Jeju pork noodle restaurant before a flight: Handam Guksu

A 3-night, 4-day trip to Jeju with our five-month-old baby. On our final day, we wondered what to have for lunch before heading to the airport, then thought, we’re in Jeju—pork noodles would be perfect! So we stopped by a great pork noodle spot in Aewol on the way to the airport.

Handam Guksu Gwakji Aewol Branch: location and parking

Handam Guksu, a great pork noodle restaurant in Aewol, is where we made a quick stop on the way to Jeju Airport. It takes about 40 minutes by car to Jeju Airport, so I recommend checking your flight time carefully before stopping by. There is parking in front of the restaurant; if it is full, you can receive one hour of parking support when you park at the Randy's Donuts parking lot or Handam Coastal Walk parking lot.

Hours

Mon 10:00–16:20 Tue–Sun 10:00–20:30 (Break time 15:30–17:30)

A stroller- and high-chair-friendly interior

It looked narrow from outside, but once we went in, it was much more spacious and comfortable than expected. Two sides have floor-to-ceiling windows, and the wide-open ocean view was gorgeous. Turns out Handam Guksu is a view spot too..!

We could bring our stroller in too. We felt so well looked after as parents with a baby stroller from beginning to end.. Thank you so much 🤍

Seeing that baby and children's high chairs were available, I thought this would be a nice restaurant to visit with a baby. Just note that the restroom is outside the restaurant.

There is a self-service bar in one corner of the restaurant. It has kimchi and pickled dried radish strips; it was my first time trying the pickled dried radish strips..! They went so well with the pork noodles, so definitely give them a try!!

Pork noodles and chilled dombe pork ordered by kiosk

You can order from the kiosk at your table.

There was a wide selection, from noodles and rice soup to boiled pork and tteokgalbi (grilled minced meat patties). We ordered beef-bone-broth pork noodles, dongchimi (radish-water-kimchi) mixed noodles, and—since we were in Jeju and had to try dombe pork—chilled dombe pork too.

• Beef-bone-broth pork noodles — ₩10,000
• Dongchimi mixed noodles — ₩10,000
• Chilled dombe pork — ₩15,000

For reference, they also give you a Jeju specialty crunch snack if you write a photo review with your receipt!

An honest taste review: beef-bone-broth pork noodles and dongchimi mixed noodles

The dishes arrived as a generous full spread! The portions were seriously plentiful..! And there was so much meat on the noodles too.

For the chilled dombe pork, they said to top it with the accompanying sauce and wasabi. Being cold made it even chewier and tastier. It went well with the pickled dried radish strips too, and it was delicious dipped into the broth while eating the noodles.

The beef-bone-broth pork noodles had a clean yet deep flavor, and I think the meat on top was the same meat as the chilled dombe pork. Like a warm version of the chilled dombe pork, haha. Eating it with the bean sprouts and noodles added a crisp texture that made it even better.

The dongchimi mixed noodles came with dongchimi broth, a special sauce, and shredded Jeju pork. The meat had a different feel from the topping on the beef-bone-broth pork noodles, so the dongchimi mixed noodles had their own delicious appeal. Pour in the dongchimi broth that comes alongside and mix it all together—the cool, tangy flavor is excellent.

Honestly, I don’t think I could choose just one, haha. It’s like deciding between mul naengmyeon (cold noodles in broth) and bibim naengmyeon (spicy mixed cold noodles), you know? Haha. The warm, mild beef-bone-broth pork noodles and cool, tangy dongchimi mixed noodles both feel like must-orders at Handam Guksu. And if that is not enough, add the chilled dombe pork—a Jeju must-try—for the perfect combination...! Haha. I really recommend trying this exact set.

Overall thoughts and whether I’d return

Pork noodles are a must-try food in Jeju. If you are looking for a great pork noodle restaurant, go to Handam Guksu Gwakji Aewol Branch (한담국수 곽지애월점). I recommend the beef-bone-broth pork noodles + dongchimi mixed noodles + chilled dombe pork combination!!