Beef soup and makgeolli at Geumnyeong, a Yeoksam Korean restaurant

Yeoksam's gomtang (beef bone soup) go-to, Geumnyeong Gomtang Yeoksam Branch — I went for minari gomtang, pollock salad, and a glass of makgeolli haha

I was craving something warm and filling around Yeoksam, so this time I visited Geumnyeong Gomtang Yeoksam Branch :)

What Geumnyeong Gomtang Yeoksam Branch looks like inside

When you hear "gomtang restaurant," you kind of picture an old-school, worn-in place, but Geumnyeong Gomtang Yeoksam Branch was bigger and more spacious than I expected — it felt clean and comfortable the moment I walked in.

The tables weren't cramped at all and everything was neatly arranged overall, so it looked like a good spot whether you're eating solo, grabbing lunch with coworkers, or coming with a group haha

The staff were friendly right from the start too, so I got to begin the meal in a good mood.

Menu and prices at Geumnyeong Gomtang Yeoksam Branch

The menu had basic gomtang for ₩13,000 and minari gomtang for ₩14,000, plus rice noodles and minari rice noodles, along with pollock salad (myeongtae-hoe-muchim) for ₩14,000 as a nice side dish. We ordered the gomtang, the minari gomtang, and the pollock salad.

With a combo like this, you can't skip a drink, right lol. In the end we ordered a bottle of makgeolli too and had a proper feast ♥

Kimchi comes as the basic side dish, and it really went well with the gomtang. A spoonful of broth, then a bite of kimchi on top — a combo your spoon just keeps reaching for haha

Self-serve banchan: dried radish and pickled perilla leaves

Another thing I liked about Geumnyeong Gomtang Yeoksam Branch is that they have a separate self-serve bar.

At the self-serve bar you could grab extra banchan, and I especially loved the radish pickle and perilla leaves! The radish pickle had a crunchy bite with a salty, slightly spicy flavor that paired really well with something as mild as gomtang. The perilla leaves were fragrant and perfectly seasoned with rice too, so I went back for more more than once lol.

How does the basic gomtang broth taste?

First, the basic gomtang had a clear broth with real, proper beef flavor. It wasn't too intense or salty from the first sip, starting off mild and clean — so it never felt heavy no matter how much you ate! Pouring the hot broth over rice and topping it with meat and kimchi — that's exactly what a filling meal is all about haha

With mornings and evenings turning a bit chilly these days, this kind of hot soup dish is exactly what you crave. It warms you up from the inside, so it's great for lunch, and honestly tastes like something you'd crave the day after drinking too :)

Basic gomtang or minari gomtang: which bowl to order?

And personally, I liked the minari gomtang even more! Adding minari's (water dropwort) distinctively fragrant, refreshing aroma to the deep flavor of the basic gomtang definitely gives it a different kind of charm. If you like minari, I'd honestly recommend the minari gomtang over the basic one haha

The broth was mild with minari's aroma rising up, making it feel a bit cleaner, and eating the meat together with the minari was a great combo too. It never felt greasy or heavy all the way to the bottom of the bowl, so I kept going back for the last spoonfuls of broth.

Spicy pollock salad with a bottle of makgeolli

And I really want to tell you to order the pollock salad (myeongtae-hoe-muchim) along with it! The sweet-and-sour, spicy sauce and the chewy texture of the raw pollock made for a completely different flavor from the gomtang, and it was great to enjoy both together. Eating hot, mild broth and then taking a bite of pollock salad instantly wakes your appetite back up haha

It's delicious on its own, but also goes great with rice, and most of all, it was the perfect pairing for makgeolli lol. Honestly we just went in to eat gomtang that day, but once we ordered the pollock salad, we couldn't not order makgeolli.

In the end we did have some makgeolli, and the combo of the earthy makgeolli, a spicy-tangy bite of pollock salad, and a warm spoonful of gomtang broth was just so good ♥ It's great for a light lunch, but I think it'd also be nice to come in the evening for boiled pork or pollock salad with a glass of makgeolli.

Is Geumnyeong Gomtang Yeoksam Branch worth a visit?

Geumnyeong Gomtang Yeoksam Branch has a spacious, comfortable dining room that made for an easy meal, and the staff were friendly too, so overall satisfaction was high. From the basic kimchi to the radish pickle and perilla leaves at the self-serve bar, everything was tasty, so my hand kept reaching for banchan all through the bowl of gomtang haha

The mild, filling basic gomtang, the minari gomtang with its fragrant water dropwort, and the tangy-spicy pollock salad — I really loved the menu combo overall. When you're craving hot soup in Yeoksam, or want a filling meal with a glass of makgeolli, give Geumnyeong Gomtang Yeoksam Branch a try :) Next time I want to order boiled pork too and properly enjoy it with pollock salad and makgeolli haha ♥