Hongdae solo meal after shopping: yukhoe bibimbap, Baengni Gomtang

Why Baengni Gomtang after a day of shopping in Hongdae?

Baengni Gomtang is a Korean restaurant on Wausan-ro 29-gil, not far from Hongik University Station. I'd been shopping alone in Hongdae and got jostled around by all the crowds, and suddenly I was desperate for Korean food! Hungry, I went looking and ended up here—!

True to its name, Baengni Gomtang (백리곰탕) has both gomtang and yukhoe bibimbap. I almost just went straight home, but figured I'd need a solid meal to have the energy to get there, so I stopped in. The location is at the very bottom of this post :) It's not far from Hongik University Station!

If you head out from Hongik University Station and turn onto the side street on the left, Baengni Gomtang comes right into view. It's also a convenient spot to grab a meal before heading to a café or elsewhere nearby. A good place to stop by while spending a day in Hongdae.

Inside Baengni Gomtang: is it comfortable for eating alone?

The inside of Baengni Gomtang is cozy but by no means small — a pleasant space overall. There's a big picture window so it never feels stuffy, and warm sunlight pours in giving it a snug feeling. I visited alone, and it turned out to be a really nice place for solo dining!

The interior is clean and fuss-free overall, so it was easy to just focus on the food.

There are more tables further inside! The tables aren't packed too closely together, so there was no cramped feeling while eating, and it felt comfortable whether dining solo or with a friend. The tables also seemed well kept and clean. Tidy and orderly overall 😊

Baengni Gomtang menu and prices

Baengni Gomtang's beef gomtang is ₩12,000, and the special beef gomtang is ₩15,000. The yukhoe bibimbap can be ordered with soy sauce or gochujang, and it also comes in a special size.

Sides you shouldn't skip—! There's mini yukhoe, mini suyuk (boiled pork), handmade tteokgalbi (grilled short rib patties), and mandu (dumplings) too.

They also had beef yukhoe dishes and hot pot (jeongol) dishes that are great for a meal or as a drinking snack 😆👍🏻

Basic-size soy yukhoe bibimbap, served with gomtang

Visiting alone, I ordered Baengni Gomtang's beef soy sauce yukhoe bibimbap. They set down a warm gomtang and three neatly prepared side dishes alongside it.

I tried the gomtang before digging into the rice bowl, and — ah, I should've just ordered the gomtang instead! It was clear and clean-tasting, so good. And the salted seafood, potato salad, and kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) were each delicious too.

After drinking the gomtang that came alongside, I thought maybe I should've ordered that instead, but the soy yukhoe bibimbap turned out just as tasty, so no regrets haha. The beef soy sauce yukhoe bibimbap had more raw beef than I expected, which went really well with the rice. Mixing the rice with the yukhoe and various vegetables gave it a nice range of textures and made for a filling meal! You could really tell the yukhoe was fresh. The soy sauce wasn't salty, just slightly sweet, and delicious 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

I ordered the basic size instead of the special size. The portion was just right for eating alone and feeling full :) After getting completely overwhelmed by the crowds in Hongdae, it was the perfect meal to recharge.

Is Baengni Gomtang worth it for a mild meal in Hongdae?

There are so many restaurants in Hongdae that it's always hard to decide what to eat, but on a day when you want something easy and gentle rather than heavily seasoned food — a proper, satisfying meal — I'd recommend stopping by Baengni Gomtang near Hongik University Station 😊

Baengni Gomtang is on the 1st floor of 40-18 Wausan-ro 29-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea, close to Hongik University Station's Exit 6 (Gyeongui-Jungang Line) and also near Exit 9 (Line 2). The owner was kind too, and it was a wonderful place to visit for a clean, proper Korean meal.

Next time I visit, I'd like to try a different menu item than what I had this time. I want to come back just for the gomtang. If I lived in this neighborhood, I think I'd order delivery from here often. Next time I should bring family or a friend ^^