Quiet Hongdae restaurant in Seoul for a meal with parents: Anok
In short
Anok is a newly opened Korean restaurant tucked into an alley off the main street in Hongdae, Seoul, with clear pork gomtang (pork bone soup), Pyongyang naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles) and pork tail jjim (braised pork tail) as its signature dishes. All three were ordered on this visit, and the mild, clean naengmyeon and gomtang paired best with the sweet-spicy pork tail jjim. Anok sits inside the alley shopping district so there is no parking, but the quiet room makes it an easy choice for a meal with parents or older relatives.
Good to know
- Signature dishes
- Clear pork gomtang, Pyongyang naengmyeon, pork tail jjim
- Other dishes
- Grilled deodeok root, kimchi jeon, potato jeon, cold sliced pork, donbok platter and more
- Seating
- About 10 tables, window seats available
- Parking
- Not available (inside the alley district off Hongdae's main street; walking recommended)
- Address
- 13-4 Hongik-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul
as written by the visitor on Sep 16, 2026
Today I'm introducing a new spot in Hongdae! Quiet atmosphere, perfect for taking your parents or older relatives — Anok, a Hongdae restaurant serving pork gomtang, Pyongyang naengmyeon, and pork tail jjim. Here's my review after a delicious meal (੭ ˊ ᵕˋ)੭ : ﾟ.+ ˚₊‧ I'll leave my one-line verdict at the bottom 🤍
Where is Anok, and is there parking?
Anok is located at 13-4 Hongik-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, inside the alley commercial area off Hongdae's main street. As you might guess, since it's tucked in an alley, parking is not available!! I'd recommend going on foot.
What Anok looks like from the street
Isn't the exterior so clean and pretty?! I haven't seen many places this neat in Hongdae, and it definitely shows this is a new spot — plus it really feels like the owner put in extra care! It seems like a great place nearby to bring older family members too. It seemed like more adults than young people were visiting, which made the atmosphere even quieter, haha. If you're looking for a clean, tidy place in Hongdae, this is exactly it!
Inside Anok: seating and atmosphere
The inside is clean too!!! There were other guests so I couldn't photograph every angle, but there were about 10 tables I think! The window seats especially had this serene, pretty feel that made me wonder if I was really still in Hongdae, haha. Doesn't it look like a great place for a quiet meal with older family members inside too? While I was eating, there weren't really any very young customers! Everyone was dining quietly,,,~_~
What's on the menu at Anok?
The signature menu items are clear pork gomtang, Pyongyang naengmyeon, and pork tail jjim! There's a wide variety beyond that too — grilled deodeok (bellflower root), kimchi jeon (kimchi pancake), potato jeon, cold jeyuk (pork), donbokjaengban, and more Korean dishes! You can check the full menu through Anok's link^_^
What we ordered at Anok
After much thought, I chose: 1. Pyongyang naengmyeon 2. Clear gomtang 3. Pork tail jjim!
Pork tail jjim (braised pork tail)
Ahh~ the pork tail jjim portion is really huge! It seemed perfect to order everyone their own dish and share this one as a side. The naengmyeon and gomtang have a mild, subtle charm, right?! This dish's seasoning paired perfectly with that. It wasn't very spicy, had a slightly sweet note too, and the pork tail was so tender it just melted in my mouth ㅠㅠ seriously melted••
Clear pork gomtang
The clear gomtang (pork bone soup) really showed why it's called 'clear' — I was told the broth is simmered carefully for a long time, and it really was clear~~! The meat on top blended in perfectly, and mixing in the dadaegi (spicy condiment) gave it a whole different flavor. I'm the type who likes to enjoy the clear broth first before adding the dadaegi, and it was delicious both ways 🤍
Pyongyang naengmyeon
It had been a while since I had naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles), and it really does have that mild, subtle charm! At Anok the noodles were cooked just right — a flawless, classic rendition of the dish, haha.
The best combination at Anok
Whether it was the naengmyeon or the gomtang, the combination with pork tail jjim was just perfect ⭐⭐️ Mild dishes with the spicy-sweet tail jjim — spot on! I highly, highly recommend this combo, haha. Most of the other tables were ordering it this way too, haha.
One-line verdict on Anok
Anok, a Hongdae restaurant, left me very satisfied with its clean hanok interior, quiet atmosphere, varied menu, flawless food, and friendly service! It's perfect for bringing older family members, so I think I'll be thinking of this place whenever that occasion comes up, haha.
