Myeongjin Jeonbok Abalone Restaurant — Restaurant in Jeju

Kitty and I were on an epic bike adventure around Jeju Island, riding anti-clockwise on the Jeju Fantasy Bike Path. Myeongjin Jeonbok was planned as one of our lunch stops based on its impressive 4.1-star rating and countless reviews mentioning its delicious abalone dishes. We were determined to try it out, especially after seeing the photos of over 5,000 reviewers.

The restaurant is simple and cozy, with a straightforward menu focused on abalone dishes. We found the food to be delicious. The abalone porridge was creamy and flavorful, and the abalone itself was tender and perfectly cooked. Kitty even commented that, although there wasn’t a ‘wow’ factor to the restaurant decor, the abalone was incredibly fresh. We ordered the small size of abalone of 5, which came sizzling hot on a pan. We loved grilling it with butter, and the taste was amazing.

We were particularly impressed by the value for money. The prices were reasonable, especially considering the quality of the food. In fact, we found that the quality of the abalone dishes at Myeongjin Jeonbok was a bit nicer than some of the other restaurants we tried on our trip. Kitty also loved the side dish that came with an egg. She particularly enjoyed it and even asked for multiple refills. However this restaurant does not have any alcohol beverages.

What really made our experience special was the kindness of the aunty who runs the shop next door. When we were looking for Myeongjin Jeonbok, she saw us and asked if we were looking for the abalone porridge restaurant. She then kindly directed us to the restaurant, which was just beside her shop. She even gave Kitty a free hotdeok to try and a bottle of orange, which was such a thoughtful gesture. We were so touched by her friendliness and generosity that we ended up buying a packet of hotdeok and a drink from her in the end.

Myeongjin Jeonbok is a great choice for a quick and satisfying lunch stop during your bike adventure. The food is simple but incredibly tasty, and the atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming. But it’s the warmth and kindness of the people in Jeju that truly make this island special. We highly recommend Myeongjin Jeonbok to anyone looking for a delicious and cosy dining experience, and we suggest stopping by the friendly aunty’s shop...

Located by the side of the sea with amazing views where you can watch various species of waterbirds flying by. The restaurant was clean, cosy and spacious.

Food wise, we ordered the Grilled Abalone with Butter, Abalone Porridge, and Abalone Stew.

Before the main dishes arrive, they gave us some sides which included an entire fried fish which tasted amazing. It was lightly-fried and the meat inside was soft and sweet.

The Abalone with Butter was surprisingly good. It was topped with an entire clove of garlic, and it was actually sweet and mild (we love it so much) unlike the typical strong-tasting garlics we are used. This dish comes in 6 or 10 pcs.

As for the stew, for just 15,000 won, there were three abalones, three clams, one flower crab, and two prawns in the soup which was a huge steal. To top it off, it comes with a bowl of rice. The soup has a tinge of spice like what you would expect from kimchi stew. This dish was our overall favourite.

The porridge on the other hand caught us a little off-guard when it first arrived as it was slightly green in colour. Despite the colour, the porridge tasted savoury and homely. We realised it might’ve been the essence of the abalone being mixed into the porridge hence the colour. Mixed in also were slices of abalone which added extra sweetness to the porridge.

All-in-all it was a wonderful experience, and even more so such hot food in the still chilly spring weather. Do note that it is the restaurant’s policy that each person must order at least...

Visited Myeongjin on a rainy day. Would say this would be a nice stop to enjoy some hot food and delicious abalone. Welcomed by a male staff who looks like the boss, could speak little English and tried to recommend me the rice or the porridge. I decided to order the rice as it looks more fancy. Wanted to order something else but was wondering the portion of it would be too much so decided to hold on to it until finishing the Stone Pot rice. Have to say it's well executed and it tastes very good. The abalone was very fresh and tasty and the rice was flavourful. I followed the steps to take the rice out of the hot stone and pour little water to the remaining rice in the hot stone and let it simmer. It was pretty good as it turned like a semi porridge state as well as could eat the burnt rice in it. Was quite full but then thought I should order the abalones to try. Too bad the portion was at least for 2 persons and I asked if they could half the serving and they said no. I think this is a common thing happening in Korea where most of the items are pretty big with at least 2 to share for a start. So ended up just having the hot stone pot rice with the banchan small dishes. Was surprised there was a fish that came with it and it was so good there were literally no bones in the entire fish! Very enjoyable and recommended though the location is a little...