Jung-gu Korean restaurant for beef kalguksu after Deoksugung: Tanbaek

Tanbaek after a Deoksugung and Jeongdong-gil walk

Whenever I visit Deoksugung Palace or Jeongdong-gil, I find myself wondering where the good restaurants around here are. This time, I went to Tanbaek on Jeongdong-gil! I tried everything from gomtang kalguksu (knife-cut noodles in beef broth) to yukgaejang kalguksu and kimchi dumplings, and it was such a nice place for a clean yet filling meal.

Hours are 11:00–21:00 Monday through Saturday, with a break from 15:00–17:00 and last orders at 20:00. On Sundays, it is open 11:00–17:00, with last orders at 16:00.

Tanbaek is set on lovely Jeongdong-gil. Jeongdong-gil is one of those places where modern culture and history remain everywhere, from Deoksugung Palace and the Seoul Museum of Art to Jeongdong First Methodist Church and Jungmyeongjeon Hall. So even though it is right in the middle of Seoul, walking around here feels a little special. It is great for visiting a restaurant, of course, but I also recommend taking a slow walk along Jeongdong-gil before or after your meal!

A 1 p.m. weekday wait and seating on two floors

There was a wait even when I arrived at 1 p.m. on a weekday. I took the photo above as I was leaving, but at around 1 p.m. there were about five parties ahead of us, so we waited around 20 minutes before going in. It was less of a wait than Catchtable showed, but you can make a reservation through Catchtable, so I recommend booking ahead if you are visiting at lunchtime!

Tanbaek has a first and second floor. The first floor has bar seating like this, while the second floor is more spacious.

There is also an interesting story behind the name Tanbaek. It is said to mean speaking honestly and plainly, without hiding anything. Knowing that it represents serving honest food with clean, good ingredients made me trust it even more.

Apparently, the space was not simply newly built either—it began when they found the main beam of a wooden building that had burned in a fire during demolition.

They preserved the charm of that space and completed it with various Korean craftspeople, so it was fun to look around the interior while eating, too.

The second floor was busy too, right? Haha. Still, there were more seats upstairs, including tables for two and four. They also have high chairs, so it seems like a nice place to come with children!

Clear Korean beef gomtang kalguksu and the menu

Tanbaek's signature dish is clear Korean beef gomtang kalguksu. It is easy to think of kalguksu as an everyday food, but Tanbaek says it makes it with a slightly special meaning. In the Joseon era, beef and wheat flour were not as common as they are today, so kalguksu made with beef broth and wheat flour was considered quite a precious dish.

Tanbaek focuses on this original form of kalguksu, making gomtang kalguksu in a clear, mild style: noodles warmed in beef broth and topped with beef.

Maybe that is why, after looking at the menu, I became more curious than I would be about an ordinary bowl of kalguksu, haha. They also have mushroom rice and more, so it seems good for eating with kids. They sell makgeolli (Korean rice wine) by the glass too, which is perfect with a meal~

Ordering by QR code was so convenient, too. This is what we ordered.

• Gomtang kalguksu
• Yukgaejang kalguksu
• Kimchi dumplings

Kimchi dumplings and gomtang kalguksu

Kimchi comes as a basic side dish, and kimchi is important at a kalguksu restaurant, right? Tanbaek's kimchi was absolutely delicious~ It goes perfectly with the noodles!

The kimchi dumplings came out first~! These Seoul-style kimchi dumplings were spicy and crisp, so they were great alongside the kalguksu.

The dumpling wrappers were pleasantly chewy, the filling was packed in, and the portion was quite generous. I was so satisfied~

Soon after, the kalguksu arrived too. With its clear broth, it looked very clean from the first impression. It was topped with beef, and the broth was not overpowering, so it was easy to enjoy.

The knife-cut noodles and clear Korean beef broth came together beautifully. It was just the thing when I wanted a mild, satisfying bowl.

Personally, I love kalguksu with this kind of clean broth, so I really enjoyed it—and with the kimchi, it was the best!

Spicy yukgaejang kalguksu, too

And this is the yukgaejang kalguksu. While the gomtang kalguksu is clear and mild, the yukgaejang kalguksu is warming and spicy!

They are both kalguksu, but the moods are completely different, so if two people visit, it would be nice to order one of each and share. Eating the noodles in that peppery broth made me feel warmed right through.

It was delicious with the meat topping, and the gosari (bracken fern) was incredibly tender, too. It was spicy and warming without being too hot, which I liked even more~!

Along with gomtang kalguksu, Tanbaek offers seasonal kalguksu, warm sliced boiled beef, and Korean beef suyuk jeongol (boiled beef hot pot), among other dishes. It made me want to try the other menu items next time. Especially if several people visit, it would be great to add warm sliced beef or the beef hot pot to the kalguksu for a proper meal~!

It is a great place to visit when you want a clean, filling meal while walking around Deoksugung Palace or Jeongdong-gil! Next time, I would love to try the summer or winter limited kalguksu, or the warm sliced beef!!