Sundaeguk restaurant by Eunpyeong District Office, Seoul: Samo Nokbeon

The original Samo Sundaeguk is across from the Bulgwang-dong NC Department Store. I've been going there for ages, so when I heard a branch opened even closer to my house in Nokbeon, I was so happy haha. What makes Samo Sundaeguk stand out is the sheer volume in each bowl — pork, offal, everything piled generously — and it even has pork intestine, which I'm obsessed with. Perfect for an offal lover like me. Right in front of Eunpyeong District Office, so it's super accessible too. Being able to eat my long-time favorite sundaeguk now near home in Nokbeon made me so happy that I went straight over to check out this Nokbeon-dong restaurant, Samo Sundaeguk Nokbeon.

Where is Samo Sundaeguk Nokbeon, and what is the restaurant like?

✔️ Samo Sundaeguk Nokbeon, a Nokbeon-dong restaurant located right in front of Eunpyeong District Office. Follow the big sign inside and the restaurant appears — the interior was more spacious than I expected. It's been run for three generations since 1986, with meat boiled fresh every day and broth made only from pork bones, no additives.

The interior is clean and bigger than you'd think.

Tables were spaced generously apart, and there's a row of window seats great for eating solo, so it looked like a good spot for office workers around Eunpyeong District Office to grab lunch too.

Samo Sundaeguk Nokbeon menu and prices

The menu ranges from mixed sundaeguk to lean-meat sundaeguk, offal sundaeguk, suljjuk, and suyuk, with the basic sundaeguk at ₩10,000. You can also order it spicy or in a special size depending on your taste — a solid Eunpyeong-gu Korean restaurant option for a filling meal.

Self-serve side dish bar: the fresh kimchi steals the show

After ordering, they bring you a small plate for side dishes and cheongyang chili peppers first. ✔️ The basic side dishes are set up at the self-serve bar, so you just take as much as you want.

The self-serve bar has plenty of fresh kimchi, kkakdugi, onions, and garlic.

The fresh kimchi especially is insane haha. Putting a bit on top of a spoonful of sundaeguk was so good I think I refilled it three times lol. The kkakdugi was well-fermented and tangy too, a perfect match with the soup.

Before the sundaeguk even arrives, the side dishes are neatly set up. Fresh kimchi, kkakdugi, onion, garlic — you grab as much as you want, and all the sides you'd miss at a Korean soup restaurant are properly there.

Salted shrimp, ssamjang, and dadaegi chili paste were already set on every table, so no need to go get them separately. Spoons and wet wipes were also neatly tucked into the table drawer, and you can season your sundaeguk to taste with as much salted shrimp and dadaegi as you like.

Our son's lean-meat sundaeguk, regular, 11,000 won

✔️ Lean-meat sundaeguk (lean meat + 4 sundae), regular, ₩11,000.

My son still can't handle offal well, so we chose the version with lean meat and 4 sundae, and the bowl was absolutely packed with lean meat. Every time you stir it with a spoon, more meat kept turning up — hearty and filling.

My husband's mixed sundaeguk, special, 13,000 won

✔️ Mixed sundaeguk (head meat + offal + 4 sundae), special, ₩13,000.

The husband's mixed sundaeguk lived up to the special size — the bowl itself was noticeably bigger, packed with head meat, various offal, and 4 sundae. One stir and the toppings came pouring up — Samo Sundaeguk really delivers on portion size, true to its reputation as an Eunpyeong-gu favorite.

The husband mixed in a good amount of dadaegi and started eating it spicy. He said the rich pork bone broth with that added kick was perfect for mixing in rice. He also tried the fresh-kimchi-style cabbage kimchi and kept saying it was really good, eating it alongside the soup the whole meal.

My spicy mixed sundaeguk, 10,000 won, with a heap of perilla powder

✔️ Mixed sundaeguk (head meat + offal + 4 sundae), spicy, ₩10,000.

I didn't even have to think about it, ordered spicy from the start haha. The red broth with a generous pile of perilla powder on top was totally my style just from the look of it.

It comes with head meat, offal, and 4 sundae, and every spoonful brought up more toppings — a really generous portion. The spicy, rich bone broth mixed with the nutty perilla was also perfect for a hangover.

On the way out after paying, they even had coffee candies set out for everyone to take one as a little dessert.

Opening hours and parking at Eunpyeong District Office

Samo Sundaeguk Nokbeon, a Nokbeon-dong restaurant right in front of Eunpyeong District Office with great accessibility and generous portions. Rich pork bone broth loaded with toppings made for a hearty, satisfying meal, and the fresh kimchi was totally my style. If you're looking for a restaurant near Nokbeon Station, I'd recommend a bowl of sundaeguk here.

• 1 o'clock direction from Eunpyeong District Office main gate
• Daily 07:00–22:00, same hours Monday through Sunday
• Eunpyeong District Office parking lot available — paid weekdays 9am–6pm at ₩1,500 for the first 30 minutes, then ₩250 per 5 minutes, ₩27,000 daily max
• Free before 9am or after 6pm on weekdays, and free all weekend