good that I ended up overeating a bit haha. It's great for solo dining near Sinsa Station, and also good to bring coworkers, family, or friends. I saw some people eating with their kids too. Next time I want to try the perilla oil version for sure.

That wraps up my visit to Sammiri Makguksu, a Sinsa Station lunch spot. Try their buckwheat dishes — delicious and easy on the stomach. It's also great for solo dining in Sinsa-dong. Rather than flashy, it's a clean flavor that keeps crossing my mind, so I want to come back haha. If you're looking for makguksu near Jamwon-dong, I'd recommend it!