Hamdeok restaurant with baby-chair footrests: Jeju Seom Godeungeo

When you're traveling around Jeju, don't you sometimes want a solid rice meal instead of bread or coffee for breakfast or lunch before heading out?

Or like me, traveling with my mom is one of those trips where you need to eat properly to keep going haha.

This time, passing through Hamdeok, I stopped by Jeju Seom Godeungeo Ssambap (제주섬고등어쌈밥), where you can eat while looking at the sea.

Maybe because it's a fairly new place, the restaurant was really clean, and the staff greeted us warmly from the start, so the first impression was great. Let's get into it.

A tidy dining room with the sea right outside

Jeju Seom Godeungeo Ssambap sits right on the Hamdeok coastal road, and what I liked most was how well you can see the sea while eating.

Eating by the window with the sea in front of you really gives you that travel feeling. Especially if you visit in the morning or at lunch, you can have a solid meal with an ocean view before moving on to your next spot, so it seemed like a good addition to the itinerary for anyone hunting for good restaurants near Hamdeok Beach.

The interior was also spacious and clean, making it comfortable to eat in.

Baby chairs that even have footrests

The baby chair is the first thing moms like me check! Jeju Seom Godeungeo Ssambap has one tucked in a corner by the entrance, and this one even has a footrest — love it, well done haha.

Here's the Jeju Seom Godeungeo Ssambap menu. You can also check the detailed menu and prices in the video. We ordered the main dish, the mackerel ssambap set for two. If you're visiting with a larger group, it might be fun to order a variety of dishes haha.

The self-serve bar was run so cleanly it practically sparkled haha. You can take as much as you need. We refilled our wrap vegetables here too lol.

Aprons were available as well,

and we sat down at a table with a great view. Basic utensils and tissues are kept under the table, and they bring you water and wet wipes.

Ssambap made with mackerel caught that morning

The basic side dishes came out first,

and then our mackerel ssambap set arrived.

Wow, the whole table was packed haha. And the mackerel was really clean-tasting and had soft flesh.

They explained that the mackerel is caught that same morning and prepared right away, and indeed there was almost none of the typical fishy taste.

The mackerel comes out braised together with aged kimchi (묵은지), already cooked to a good degree, so you just need to simmer it briefly at the table before eating.

Big chunks of aged kimchi were mixed in, which paired really well with the mackerel, and the radish was so well braised that the seasoning had fully soaked in.

And the wrap vegetables were fresh too, which I loved!

Wrapping fresh greens around a piece of mackerel, a piece of aged kimchi, and some rice, my hand kept reaching for more. Eating vegetables along with the fish rather than just the fish alone made the meal so much more filling.

House-made soy-marinated crab is worth adding

The soy crab (간장게장) served as a side dish was also delicious — they said it's homemade. It was packed with meat, so it went great with rice,

and it's also sold separately, so if you love soy crab, it's worth keeping in mind.

They also run a receipt review event, so if you have a moment, leave a review and grab a chocolate haha.

Overall, the food felt freshly made right after ordering, so it was served hot, and the restaurant, being newly opened, was clean and comfortable to eat in throughout the meal.

Above all, if you're looking for a Hamdeok Beach restaurant that isn't too heavy but still gives you the feeling of a proper Jeju meal, this kind of mackerel ssambap seemed like a solid choice.

Eating slowly while watching the sea, then stopping by the pavilion out front for one more look at the ocean before moving on — it was the perfect fit for a morning or lunch stop during a Jeju trip.

If you're planning a trip around the Hamdeok area, consider Jeju Seom Godeungeo Ssambap for a solid meal with an ocean view :)

Jeju Seom Godeungeo Ssambap: address, hours and closing day

• 📍 418 Johamhaean-ro, 1st floor, Jocheon-eup, Jeju-si, Jeju-do, South Korea
• ⏰ 09:00 – 21:00
• 📌 Closed every Tuesday
• 🍚 Mackerel ssambap / braised hairtail / grilled mackerel, etc.
• 🦀 Homemade soy crab, available for takeout/delivery