Solo dining in Hongdae, Seoul: a 2pm tendon gomtang at Doonjeong

I visited Doonjeong Hongdae Direct Branch, a gomtang (beef bone soup) and gopchang jeongol (tripe hot pot) restaurant known for its deep flavor in Dongyo-dong.

• 📍Address: 서울 마포구 동교로 183-12 1층 (183-12 Donggyo-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea)
• ⏰Hours: Daily 11:00–21:00 (break time 15:00–17:00 / last order 14:30, 20:30)
• 🅿️Parking: Nearby alternative parking recommended

Why Doonjeong works for a solo lunch in Hongdae

I went to meet a friend in Hongdae, but my poor friend had a work meeting and had to go, leaving me alone.

We'd agreed to meet again for dinner later, but skipping lunch felt too empty, and I had a feeling I'd just end up filling my stomach with caffeine instead... So I went looking for a Hongdae lunch spot and picked Doonjeong Hongdae Direct Branch.

I heard it had won the Blue Ribbon Survey award two years in a row, so I booked on Naver right away and went.

When I arrived and was taking photos outside, the owner came out the door and greeted me warmly, calling out my reservation name! The fact that they knew the reservation name and paid such careful attention gave me the sense they were not only kind but really on top of running the place. My trust went up before I'd even eaten ⬆️

It was 2pm, past the main lunch rush, but the dining room was still quite full. (By the end, I was the only one left!😃 typical of a big eater)

What one person ordered at Doonjeong, and the prices

• Clear hanwoo gomtang (tendon) - ₩16,000
• Meat muchim (half plate) - ₩11,000

I actually went planning to get the yukhoe bibimbap, but I saw 'suji' (tendon) on the menu and immediately ordered the tendon gomtang haha. I really love tendon, but it's oddly hard to find and often pricey, so I don't get to eat it often — and Doonjeong's tendon gomtang is only 16,000 won. It felt reasonably priced right from the start 👍

They brought out a stack of ceramic bowls like a tower, and I wondered what it was — turned out to be kimchi when I opened it up.

The color alone made the napa cabbage kimchi and diced radish kimchi look perfect!

Even the salt and pepper shakers are cute 🤍

The gomtang comes in a heavy, elegant gold-toned bowl (basin?), and it's so hot that staff serve it wearing gloves. The spot they set it down was a bit awkward for me, so I hesitated for a second, and the owner immediately caught it — 'It's hot, let me move it for you, which side would you like it on?' — and reset it. Do these owners secretly learn mind-reading or people skills somewhere?? So thoughtful and kind 🤣

Clear hanwoo gomtang with beef tendon, 16,000 won: how big is the portion?

Doonjeong's clear hanwoo gomtang is unseasoned pure broth, so you salt and pepper it to your own taste — but I wanted to pair it with the meat muchim, so I left it unseasoned on purpose and enjoyed it plain. The broth itself was clean but deep-flavored, plenty delicious even without salt.

Above all, the tendon portion was really generous! I assumed a tendon gomtang would only have tendon, but there were also three thick chunks of lean meat, plus plenty of jangjorim-style meat with visible grain — the portion felt really plentiful.

This is the soy dipping sauce for the meat, and they'd cutely piped a dab of wasabi into the corner. Mixing that wasabi in and dipping the meat — it was seriously. so. good! This sauce is genuinely amazing...

The tendon was so chewy, the meat so tender, it was delicious piled on rice with kimchi, and just as good paired with the meat muchim... I want to eat it again 🤤

For anyone who likes spicy flavors, there's also a 'spicy hanwoo gomtang' — pick whichever suits your taste!

How the half plate of seasoned beef, 11,000 won, tastes

Next up was the meat muchim! You'd usually assume dishes like this are heavily seasoned, but Doonjeong's version stands out for keeping the freshness of the ingredients themselves clean and light. Still, for my taste, which leans toward bold flavors, it had just the right seasoning — mild but subtly spicy — and I really enjoyed it.

Good for a solo lunch, good for evening drinks too

The food overall was clean, tidy, and fresh, and I found myself nodding along thinking 'Blue Ribbon-winning places really are different.' Both the staff and the owner were so kind, and there were foreign customers there when I visited, so it seems word has already spread internationally.

Doonjeong Hongdae Direct Branch is great for a filling solo lunch of gomtang or bibimbap, and just as good for an evening drink alongside hanwoo gopchang jeongol or shrimp minari pancake. They serve traditional liquor, distilled spirits, and makgeolli too.

I eat alone often and love it, but when something's really delicious, I somehow feel a little guilty eating it solo and end up vowing, 'Next time I have to bring my family and friends.' (Maybe that's why I keep gaining weight...) This place was exactly like that! If you're looking for a Hongik University Station restaurant or bar, don't hesitate — go to Doonjeong!