Solo lunch at an Eungam Station noodle restaurant: Songa Kalguksu

📍Location: 486 Bulgwangcheon-gil, 1st floor, Unit 2, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, South Korea

🕐Hours 11:00–20:00 (break time 15:00–16:30 / last order 19:30 / closed every Sunday)

🪑 Baby chairs available

After finishing a workout today, I was starving and headed to Songa Kalguksu, a chicken kalguksu spot near Eungam Station.

Right from the entrance there was a note about the broth being made with medicinal herbs, which got me excited about the flavor.

Can you eat alone at Songa Kalguksu? Bar seats and the dining room

Inside Songa Kalguksu, alongside the 4-person tables, there's a neatly arranged bar-style seating area. It's great for groups, but I also thought it would be perfect for solo diners who want to eat comfortably without feeling self-conscious.

What especially caught my eye was a beautiful wooden plaque near the counter reading '萬福雲興' (manbok-unheung). Curious, I looked it up — it means "ten thousand blessings rising like clouds." It felt like the restaurant was sending good fortune to every guest, and it put me in a good mood even before eating.

Songa Kalguksu menu and prices

• Chicken kalguksu ₩10,000
• Jang kalguksu ₩11,000
• Butter kalguksu ₩8,000
• Squid bibim-mandu ₩11,000
• Bibim-mandu ₩7,000
• Rice ₩1,000
• Drinks ₩2,000

The menu is clean and simple, not overly complicated.

I ordered the signature chicken kalguksu along with the bibim-mandu (mixed dumplings) I'd been curious about.

Each table had a tablet for ordering, which made things convenient, and the self-serve bar and baby chairs were kept hygienically clean.

I took a seat at the bar-style table, which was really comfortable for eating alone.

After ordering, a neat set of side dishes was laid out first.

Chicken kalguksu (10,000 won): herb broth and noodles dipped in perilla oil

The main dish finally arrived! I took my first sip of the broth, and just as the sign at the entrance promised, it had been simmered deeply with medicinal herbs — the flavor was seriously incredible.

The noodles were also super chewy. Dipping them lightly into the accompanying perilla oil sauce filled my mouth with that distinct nutty aroma — a real delicacy.

The spicy, crunchy fresh kimchi on top matched perfectly too.

Bibim-mandu (7,000 won): a rare crispy, chewy side dish

Honestly, I've always been disappointed that there are so few places in Seoul doing proper bibim-mandu, so when I saw it on Songa Kalguksu's menu, I hesitated worrying I couldn't finish everything — but ordered it anyway.

I would have regretted not ordering it! The dumpling skin was crispy outside and chewy inside, and the combination of crunchy cabbage and savory seasoning was fantastic.

Wrapping the seasoned vegetables around the dumplings cut through the richness, and I kept reaching for more.

I worried I'd have to leave some behind because the portion was so big, but I ended up eating every last bit.

Is Songa Kalguksu worth it for lunch near Eungam Station?

I finished the whole spread — maybe because I'd just worked out. It tasted even better after exercising, but honestly the deep herbal broth, chewy noodles, and the bibim-mandu combination made this a really great meal overall.

If you're looking for a filling meal near Eungam Station or craving a warm, soothing broth, give Songa Kalguksu a try!