Gansuk-dong sundaeguk restaurant, ₩20,000 suyuk lunch for two: Gukdam

Lunch for two across from the Gansuk-dong dermatology clinic

Gukdam Sundaeguk Main Branch is a Korean restaurant in Gansuk-dong, Incheon, where you can get sundaeguk (blood sausage soup) and suyuk (boiled pork), and it was close enough that I could just cross the street from the dermatology clinic. I've actually been going to a dermatology clinic in Gansuk-dong, Incheon for about three years now haha.

I go in regularly for acne and freckle treatments, and this time I visited with my husband and we stopped by Gukdam Sundaeguk Main Branch for lunch afterward.

It was such a good location — literally just across the street from the clinic I go to!

The clinic parking lot happened to be full, so I told my husband to head over to the restaurant area first. Since it was the weekend, there was space to park near Sangincheon Elementary School, so we parked comfortably and went in.

Gukdam Sundaeguk menu: sundaeguk, suyuk, gopchang jeongol

Gukdam Sundaeguk Main Branch is a place in Gansuk-dong where you can get sundaeguk as well as suyuk, gopchang jeongol (tripe hot pot), and gopchang gui (grilled tripe). There was a menu board set up outside the restaurant, so we could check the menu and prices before even going in.

I noticed gopchang jeongol and gopchang gui were being sold as new menu items too. I'd love to try the gopchang jeongol next time haha. If you're looking for a good gukbap (soup rice) spot in Gansuk-dong, this place is great, and it also seemed like a solid choice for a group to come have gopchang jeongol with drinks.

Gukdam Sundaeguk hours and closing days

Gukdam Sundaeguk Main Branch is open from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM, with last order at 9:30 PM. Closed every Sunday.

When we visited, there was also a notice posted about Chuseok holiday hours. This Chuseok, they're closed only on the 24th, and open as usual on the 25th and 26th. Good to know if you're planning to visit over the holiday!

What the Gukdam Sundaeguk dining room is like

The first thing I noticed walking in was how clean the place was.

The spoons and chopsticks were individually wrapped a second time, which felt very hygienic.

Every table had a table-order tablet, which made it easy to sit down, look over the menu at our own pace, and order.

On one side, they even had hair ties and aprons ready for customers. Little touches like that made it feel like they really thought about their guests haha.

And the water wasn't just plain — it was heotgae (hovenia) tea water, which I love!

Free self-bar: how many side dishes can you take?

Gukdam Sundaeguk Main Branch has a self-bar, so if you run out of any side dish, you can just go grab as much as you want.

They had house-made kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), barley ssamjang, and chili paste, along with dressed chives, cheongyang chili peppers, and dried radish strips. There were so many good side dishes to pair with the sundaeguk or suyuk that we ended up going back and forth a few times haha.

The self-bar wasn't just side dishes either — there were plenty of children's tableware, salt, and wet wipes too. It was convenient not having to ask the staff for every little thing one by one.

Ordering two sundaeguk and one head meat suyuk

That day we ordered two sundaeguk at ₩10,000 each, and one suyuk at ₩20,000.

The side dishes came out first — salted shrimp, barley ssamjang, chili paste, cucumber peppers, kkakdugi, and a seasoned pork skin dish.

My husband especially loved the seasoned pork skin haha. The chewy texture kept his chopsticks coming back for more.

How clear is the sundaeguk broth at Gukdam?

And then the sundaeguk we'd been waiting for arrived! Gukdam's sundaeguk was a bit different from the milky, rich sundaeguk I'm used to.

The broth was surprisingly clear — clear enough that it reminded me of galbitang (short rib soup) at first glance.

At first, I ate the ingredients, broth, and rice separately to enjoy the true flavor.

After I was about halfway through, I poured the rice into the broth and ate it properly like a gukbap haha. If you like your sundaeguk clean and clear, this one will really suit you.

Chewy head meat suyuk with barley ssamjang

They explained that the suyuk we ordered together was made by boiling head meat. It had a similar feel to pyeonyuk (sliced cold meat) but with a chewy texture that stood out.

My husband dipped the suyuk into the barley ssamjang, so I followed suit, and that combination was truly delicious haha. If you get the chance, you have to try suyuk with barley ssamjang!

It also went well with the dried radish strips and salted shrimp, and dipping a cucumber pepper into the barley ssamjang now and then kept my palate clean.

A clean plate at Gukdam Sundaeguk again today

In the end, we cleaned out everything from the sundaeguk to the suyuk that day too haha.

At Gukdam Sundaeguk Main Branch, they said you can get a sample sundae or a canned drink as a service for participating in a receipt review, so check that out if you're interested.

On our way out after the meal, there were even mint candies and dental floss set out for us.

If you're looking for a good gukbap spot in Gansuk-dong where you can have clean-broth sundaeguk and chewy suyuk together, Gukdam Sundaeguk Main Branch is well worth a visit. We're already thinking about going back to try the new gopchang jeongol menu next time haha.