Grilled tilefish and free abalone porridge in Jungmun, Jeju

Where is Jungmun Godeungeo Ssam-bap in Jeju?

Today I'm sharing a visit to Jungmun Godeungeo Ssam-bap, a breakfast-friendly restaurant in Jungmun, Jeju, and one of the spots worth visiting on the island (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)و

📍1240 Iljuseo-ro, 1st floor, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do, South Korea - 5 minutes from Jungmun Tourist Complex - 10 minutes from Daepo Jusangjeolli - 15 minutes from Seogwipo Natural Recreation Forest 🅿️About 40 free parking spaces in front of the restaurant

⏰Hours ✔️Daily 09:30-20:00, last order 19:00 - Break time or early closing possible if ingredients run out! ✔️Group seating, reservations, separate restrooms, Wi-Fi, takeout

📺Featured on Saturday, Rice Is Good, episode 75, June 3, 2023 — old kimchi mackerel ssam-bap / abalone hot-stone rice / grilled tilefish Featured on Live Tonight, episode 1923, December 19, 2022 — old kimchi mackerel ssam-bap / abalone hot-stone rice This is a restaurant that's actually been on TV!

Fresh mackerel and old kimchi, and flowers blooming all four seasons at 'Jungmun Godeungeo Ssam-bap'

A 3,500-pyeong rose garden and spacious parking

On the day I visited, the huge 3,500-pyeong garden was full of blooming roses. I heard the flowers out front change with the seasons — canola blossoms, roses, even snow-covered scenery. Jungmun Godeungeo Ssam-bap isn't just a place to fill your stomach among Jeju restaurants — it's a place that fills your heart too.

The parking lot is spacious and well laid out, and even the path leading up to the restaurant is beautifully kept.

Waiting area and cafeteria

True to a popular restaurant, there's a waiting area and even a table-ring device at the entrance. One side has a proper cafeteria and even sells souvenirs.

How much are the set menus?

Each table has a tablet ordering system, so ordering was easy. Jungmun Godeungeo Ssam-bap's sets are great value and really capture the flavor of Jeju.

• Old kimchi mackerel ssam-bap + abalone hot-stone rice ₩17,000
• Grilled tilefish + abalone hot-stone rice ₩30,000
• Grilled mackerel + abalone hot-stone rice ₩17,000

With such good-value sets available, you can enjoy the flavor of Jeju's limited local ingredients all in one meal.

Old kimchi mackerel stew + abalone hot-stone rice for two / one whole king tilefish

✅This is the basic table setting.

The 16-side self-serve bar

Beyond the basic table setting, there's a self-serve bar too, which was such a nice touch. I heard Jungmun Godeungeo Ssam-bap prepares 16 side dishes fresh every day.

There were plenty of vegetables grown right on their own farm. We loaded up our plates generously and wrapped everything in ssam.

There was japchae (glass noodle stir-fry), stir-fried black pork bulgogi, doenjang soup, abalone porridge, and even homemade sikhye (sweet rice punch).

Free abalone porridge for morning customers

With the Naver Place coupon, morning customers get free abalone porridge! This abalone porridge was seriously rich and delicious. 👍👍 Until noon, one adult per order gets a free bowl of rich abalone porridge made with abalone innards — start your day off right with a bowl that's smooth, nutty and satisfying!

How does the old kimchi mackerel stew and abalone hot-stone rice taste?

The meal I ordered arrived. It was seriously so generous the table looked like it might collapse.

A single spoonful of rice mixed with old kimchi, mackerel, and seasoning was packed with rich Jeju flavor.

The mackerel was so thick that one wrapped bite filled my mouth completely.

The abalone hot-stone rice was loaded with abalone. The portion of rice was huge too — a truly satisfying meal. If you're visiting Jeju with your parents, this feels like a must-stop.

Is the whole king tilefish really that big?

The whole king tilefish was truly, literally king-sized.

Since it was so big, the flesh was extra thick too. 👍👍 Wrapping rice in seaweed with a thick piece of grilled tilefish on top was honey-sweet. 💛 Writing this post is making me crave it all over again. (ू˃̣̣̣̣̣̣︿˂̣̣̣̣̣̣ ू)

To finish, they poured hot water into the hot stone pot for sungnyung (scorched rice tea)‼️ It was such a perfect meal. If you're in the Jungmun area, be sure to stop by for a meal.