Mackerel add-on for four at a Yongdam, Jeju fish grill: 36,000 won

Naturally, the last day of the trip meant Dongmun Market was calling. Before heading over, we wanted to feed the kids some cutlassfish, so we hit up a grilled fish spot in Jeju.

Despite being close to the airport, the prices were reasonable — with the set menu we got grilled fish, braised fish, and stew all together, and the four of us ate a hearty meal for under 40,000 won.

Near the airport, covering your first or last meal in Jeju!

Where is Naneun Jigeum Saengseoni Meokgo Sipda Yongdam Airport Branch, and where do you park?

Where is Naneun Jigeum Saengseoni Meokgo Sipda? Seven minutes by car from Jeju International Airport, six minutes from Dongmun Market! Parking? No dedicated lot ❌ — there's space along the stream next to the restaurant, so we parked there using our best judgment.

• Address: 168 Yongmun-ro, Jeju-si
• Hours: 09:30-21:00
• ✅ The branch I visited was the "Yongdam Airport Branch"
• ✅ Decent review event perks
• ✅ If you have deodorizer, spray away.

Inside the Yongdam fish restaurant: white interior, wide gaps between tables

The place wasn't huge, but the tables were spaced out enough that it never felt cramped, and the all-white interior gave it a clean feel. Since it's not far from the airport, a lot of people seemed to be stopping by comfortably on their first or last day of the trip.

A whole lineup of pre-grilled fish, waiting!

At the entrance, there's always a stack of pre-grilled fish on standby 💬 mackerel, cutlassfish, croaker. The sheer quantity of fish was hard to even estimate given how many customers must come through — it's honestly surprising they go through it all! Once we ordered, they reheated it right away.

What 36,000 won gets you: Dad's Set for two plus a grilled mackerel

A grilled + braised + stew set for two, all for 30,000 won

I expected just grilled fish, but this Jeju fish grill spot is affordable even with braised fish included. So we went with the Dad's Set for two — cutlassfish, braised cutlassfish, soft tofu stew — and added a grilled mackerel.

Let's take a look at what 36,000 won gets you! Two kinds of fish, plus grilled, braised, and stew — three dishes total, honestly great value!

How is the soft tofu stew (sundubu-jjigae)?

The broth on the soft tofu stew leaned spicy. It was a bit more modest than a specialty stew place, but it was generous with tofu, and after eating the grilled fish, my spoon kept drifting back to that spicy broth.

Grilled mackerel vs grilled cutlassfish: which is better with kids?

Let's try both the grilled mackerel and the grilled cutlassfish!

Since the Dad's Set is for two, I added grilled mackerel for the kids, and honestly, the mackerel was way better than the cutlassfish! (Imagine if I hadn't added it!)

The grilled cutlassfish comes cut into pieces, and they weren't small either. We got to work with chopsticks, deboning the top and bottom sections.

It was seasoned just right even without dipping it in soy sauce, and the fish itself must have been fresh — there was none of that dry, mealy texture.

Because of that, my son happily ate it with nothing but rice and cutlassfish on top, easily polishing off half a bowl of rice with it!

At this Jeju grilled fish spot, this was (dare I say) the most delicious dish we had. The grilled mackerel had noticeably plump flesh with just the right amount of natural oils, delivering a rich, savory flavor.

Starving, I dove straight into the visible mackerel meat, and my husband quickly removed the center bone for me! The bone itself was pretty sizable given the fish's decent overall size, and even the darker meat next to it had no fishy taste at all. It's easier to eat than the cutlassfish and has more meat, so if you're visiting with kids, definitely order the mackerel!

Braised cutlassfish: gochujang-based and close to tteokbokki in flavor

The seasoning on the braised cutlassfish was a flavor I hadn't encountered before. Where it's usually a spicy red pepper flake base, the braise at Naneun Jigeum Saengseoni Meokgo Sipda Yongdam Airport Branch has more of a gochujang (red chili paste) base, tasting close to tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), and the cutlassfish had meat as substantial as mackerel pike.

Was deboning cutlassfish always this easy? The chunks in the braise had such plump meat that it just slid right off the bone with a swipe — and wow, it practically melts in your mouth, haha. Being near the airport meant no need to rush, so we ate at a leisurely pace 💬 and that wrapped up our visit to this Jeju grilled fish spot.