Sokcho Beach noodle restaurant: no Saturday wait, 2-hr parking, Topgol

You can't go to Gangwon and skip makguksu (buckwheat noodles), right?? I visited Sokcho Topgol Makguksu (속초탑골막국수), a perilla oil makguksu place at Sokcho Beach~

Where is Sokcho Topgol Makguksu, and where do you park?

The Main Branch is right in front of Sokcho Beach, so the location is amazing. It's perfect for a walk along the beach after your noodles~

I parked at Sokcho Beach Public Parking Lot No. 1, a 1-minute walk from the restaurant 🚗🚜 They give a whole 2 hours of parking support, so there was plenty of time to eat and walk on the beach.

How long is the weekend wait at Sokcho Topgol Makguksu?

When I went around 11am on Saturday, I got in with no wait, and around 12–1pm a line forms. Even that early the place was packed, as you'd expect from a Sokcho Beach favorite. But makguksu is a quick-turnover dish, so you don't wait long.

There's a separate waiting area too,

A free receipt photo booth while you wait

So you won't get bored waiting, Topgol has a free receipt photo booth 📸

Photos on my phone I take and never look at again, but printed ones I keep looking at and they turn into memories 🤍 I really recommend taking one each when you visit.

Sokcho Topgol Makguksu menu and prices

Here's the menu at Sokcho Topgol Makguksu. Even though it's a tourist area, the prices are cheap and reasonable, so it's no burden even for a family visit.

How does the signature perilla oil buckwheat makguksu (deulmemak) taste?

Deulgireum memil makguksu (perilla oil buckwheat noodles) is Topgol's signature. The noodles are handmade in-house from 100% Bongpyeong buckwheat flour mixed with squid ink and Yeongji and Sanghwang mushrooms, and they say the name "deulmemak" is trademark-filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office!

Mix in the freshly pressed perilla oil well~

Topgol's signature deulmemak, done!

The combination of nutty seaweed, perilla oil and perilla leaf smelled so good. Maybe because the oil is pressed in-house, it was sooo much nuttier!😋 The buckwheat noodles had a great texture and my stomach felt comfortable afterward. Apparently that's because the noodles are made in-house, so the mild buckwheat flavor comes through fully.

Soft buckwheat noodles with nutty perilla oil were so delicious👍 It's a taste everyone, young and old, will like with no hits or misses~

Original buckwheat makguksu: is it spicy?

Since it's a Sokcho makguksu spot, I ordered Topgol's original memil makguksu too~

It comes with icy dongchimi (radish water kimchi) broth to add in.

Add the dongchimi broth and toss it around so it's not too dry, and you're done! I worried the red sauce would be spicy, but it wasn't spicy at all and the mild flavor was easy to eat. The noodles were soft with a nice texture, and the cool dongchimi broth went well with them😋

A side for your noodles: memil jeonbyeong (buckwheat crepe rolls)

I ordered memil jeonbyeong (buckwheat rolls) as a side that goes well with makguksu~ Topgol has a variety of sides, like potato pancake, suyuk (boiled pork slices) and memil jeonbyeong.

They were nicely golden outside, crispy outside and moist inside.

Packed with a spicy filling, they paired deliciously with the mild makguksu!

A warm option: buckwheat perilla kalguksu

Topgol sells not only cold makguksu but also warm dishes like memil deulkkae kalguksu (buckwheat perilla noodle soup)~

The kalguksu noodles were soft, being buckwheat too, and the thick, warm perilla broth was so filling👍

Who is Sokcho Topgol Makguksu good for?

I recommend Topgol, a makguksu spot near Sokcho Beach! The signature deulmemak is a taste everyone, young and old, will like, so it's great to bring your parents or visit with kids~

Opening hours and visitor info

• Weekdays 09:30–21:00
• Weekends 09:30–22:00
• Parking, takeout, pets allowed, Wi-Fi, reservations available
• Local currency (card, paper, mobile), Zero Pay, easy-pay apps, high oil price relief support funds accepted