7 Great Restaurants in Yeosu
Where to Eat in Yeosu and What to Try?
The best restaurants in Yeosu, South Korea include those that serve freshly caught seafood from the pristine waters of the South Sea. Yeosu is a culinary haven with plenty of local specialties. Leaf mustard kimchi and Korean lettuce add to the Namdo region’s unique array of ingredients that create incredibly delicious meals.
If you’re not sure what to eat in Yeosu, the best dishes include gejang baekban (marinated crab with rice), seodaehoe (raw tonguefish), gat jangeohoe (sliced raw pike eel), grilled gul gui (oyster), jangeo-gui (eel). You’ll be amazed at the taste, the portion sizes, and the price of the food in this scenic coastal city.
What are the greatest restaurants in Yeosu?
1. Jongpo Park Nangman Pocha
Late-night waterfront eateries
Good for: Couples, Food, Nightlife
Jongpo Park Nangman Pocha (also known as the Romantic Carriage Street) is a delightful place to visit if you want to enjoy the night sea in Yeosu. The red lights of the Nangman Pochas that shine across Jongpo Park near the ocean every evening are a specialty of Yeosu. Seventeen units of Nangman Pocha, from No. 1 to No. 17, serve fresh seafood and local dishes.
Come here to enjoy seodaehoe muchim (seasoned raw tonguefish), galchi hoe (sliced raw cutlassfish), and gobchang sundae bokkeum (stir-fried beef tripe and Korean sausage). The nearby streets host various breakdancing performances. Nangman Pochas are open from 5 pm until dawn.
Location: 102 Hamel-ro, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do, South Korea
Open: Daily from 6 pm to 1 am
Jongpo Park Nangman Pocha
2. Yeosu Specialty Product Market
For freshly caught seafood and restaurants
Good for: Food, Shoppers, Unusual
The Yeosu Specialty Product Market is home to a collection of popular fish restaurants, while also being a stockist of local ingredients. You’ll find various fascinating foods for sale on the venue’s first floor, whereas the restaurants are located a level above (don’t miss the luxury eel eatery).
Hungry travellers can select meals from a variety of menus including grilled eel, braised cutlassfish, stone crab marinated in soy sauce, and hand-cut sashimi. There are also plenty of interesting side dishes on offer and gourmet delicacies like pollack roe. Portions are generous.
Location: 100-20 Bongsan-dong, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do, South Korea
Open: Daily from 9 am to 8.30 pm
Phone: +82 (0)61-643-8899
Yeosu Specialty Product Market
3. Dolsando
Island of delicious oysters
Good for: Food, Luxury, Unusual
Dolsando is an atmospheric Yeosu island that’s home to a number of restaurants selling raw oysters and gul gui (grilled oysters) between November and April. The island boasts innumerable oyster farms, so it’s a great place to try fresh oyster dishes. The oysters in this area are famous for their plump, chewy texture and rich flavor profile.
In addition to grilled oysters, you can enjoy dishes such as gul hoe (sliced raw oyster), gul gukbap (oyster rice soup), gul cho muchim (oyster with vinegar dressing), and gul jeon (oyster pancakes). Drive along the coastal road and enjoy the spectacular view of the winter sea as well as nutritious cold weather delicacies.
Location: 44 Seodeok-ri, Dolsan-eup, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do, South Korea
Dolsando
4. Dolsandaegyo Bridge Raw Fish Street
Fresh and tasty raw fish dishes
Good for: Couples, Families, Food
If you’re looking for a place to enjoy raw fish in Yeosu, Dolsandaegyo Bridge Raw Fish Street is a good choice for you. Many raw fish restaurants are clustered around Dolsan Bridge and the Dolsan Park area. When you order sliced raw fish, a generous selection of side dishes will be served first. You’ll be amazed by the freshness of the ingredients including webfoot octopus, abalone, shrimp, skate, and vegetables.
Flatfish, rockfish, sea bream, and sole are often selected for sliced raw fish dishes, and some seasonal delicacies are also available. Sliced raw pike eel (gaetjangeo hoe, also called hamo) and pike eel shabu-shabu rank among the best dishes in Yeosu. You can enjoy them during the summer season.
Location: Udu-ri, Dolsan-eup, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do, South Korea
Open: 24-hours
Dolsandaegyo Bridge Raw Fish Street
5. Soho-dong
Seaside town teeming with eateries
Good for: Couples, Food, Luxury
Soho-dong is famous for its sailing arena and Soho-dong Bridge, but it’s also home to a variety of raw fish restaurants helmed by talented chefs, making it one of the best places to enjoy meals in Yeosu. These raw fish restaurants often boats breathtaking sea views. You’ll be amazed by the freshness of the dishes, including the fabulous array of sides on offer.
The secret behind why the freshly caught seafood tastes so good here is down to the use of aerated saltwater tanks. After your meal, take a slow stroll through Soho-dong Bridge Park to enjoy the view of the Dadohae, or enjoy a cup of tea in the nearby café district.
Location: Soho-ro, Soho-dong, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do, South Korea
Soho-dong
6. Jwasuyeong Food Street
Authentic Yeosu cuisine
Good for: Food, History, Unusual
Jwasuyeong Food Street starts from the Jungang-dong roundabout by Yi Sun-Shin Square. Here, you can find a variety of Yeosu specialty restaurants that have been in operation for more than 20 years. Popular dishes include seodaehoe (raw tonguefish), gejang baekban (marinated crab with rice), jangeo gui (grilled eel), hwareo hoe (sliced raw fish), ssugimi tang (stingfish soup), and nakji jeongol (octopus hot pot).
The raw tonguefish is a real must-try as it used to be a royal cuisine served to South Korea’s kings. The fish is drizzled with makgeolli sikcho (raw rice wine vinegar) and mixed with red pepper paste and all kinds of vegetables. Its tender and sour taste is adored by gourmets.
Location: Jungang-dong, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do, South Korea
Jwasuyeong Food Street
7. Gukdonghang Port Eel Soup Street
Hearty eel and cabbage soups
Good for: Budget, Food, Unusual
At Eel Soup Street in Gukdonghang Port, you can enjoy the authentic taste of local soups. While jangeo-tang (eel soup) can be enjoyed anywhere in Yeosu, the area near the Diving Fisheries Cooperatives at Gukdonghang Port hosts the city’s best eel soup restaurants. Eel soup is made with sea eels (also called anago) and comes in two different styles: as a spicy fish stew (maeun-tang) or as a cabbage infused soup (ugeoji).
It’s a nutritious dish made with a broth of eel bones, eel meat, soybean paste, the outer leaves of a cabbage, and perilla seed powder. Its light and savory taste, with no fishy odor, is sensational.
Location: Gwangyang-si, Jeollanam-do, South Korea
Gukdonghang Port Eel Soup Street
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