Hongdae gomtang restaurant in Seoul for peppered clear broth: Anok
In short
Anok is a hanok gomtang (beef bone soup) restaurant tucked into an alley about a 10-minute walk from Hongik University Station in Hongdae, Seoul. The order was clear gomtang, Pyongyang naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles) and pork tail jjim, eaten in turns: a clean broth with a light dusting of pepper, a noodle broth with no sweetness, and pork tail in a smoky, tongue-tingling sauce. Anok is a good pick for a day when you want a light, clear broth instead of something heavy and heavily seasoned.
Good to know
- Location
- 13-4 Hongik-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul (within a 10-minute walk of Hongik University Station; about 10 minutes from Sangsu Station)
- Ordered
- Clear gomtang, Pyongyang naengmyeon, pork tail jjim
- Meal dishes
- Gomtang, Pyongyang naengmyeon
- Main dishes
- Pork tail jjim, cold jeyuk (boiled pork slices), yukhoe (beef tartare), donbok jaengban, Korean beef bulgogi hot pot
- Jeon (pancakes)
- Cheese potato jeon, kimchi jeon and more
- Parking
- Not available; use nearby public parking lots
as written by the visitor on Sep 21, 2026
Today I stepped just slightly off Hongdae's loud, bustling alleys to eat a tidy, well-mannered bowl of gomtang (beef bone soup) at Anok, in a hushed, elegant hanok.
I eat a lot of spicy delivery food and greasy drinking snacks these days, so there are days when I really crave something gentle and clean-tasting. I was looking for exactly that kind of place when I found this one. I'm a huge fan of clean, clear soups, so I went in with high expectations — and both the food and the atmosphere exceeded them. A very satisfying meal.
Where is Anok, and where can you park? A hanok 10 minutes from Hongik University Station
Anok is within a 10-minute walk of Hongik University Station, and about 10 minutes on foot from Sangsu too. You just turn slightly off the main road into an alley, and suddenly there's this calm, quiet hanok — what a surprise!
Given the neighborhood, parking isn't possible, so if you're driving, check a nearby public parking lot first, park, and then enjoy a stroll through the alley on your way over.
Inside the Anok hanok: the mood of the room
The moment you open the door, you're met with a clean, tidy interior. It's cozy enough for a casual drink or a simple meal. Who knew Hongdae had a restaurant with this kind of atmosphere?!
What's on the Anok menu, and what we ordered
Here's the menu! Anok's signature meal dishes are gomtang and Pyongyang naengmyeon, and the main dishes are pork tail jjim, cold jeyuk, yukhoe, donbokjaengban, and Korean beef bulgogi hot pot. There are also pancakes like cheese potato jeon and kimchi jeon, which seem perfect for pairing with a hot pot and a glass of makgeolli on a rainy day.
We ordered Pyongyang naengmyeon, clear gomtang, and pork tail jjim. The gomtang isn't the milky-white kind — it's the clear style you see more often these days!
Clear gomtang at Anok: a clean broth with a light dusting of pepper
Anok's clear gomtang came out quickly, dusted lightly with pepper for a refreshing taste. Taking a first spoonful of the broth — said to be carefully hand-simmered — there was no gamey smell or greasiness at all, just a mellow, deeply savory broth that was clearly well made.
It's light yet savory, the kind of taste that's hard to dislike. The meat inside had no gamey smell either, thin and tender — scooped up together with rice, it settled my stomach and left me full and comforted.
Pyongyang naengmyeon at Anok: savory with no sweetness
And then Anok's Pyongyang naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles), which really exceeded expectations. Honestly, clear gomtang is a warm dish, so it's hard to mess up, right? To really tell if a place is legit, you have to check the cold broth — and this naengmyeon was pure clean savoriness, without a trace of sweetness.
There was none of that lingering greasy aftertaste you get from MSG-based broth, and the noodles were wonderfully chewy... a perfect Pyongyang naengmyeon. Distinctive meaty aroma with a clean finish. As more clear gomtang places pop up and start serving naengmyeon alongside it, this one clearly stands out with a cleanness that the older, established naengmyeon spots don't quite have.
Pork tail jjim at Anok: smoky, tongue-tingling sauce and a seriously chewy bite
And then Anok's pork tail jjim, which made us want a drink! It was my first time eating pork tail — it felt pretty similar to jokbal (pig's trotters) — and the sauce, full of smoky char, was genuinely spicy-sweet and good.
The moment you bite in, there's an extreme chewiness that sticks right to your lips, plus a well-balanced sauce — it paired perfectly alternating between gomtang, naengmyeon, and pork tail jjim.
What kind of day is Anok in Hongdae best for?
Anok is a Hongdae gomtang restaurant that's perfect for when you want a clear, deep broth to comfort your stomach instead of something heavy and seasoned, or when you want to eat with people you care about in a refined, quiet space!
From the light comfort of the clear pork gomtang, to the refreshing gut-punch of the cold Pyongyang naengmyeon, to the chewy pork tail jjim that all but demands a drink — every dish felt made with care, and I felt well taken care of the whole meal. Instead of food drowning in intense seasoning, this is a fantastic option when you want to fill up on a clear, deep broth simmered for hours by hand.
Next time I'll definitely order the Pyongyang naengmyeon again, and for the mains I want to try something different.
