A Jeju restaurant where two bowls of rice are the norm: Meet Deokseong Restaurant
Hello, this is Lux.
There is a long-standing restaurant in Jeju that I have always felt particularly attached to.
I visited years ago and enjoyed the food so much that I never really forgot the place.
That is why I decided to return to Deokseong Restaurant.
Where is Deokseong Restaurant? Essential information and location
Street address: 145 Sagyenam-ro, Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo-si, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province
Lot-number address: 2130-1 Sagye-ri, Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo-si, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province
Hours: Daily, 8:30 a.m.–9:00 p.m. (open year-round)
Phone: 0507-1415-9707
Features: Breakfast available, parking available, pets welcome
Many visitors spend time walking the Songaksan Dulle-gil trail, where the Hyeongjeseom Islands can often be seen. Deokseong Restaurant is located at a harbor roughly 2 kilometers from there.
The restaurant is tucked just off the harbor road beside the sea. Although it is near the coast, its layout does not offer views of the ocean through the windows.
Because it opens at 8:30 a.m., it seems to be a popular place for a hearty meal not only among tourists starting their day early, but also among local residents.
While I was eating, I noticed many people who work nearby stopping in.
As everyone knows, a restaurant frequently visited by taxi drivers and people doing physically demanding work is usually a good one, right?
^^
The menu focuses on Jeju’s signature seafood, including hairtail, abalone and sea urchin.
Hairtail dishes: The standouts include braised hairtail (₩38,000 small / ₩57,000 medium) and grilled hairtail (₩55,000).
For diners who find it difficult to remove the bones, the restaurant also serves boneless braised hairtail, making it a good choice for families with children or older adults.
This dish is the reason I have remembered the restaurant for so long. The grilled hairtail is phenomenal. The portions are large enough for several people to share and enjoy.
Unfortunately, I was dining alone that day, so I could not bring myself to order it. I really wanted to have it again…
I will have to come back with companions next time.
Earthenware-pot and soup dishes: In the end, I ordered the abalone hot pot (₩16,000). Even as I write this, I still cannot forget its refreshing, spicy broth.
The abalone hot pot comes with around three or four live, fresh abalones, along with plenty of seafood such as sweet shrimp and shellfish, giving the broth a wonderfully clean, rich flavor.
Other dishes: The restaurant also serves most of the seafood specialties associated with Jeju, including seafood hot pot, braised mackerel, grilled tilefish and abalone porridge.
What I love about Deokseong Restaurant
The nearby sea and walking routes
You cannot see the sea directly from the restaurant, but its location is ideal for a walk toward nearby Sagye Beach or the breakwater after your meal. That kind of unhurried sightseeing matters when you are traveling.
You are not here for work, so take the time to enjoy the journey with all five senses.
Neat, well-prepared side dishes
As you can see in the photos below, the restaurant serves a tidy selection of side dishes.
The lineup changes with the season, but it typically includes kimchi pancakes, soy-marinated crab, seasoned vegetables and stir-fried fish cakes. The warm kimchi pancakes, freshly cooked to order, are especially popular with diners.
A favorite with locals and tourists alike
The interior is not flashy or modern, but it has the welcoming comfort that is characteristic of a neighborhood restaurant that has stood in the same place for many years.
Even amid the high prices often found in tourist areas, the restaurant offers generous, well-rounded meals at relatively reasonable prices, which seems to explain its popularity.
Several of Andeok-myeon’s main attractions in Seogwipo are clustered around the restaurant, making it an especially convenient stop when planning your itinerary.
Sagye Coast (one-minute walk): This coastline combines distinctive volcanic rock formations with red sand and is popular with visitors looking to take memorable photos.
Sanbangsan Mountain and Yongmeori Coast (three to five minutes by car): The majestic view of Sanbangsan and Yongmeori Coast, carved by nature, are essential stops on any trip through southwestern Jeju.
Songaksan Dulle-gil Trail (five to 10 minutes by car): This walking trail is perfect for taking in sweeping views that extend toward Gapado and Marado.
My return visit to Deokseong Restaurant
The memory of the restaurant’s bold flavors from years ago brought me back once again.
It is an unassuming local restaurant, but the care put into its food and the quality of what it serves are genuinely impressive.
This is a place that values Jeju’s warmth and the flavor of fresh ingredients.
If you are looking for a warm, satisfying meal accompanied by the beautiful scenery of Sagye-ri, Deokseong Restaurant is a choice that should leave you thoroughly pleased.
I, Lux, am quite particular about food.
That makes finding good restaurants both rewarding and challenging.
Looking for a reliable place to eat on your trip to Seogwipo, Jeju?
Then give this restaurant a try.
This was an honest, self-funded review.
Thank you.
