Hongdae restaurant near Book Street for late-morning gomtang: Baengni

I love bold, spicy food too, but I also love the mild, clean stuff. Especially for a brunch-lunch first meal, isn't it better to go healthy and simple? So I headed to [Baengni Gomtang], a Korean restaurant near Hongik University Station, and the beef gomtang was genuinely mild and delicious!!! It'd also be great for a quick solo meal. Let's get into the review.

Where is Baengni Gomtang? 3 minutes from Hongik University Station Exits 6/7

[Baengni Gomtang] is about a 3-minute walk from Exits 6 or 7. It's tucked inside an alley, but easy enough to find with a map. It's on the side closer to Gyeongui Line Book Street.

The address is 1F, 40-18 Wausan-ro 29-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea, open daily 11:00–22:00 with a break time.

Inside Baengni Gomtang: seating for solo diners and group dinners

The space was compact but clean. The rectangular layout wasn't actually small, but it's split into two sections, so it feels cozy. That makes it good for group gatherings or work dinners, and it never feels awkward for eating alone either.

The promise posted at Baengni Gomtang

A warm, wholesome bowl made with 100% Korean beef, simmered slowly and with care.

Lunch service at Baengni Gomtang: a free glass of Jangsu makgeolli

Eat lunch here and you get a free glass of Jangsu makgeolli! Join the review event and you get handmade tteokgalbi or a drink!

Baengni Gomtang menu and prices

• Beef gomtang ₩12,000
• Beef yukhoe bibimbap ₩13,000
• Beef hot pot (medium) ₩39,000
• Cold boiled pork salad ₩12,000
• Handmade tteokgalbi ₩9,000
• Meat dumplings ₩8,000

Here's what I had for lunch. The basic side dishes were well-ripened kkakdugi, potato salad, and umami-packed salted squid jeotgal — all of which paired nicely with the lunch dishes.

Beef gomtang, 12,000 won: a clear broth that isn't greasy

This is a clear soup made by simmering beef for a long time. It was clean with nothing extraneous, refreshing, and mild. It came seasoned already, and it was just right — not bland, not salty, perfectly balanced. And the broth wasn't greasy at all, which made it even better.

It comes out in a pot, not piping hot, at just the right temperature to really taste the deep, clear broth. It's loaded with green onions for a refreshing, clean finish. There's also a young sprout ginseng root in there — a bowl that thinks about your health too!!

There's white rice inside, prepared toryeom-style (rinsed with hot broth). The rice stays fluffy without turning mushy, so the texture is great too. You can really taste the clear broth alongside it — perfect. It's not rice cooked directly in the soup, it's toryeom-style, and that's genuinely delicious.

The thinly sliced beef is mild and tasty too!! It's a lean cut, not greasy at all, which made it even better. Overall, nothing overpowering, just clean flavor — the kind of dish nobody could dislike. Highly recommend a bowl during this chilly, changing-season weather.

Soy-marinated yukhoe bibimbap, 13,000 won: crunchy gungchae pickles

This is a beef yukhoe (raw beef tartare) bibimbap seasoned with soy sauce. There's also a gochujang version, but I'm more of a soy sauce person. It was slightly sweet, fluffy, and delicious. There's quite a generous amount of mild yukhoe, plus sprouts, lettuce, sprout ginseng, and pickles.

The pickle looked like it was made from gungchae (a crunchy stem vegetable) — kind of like radish, with a really nice crunchy texture. The chewy texture of the yukhoe, the crunch of the gungchae, and the sweet soy sauce all came together beautifully. It tasted like eating a poke salad!!!

Is Baengni Gomtang worth it? A gentle first meal of the day

Overall, the food was genuinely clean and delicious! Both dishes were mild, not overpowering at all. My stomach felt comfortable and satisfied after lunch. If you're looking for a Korean restaurant in Hongdae, I highly recommend [Baengni Gomtang]!!!