Gwangju seafood restaurant day drinking: mulhoe, somyeon, ₩1,900 Cass

Gwangju hamo shabu-shabu spot, Wolsan-dong restaurant, Gwangju sashimi platter. Is there anyone in Gwangju who doesn't know Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha?! I stopped by the Wolsan branch, known for its old-school vibe and consistently great reviews. Here's my report on Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha, a Wolsan-dong favorite that never disappoints.

Where is Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha Wolsan Branch and when does it open?

Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha Wolsan Branch is located at 104 Gunbun-ro, Nam-gu, Gwangju, South Korea, 1st floor. It's open from 12:00 to 23:00, and parking is available nearby.

• Address: 104 Gunbun-ro, Nam-gu, Gwangju, South Korea, 1st floor
• Hours: 12:00 – 23:00
• Parking: Available nearby

What is the atmosphere like at Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha Wolsan Branch?

Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha Wolsan Branch feels like an old-school neighborhood joint. It's not the Instagram-pretty type of place, but it has that genuine, lived-in old-restaurant charm.

Because of that, the drinks somehow go down even smoother — and I doubt we're the only ones who feel that way haha. We visited at 1pm and there were plenty of people enjoying daytime drinks. Maybe that's why this branch opens earlier than others, at noon.

With lots of tables and a wide-open hall, Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha Wolsan Branch feels spacious. I'd recommend it for gatherings and work dinners too! Above all, the taste never disappoints (just between us).

Why Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha is my top sashimi pick in Gwangju

But the most important thing is really the condition of the raw fish, the side dishes, and the overall flavor! No matter how pretty the interior is, if the taste isn't there, people won't keep coming back. Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha is the seafood restaurant I confidently rank number one in Gwangju :)

These days a lot of people come from other regions to watch Kia games, and when they ask me to recommend a seafood restaurant, I always say Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha. And almost 100% of the time, they're satisfied ^^

What side dishes come with the meal at Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha?

Compared to my last visit, a few things had changed — the shape of the sushi, the review-event menu, and the pancake. Being such a big fan of Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha, I noticed the changes instantly. That's what being a true fan looks like, right ^^

Salad

Kimchi

Ssamjang (it's so tasty)

Seaweed soup

Vinegared salad

Grilled fish. The lineup is just so good... We kept saying it's the same taste every time, a familiar taste, but somehow it's still this delicious.

₩1,900 Cass beer at lunch in Wolsan-dong

If you visit Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha Wolsan Branch during lunch, you can get Cass beer for ₩1,900.

A bottle of Cass cheaper than a coffee! It'd be a shame not to drink one ^^

Assorted sashimi, bite-sized and easy for kids

The size of the sashimi pieces is just right, which made it easy for us to eat. Honestly, for people who aren't great with raw fish, big pieces can be a problem! But here at Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha, the pieces are exactly bite-sized, so kids and adults who aren't used to raw fish can enjoy it comfortably. If you already love hoe (raw fish), the size doesn't matter, but if you're just starting out or find large pieces hard to handle, Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha works for you too.

It's so good when you DIY it yourself! You know us — we love DIY-ing our meals haha. And at Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha, we enjoyed it just as much doing it ourselves.

Adding mulhoe and somyeon noodles to the order

I was craving mulhoe (cold raw fish soup), so we ordered it today. Maybe because of the heat, I really wanted something tangy. So we also ordered somyeon, mulhoe's perfect partner. The ingredients in the mulhoe were in great condition, and it was so tangy and sweet that the somyeon we added later was delicious too. We were already full, but somehow it kept going in — pure magic!

The review gift at Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha is now shrimp ramyeon

The spicy fish stew that used to come as a review gift has now changed to shrimp ramyeon. And the shrimp ramyeon was seriously delicious too haha. Loaded with several shrimp, it was basically a shrimp broth! Is there really any profit left for the owner when they're this generous with a free review menu ^^ We ate so well (and honestly, we'd been craving ramyeon anyway).

This was our Nth visit to Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha. Everything tasted especially good today, so we were too full for dinner! I was personally touched by the staff today — they kept an eye on our table, brought new chopsticks the moment they heard ours drop, and gave us things we needed before we even asked. That's hard to pull off when you're busy, and we really appreciated it! The staff here are so kind :)

The three promises: "100% refund if it isn't delicious"

"100% refund if it's not delicious" isn't something you can say lightly. But that's how confident Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha Wolsan Branch is. The owner told us about three promises that never change.

• A clean restaurant
• Friendly service
• Fresh in-season ingredients

After coming here for the Nth time, I can confirm all three are true! It really made me nod along.

Hwanggeum Hoe Pocha in Wolsan-dong carefully prepares fresh, in-season live fish and seafood. If you're looking for a great sashimi restaurant in Gwangju, come visit the Wolsan branch. I can confidently recommend it — you'll have a comfortable and delicious time!