Hongdae restaurant for a Friday dinner of sujigomtang: Doonjeong

Where is Doonjeong Hongdae Direct Branch, and what are its hours?

Doonjeong Hongdae Direct Branch is at 183-12 Donggyo-ro, 1st floor, Mapo-gu, Seoul — walk out Exit 1 of Hongik University Station, keep CGV on your side, and it's a 5-minute walk straight ahead. Hours are weekdays (Mon–Fri) 11:00-21:00 (break 15:00-17:00 / last order 14:30, 20:30), weekends (Sat–Sun) 11:00-21:00 (break 15:30-17:00 / last order 15:00, 20:30).

The concept is "a bowl that delivers warmth." They only use hanwoo (Korean native beef) cow and domestic ingredients, and the space is comfortable whether you're eating alone or with friends, family, or a group.

Friday evening after work, my husband and I were debating where to grab dinner, and we ended up at Doonjeong Hongdae Direct Branch, a place I go to often for the yukhoe bibimbap! My office is right next door, so I've come here for lunch plenty of times, and the yukhoe bibimbap is so good I really wanted my husband to try it too haha. Walk out Exit 1 of Hongik University Station, keep the CGV building on your side, walk about 300m, and you'll find it easily — the accessibility is great.

Right from the entrance there's a banner announcing two consecutive years on the Blue Ribbon Survey, so it feels like a proven spot just from the outside. The exterior is sleek and clean with full glass windows too, making it a great choice for a date or a Hongdae lunch spot!

📌 Today's post summary

• The atmosphere at Doonjeong Hongdae Direct Branch
• Full Doonjeong menu & receipt review event details
• Honest taste review of yukhoe bibimbap & deep, chewy sujigomtang
• Taste review of the meat kimchi pancake

Inside Doonjeong: a dining room built on hanwoo cow beef only

Stepping inside Doonjeong Hongdae Direct Branch, a cozy space opened up that's perfect whether you're eating alone or with friends, family, or a work dinner group. Doonjeong says they prepare every day with the mindset of "a bowl that delivers warmth," so that a single meal can be a comfortable moment.

Their signature gomtang (bone broth soup) is made by simmering hanwoo cow for a long time with care, giving it a deep flavor without being harsh. Since they only use hanwoo cow and fresh domestic ingredients for everything, I could enjoy it with extra peace of mind.

Doonjeong menu prices and the receipt review event

Looking over the menu board at Doonjeong Hongdae Direct Branch, it was well stocked with everything from good lunch options to dishes perfect for an evening drink!

• Yukhoe bibimbap (includes gomtang broth) ₩16,000 (add yukhoe +₩9,000)
• Sujigomtang ₩16,000 / clear hanwoo gomtang ₩13,000
• Meat kimchi pancake ₩18,000

Write a Naver receipt review and you can get anything from a canned drink to a side dish, and there's also a ₩2,000 discount event on takeout after your meal — worth keeping in mind!

Yukhoe bibimbap, 16,000 won: fresh minari with hanwoo raw beef

The signature dish I was most looking forward to: yukhoe bibimbap. Fresh minari (water dropwort) and julienned onion are piled generously underneath, topped with a heaping serving of vivid red, fresh hanwoo yukhoe (raw beef)!

I mixed it up with my chopsticks and took a big spoonful — the fragrant freshness of the minari and the savory, chewy texture of the yukhoe were seriously incredible together. Sipping the warm gomtang broth served alongside made it go down smoothly and cleanly, and my husband and I were both raving about it!

Sujigomtang, 16,000 won: slow-simmered, deep and clean beef tendon soup

I ordered the signature sujigomtang for my husband, who loves a good soup. It's loaded with sliced green onion, and the hanwoo suji (beef tendon) is simmered for a long time so the broth is clean yet deep and rich — really excellent.

Dipping the tendon into the special soy sauce, it had zero funky odor and was wonderfully chewy and tender — it just exploded in the mouth! Mix rice into the gomtang broth, add a piece of crunchy diced radish kimchi, and you'll finish a whole bowl of rice without even noticing — that's how deep the flavor is.

Gogi kimchi jeon, 18,000 won: aged kimchi meets hanwoo

We ordered the meat kimchi pancake to go with the main dishes, and the visual alone was amazing! It's packed with well-aged kimchi and plenty of hanwoo, pan-fried until the outside is crisp like a cracker while the inside stays richly flavorful.

Dipping a piece with a bit of onion into the onion soy sauce that comes with it cut through what could've been a heavy, greasy taste, making it the perfect pairing with the yukhoe bibimbap and sujigomtang!

Is Doonjeong better for lunch or for drinks near Hongik University Station?

Doonjeong Hongdae Direct Branch works perfectly as a tidy lunch restaurant by day, and by evening it has the vibe of a great Hongik University Station restaurant-bar for enjoying hanwoo gopchang hot pot or a pancake with a drink. From food quality to depth of flavor to the upscale atmosphere, nothing was missing at this Blue Ribbon-listed spot, Doonjeong Hongdae Direct Branch!

Strongly recommended for anyone near Hongdae looking to feel satisfied and refreshed with a hearty, fresh hanwoo yukhoe bibimbap or a deep bowl of gomtang.