Songpa noodle restaurant with a child: herbal suyuk set at Hanyang Dak

Where is Hanyang Dak Kalguksu Main Branch, and when is it open?

Hanyang Dak Kalguksu Songpa Main Branch Address: 1F, 4 Songi-ro 23-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, South Korea 88m from Gyeongchal Hospital Station Exit 4 Hours: Mon–Fri 11:00–21:00 Sat–Sun 11:00–20:00 Chuseok holiday hours 11:00–20:00 Group seating available, takeout, delivery, wifi

My kid said they wanted kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) these days, so we went to Hanyang Dak Kalguksu Main Branch, a well-known spot near Gyeongchal Hospital Station. It's close to Exit 4, so it's easy to find. There are a few parking spots in front of the restaurant, so you can drive there too — if it's full, the paid parking lot at Gyeongchal Hospital works fine.

Inside Hanyang Dak Kalguksu: seating and atmosphere with a child

Walking in, there were a lot of celebrity signatures on the wall. Looks like the cast of Running Man had eaten here too.

There were plenty of 2-seat and 4-seat tables, so it felt comfortable whether you came with a group or alone — several solo diners were there that day too.

Hanyang Dak Kalguksu menu and how tablet ordering works

You order and pay right from the tablet at your table. The menu at this Gyeongchal Hospital-area spot is varied — dak kalguksu, spicy dak kalguksu, samgye kalguksu (ginseng chicken noodle soup), dak gomtang (chicken soup), chojang mul naengmyeon (cold noodles in vinegar-chili broth), spicy dak jjigae, mandu (dumplings), herbal suyuk (boiled pork) — plenty to pick from depending on your mood.

Kimchi and danmuji self-bar, and a chicken broth served unsalted

The dak gomtang on the menu looked good too — we came for kalguksu this time, but I'll have to try it next visit. Kimchi and danmuji (pickled radish) are self-serve, help yourself as much as you want. They even split the kimchi into spicy and less-spicy homemade versions, which is great for people who can't handle spice or for kids. They also aim for a saltiness lower than instant ramen, and said they'll make an unseasoned broth on request — I really appreciated that kind of thoughtfulness.

What we ordered at Hanyang Dak Kalguksu and what it cost

We ordered Hanyang Dak Kalguksu (₩11,900), dak kalguksu with laver topping (₩10,900), herbal suyuk as a set (₩10,900), and galbi mandu (₩6,900). You can also get an extra-large portion for just ₩1,000 more.

After a short wait, our order came out steaming hot. The Hanyang Dak Kalguksu was loaded with egg, green onion, shredded laver, and plenty of shredded chicken — a hearty, appetizing bowl of noodles.

Don't eat green onion? Order dak kalguksu with laver topping

The dak kalguksu with laver topping is a good pick for people like me who don't eat much green onion — it comes topped with chicken and laver instead.

Hanyang Dak Kalguksu makes its noodles in-house, cold-aged for 48 hours. Even eating slowly, the noodles didn't go mushy — they stayed chewy and paired so well with the rich broth. Really tasty.

They use chicken broth simmered for over 12 hours every day, so the soup was rich and deep in flavor, without being too salty — good to eat with kids.

The sides: galbi mandu and the herbal suyuk set

We also ordered the galbi mandu (short rib dumplings) as a side. The size was perfect for sharing, and the sweet-seasoned meat filling was surprisingly popular at our table. I think I'll order galbi mandu again next time.

The kimchi they brought was the less-spicy kind — a nicely fresh geotjeori (freshly seasoned cabbage kimchi) that went great with the kalguksu. Having danmuji too made it even better.

The herbal suyuk we got as part of the set had no gamey smell and was tender and soft — tastier than I expected. Paired with the mu-mallaengi (dried radish pickle) and kimchi that came with it, it was great.

Would I go back to Hanyang Dak Kalguksu in Garak-dong?

Hanyang Dak Kalguksu Main Branch is a well-loved spot in Garak-dong, and I'm glad I found a good kalguksu restaurant in Songpa. The chicken noodle soup portions are generous and good value. Eating out often leaves my stomach feeling too salty, but the broth here wasn't salty at all, which I really liked. The herbal suyuk and galbi mandu sides were also delicious, and my kid enjoyed everything, so I'd love to come back next time I'm craving dak gomtang or kalguksu.