Gangneung tofu restaurant photo review sundubu pudding: Jeong Eunsuk

When you visit Gangneung, you really have to eat chodang sundubu (soft tofu stew) at least once, haha. Coming all the way to Gangneung and skipping the tofu village felt like a waste. This time we went to Jeong Eunsuk Chodang Sundubu in Chodang Sundubu Village! I went with my partner Ureongi, and we ordered the Chodang Myeongpum table plus a mini boiled pork belly, since that's one of my favorites 😋

Parking and opening hours at Jeong Eunsuk Chodang Sundubu — open from 8am

Jeong Eunsuk Chodang Sundubu has its own parking lot, so it's fine to drive there. That said, the lot can fill up fast when customers pile in during meal times, so it might be worth heading over a bit earlier during busy hours. Also, this place opens at 8am, so it's great for having chodang sundubu for breakfast too. We visited during lunchtime, and sure enough, it was pretty packed. I guess you just can't skip a famous chodang sundubu place, haha.

How long is the wait, and is Naver reservation worth it?

There are so many good restaurants in Chodang Sundubu Village that I went back and forth on where to go, but Jeong Eunsuk Chodang Sundubu turned out to be one that a lot of people seek out too. Still, table turnover is fairly quick, so the wait didn't feel too long. Naver reservations are also available, and reserving ahead reportedly gets you in faster than waiting on-site. Gangneung trips often run on a tight schedule, haha — if you spend forever waiting just to eat at one good restaurant, it can throw off your whole itinerary, so it's worth using the reservation option if you can.

There's a little game near the entrance you can play while waiting — a number-matching game with 0, 8, 9, haha. It's a nice way to pass the time without getting bored.

Inside the restaurant: seating and the master chef behind it

Once you step inside, there's a generous amount of seating. There are tables from 4-seaters up to bigger group tables, so it looks good for family visits too. Plenty of families were there when we visited. If you're looking for a place to eat with parents or kids while traveling in Gangneung, a spot with a varied menu is naturally more convenient. Jeong Eunsuk Chodang Sundubu isn't just about sundubu — you can also enjoy dishes like boiled pork belly and braised pollock, so there are decent options for everyone.

There's also a display on one side of the restaurant introducing the restaurant's certified Korean master chef. You can read about how master chef Jeong Eunsuk has worked to carry on the tradition of chodang tofu, and after learning that story, I found myself paying a bit more attention to the food, having walked in just thinking of it as a famous sundubu place 👀

The Chodang Myeongpum set plus a mini bossam add-on

After going back and forth over the menu, we decided on the Chodang Myeongpum table. It comes with sundubu jjigae, tofu samhap, and seasoned braised pollock together, so you get to try a bit of everything. And since I love boiled pork belly, I added the mini version too, haha. I mean, if you love pork belly and there's an add-on option for it right in front of you, how could you just walk past it? Not me 😎 In the end, we added the pork belly on top of everything, and once the dishes started coming out one by one, the table was completely full. If you only came for the sundubu jjigae, it might feel like a small portion, but with all these dishes served together, it felt like a proper full meal.

They also give you a sundubu pudding if you write a Naver photo review!

It was so good the whole way through that Ureongi and I kept saying, this place is the real deal!! Best sundubu jjigae we've had in Gangneung!! And sure enough, it turned out to be a genuinely famous restaurant that's been featured on TV a ton.

What side dishes come with it, and the 3,000-won salad

Before the main dishes arrive, they set the table with basic side dishes — kimchi, salad, stir-fried seaweed stalks, muk muchim (seasoned mung bean jelly), and white broccoli, among others. The lineup ranges from mild to tangy, so it's nice to snack on between bites of the main dishes. Eating them alongside the sundubu jjigae feels like it resets your palate each time, so I kept reaching for more. The salad in particular was really good, and it can be added for ₩3,000!

Sundubu hot pot: how the blue crab makes the broth sharper

First up was the main dish, sundubu jjigae. Fluffy soft tofu topped with chives, mushrooms, and even crab. The broth looks clear at first, but as it simmers, the color deepens. There's seasoning mixed in underneath, so as it bubbles away, it turns into a spicy, punchy broth. And with the crab in there, it adds a rich seafood flavor to the soup. The tofu itself is incredibly soft, so it's great to scoop up together with the broth.

Tofu samhap: tofu with boiled pork and gajami sikhae (fermented flounder)

And then the tofu samhap I'd been waiting for arrived, haha. Soft tofu topped with moist boiled pork and a bit of gajami-sikhae (fermented flatfish salad), which adds a salty, tangy kick. Wrap it all up with the lettuce on the side and each bite is pretty substantial 😋 The pork itself wasn't gamey at all and was quite tender, so it was great even eaten on its own.

Wow!! Why is this tofu so good?? Was everything I've eaten before even really tofu???

Spicy grilled half-dried pollock, the best side for rice

The Chodang Myeongpum table also comes with seasoned braised pollock. It's coated in a glossy sauce and topped with sesame seeds and chopped scallions. The sauce is sweet with a slight kick, so it goes really well with rice. Cleared my bowl in no time! Braised pollock can sometimes end up dry, but this was surprisingly tender 😋

If you've made it all the way to Gangneung and think you should eat chodang sundubu, definitely make Jeong Eunsuk Chodang Sundubu one of your stops too. You won't regret it. Ate well again today!