Nonsan ₩43,000 hanjeongsik course booking: Sonamu Hanjeongsik

Ask any local in Nonsan where to go for hanjeongsik (Korean course meal), and they all point to the same place — Sonamu Hanjeongsik! It's such a well-known Nonsan restaurant that people book it for meetings between families, family gatherings, and all kinds of anniversaries. Here's my honest review.

Where is Sonamu Hanjeongsik in Nonsan, and what are the hours?

• 357 Nonsan-daero, Building A, Nonsan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea
• Daily 11:00–20:00
• Break time 15:00–17:00
• Last order 14:00 / 19:00
• Closed every Wednesday
• Reservations available

The exterior really lives up to the name, right? (Sonamu means pine tree — haha.) The moment you walk up to this Nonsan restaurant, pine trees dotted around and a stately hanok building catch your eye.

Right out front there's a private parking lot. It's spacious and relaxed, so you can come for a company dinner or a big family meal without worrying about parking.

Just as I was about to step inside, a Blue Ribbon sticker caught my eye! I looked up what it means — it's awarded based on an overall evaluation of taste, service, atmosphere, and whether guests would return, so it's apparently not easy to get. This Nonsan restaurant has received a Blue Ribbon every year since 2024. Seeing that only raised my expectations, haha.

Booking a private room for an in-law meeting or family gathering

Besides the open table seating on the first floor, Sonamu Hanjeongsik has plenty of private rooms, plus more room-style seating upstairs on the second floor. Stepping inside, the atmosphere is calm and serene — a great place to bring your parents, too.

I could really see why this Nonsan restaurant is famous as a venue for meetings between families, family gatherings, 60th or 70th birthday parties, and every kind of anniversary.

I'd booked ahead, and a staff member kindly showed us to our room. It was great being able to eat privately while having an important conversation with my companion. Once you're in your reserved room, the dishware is already simply set.

Sonamu course 43,000 won vs Gukhwa course 30,000 won

Sonamu Hanjeongsik's main menus are the Gukhwa set (₩30,000) and the Sonamu set (₩43,000). Note that on weekends and holidays, only the Sonamu set is available! There are also additional dishes and a range of alcoholic drinks. We ordered the Sonamu set.

Opening dishes: nibbles and pumpkin porridge

As soon as we ordered, four basic side dishes came out, followed by the first welcome dish: a snack platter. The snacks were four kinds — pine nuts, cashews, purple sweet potato, and dried jujube — and they really got our appetite going, haha.

Nibbling away at the snacks, the second welcome dish arrives right after: pumpkin porridge. Doesn't that golden color look delicious? Soft, warm, and it soothes an empty stomach — nothing beats porridge, haha.

First dishes: pot rice spread and perilla oil buckwheat noodles

Just as we finished the pumpkin porridge, the first course arrived. A full, neatly arranged spread — from the left, glutinous rice pancake (buggumi), Ganggyeong seasoned seed jeotgal, Andong mountain yam with pickled tomato, chilled chicken salad, seasonal salad, plus hot-pot rice and doenjang (soybean paste) soup.

They said the hot-pot rice is made with rice they grow themselves! Maybe that's why it tasted even better, haha. The doenjang soup was also packed with zucchini, tofu, mushrooms, and meat — so good!

Right after that came perilla oil buckwheat noodles. My first reaction was 'huh?' but eating it, it turned out nutty, chewy, and honestly addictive, haha.

Main dishes: braised beef short ribs, grilled hairtail, soy-marinated shrimp and spicy octopus

Enjoying the first course, the main course kicks off with braised beef short ribs. Maybe because it's cooked low and slow for 24 hours, it was incredibly tender with amazing depth of flavor. You could finish a whole bowl of rice on the ribs alone!

Next up, golden-brown grilled hairtail! The fish was huge and thick-cut. Once I picked out the bones from the sides and center, it was practically boneless. Piling hairtail on white rice and taking a big bite — happiness doesn't need to be far away... it really is right in front of you, T.T

Then came the soy-marinated shrimp, not salty or fishy at all, just plump and meltingly good, haha. What I really appreciated was that the shells were already peeled for easy eating — such a thoughtful touch from the owner! When you're hosting guests or at an important gathering, getting your hands messy can feel a bit awkward... a small thing, but it made the meal much more comfortable!

Just when I felt like something with a bit more kick, the spicy octopus stir-fry showed up right on cue. There's thin noodles mixed in, and tossing them together felt like a total reset, haha. The octopus was tender and the sauce soaked perfectly into both the octopus and noodles — impossible to stop eating!

The last dish of the main course was ginseng fritters. They were seriously big and thick, haha. That sauce there is made from ginseng — a matter of taste, but I preferred eating the fritters plain without the sauce, crispy and clean-tasting.

Already so full... but I can't resist the scorched rice from the hot-pot! You haven't really had the hot-pot rice until you've had this. Nutty scorched rice with a bit of kimchi on top — another winner, haha.

Finishing dishes: yuzu jelly and strawberry juice

Really, truly the last course! For the closing dish, yuzu jelly and strawberry juice came out. The strawberry juice was wonderfully rich and perfect for cleansing the palate. Near the exit there's another dessert station with coffee, hot chocolate and more, so if yuzu jelly and strawberry juice aren't enough for you, you can grab extra dessert there.

Verdict: hanjeongsik near Nonsan's Yeonmudae and Tapjeong Lake

Great food, and on top of that — they give back! A portion of Sonamu Hanjeongsik's proceeds reportedly goes toward donations. Overall I was really satisfied with Sonamu Hanjeongsik! From the atmosphere to the variety, taste and quality of the food, there was nothing to fault. Sonamu Hanjeongsik is also close to Nonsan's Yeonmudae training center and Tapjeong Lake, so it's easy to visit. If you're after a clean, well-put-together hanjeongsik for an everyday meal or a special occasion, this Nonsan restaurant is a strong, strong recommendation!!!