Hongdae Seoul restaurant to share gomtang and naengmyeon: Anok

Hi, it's Sup :) Today I went to a restaurant near Hongik University Station that's supposedly famous for gomtang (beef bone soup) and Pyeongyang naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles), so my sister and I held hands and hurried on over haha. One bowl each plus pork tail jjim (braised pork tail) ••• we ate really well. Let's get into the review!

Where is Anok? A tiled-roof hanok near Hongik University Station

It's a place with that traditional feel bursting out, like a converted hanok. The tiled roof and wooden gate are so visible you can spot the restaurant right away 😊

Anok menu and prices: the three dishes two sisters ordered

The menu board was right there — clear gomtang, Pyeongyang naengmyeon, yukhoe bibimbap (raw beef mixed rice), pork tail jjim, cold jerk pork, yukhoe (raw beef), pork platter, hanwoo bulgogi hot pot, deodeok gui (grilled bellflower root), cheese potato pancake, kimchi pancake !! An entire Korean menu all in one place.

• Gomtang ₩13,000
• Pyeongyang naengmyeon ₩14,000
• Pork tail jjim ₩29,000

This is what we ordered >_<

• 📍 13-4 Hongik-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• 🕖 Daily 11:00-22:00, closed Mondays
• 🏬 Group-friendly, delivery, takeout, Wi-Fi

There's a courtyard too, perfect for photos haha. When there's a wait, I thought it'd be great to stand here in the shade while waiting 😋

Inside Anok: seating and atmosphere for bringing your parents

Walking inside, soft lighting was on and traditional-feeling tables and chairs were arranged. It's been so long since I've seen a place with this vibe that I thought it would be great to bring my parents here! It really seems like it'd hit their taste haha 🤍 There are 2-person and 4-person tables, and if 6-8 people come they push tables together. It's a comfortable space even with a group.

The vibe is seriously insane •• the lighting and interior are chef's kiss

Anok side dishes: kkakdugi, gungchae and kimchi

🔅 The side dishes came out, 🔅 they gave us kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), gungchae (pickled aster greens), and kimchi. I used to be really into that crunchy, delicious gungchae jangajji (soy-pickled greens) and I was so happy to have it again after a long time!

For the serious eating we had to put on aprons too haha

Gomtang 13,000 won: broth-soaked rice with 6-7 slices of boiled pork

My pick, the gomtang, came out first! The rice was soaked right into the broth, topped with 6-7 hefty slices of boiled pork. They said it's a basic bowl made with a clear, deep broth simmered in-house, and honestly, rice soaked in soup with that much chunky pork on top! ₩13,000 felt like a reasonable price.

Pyeongyang naengmyeon 14,000 won: trading rice for noodles with my sister

Next up is the Pyeongyang naengmyeon my sister ordered, which is basically the same as the gomtang but with noodles instead of rice 🍜🍜🍜 When I was little I used to think, why would anyone eat naengmyeon? But the older I get, the more I find this mild, understated flavor of noodles appealing rather than something more intense haha. It looked light and clean too, which I really liked.

The portion of noodles was pretty generous too, so I got some shared with me haha

Like this haha, my sister and I nicely split rice-bowl and noodle-bowl!! Menu assignment complete ✅

Pork tail jjim 29,000 won: too much for two people to finish

Next is our main dish, pork tail jjim ❤️ Tender pork fat and soft meat stuck around the bones! Picking it off the bone piece by piece was genuinely fun. Chewy and spicy and delicious haha

The portion was so generous that my sister and I couldn't finish it together ㅠㅠ I almost wanted to take the leftover pork tail home 😭 If you come with a group, this is dish number one that I'd say to definitely order as the main.

Is Anok good for a family meal or a date in Hongdae?

She even did the 'Anok, yay!' pose for me ✌🏼 Usually cynical, but when I ask my older sister to do stuff like this, she still comes through haha. I was really satisfied getting to eat such delicious Korean food in such a nice-atmosphere space, and above all, the portions were generous so I thought it was great value. Totally worthy of a family meal or a couple's date !! If you want a hearty spread, I highly recommend Anok.