Nowon gamjatang restaurant, free sujebi 24/7: Somunnan Gamjatang

Today I wanted something really filling! I heard there's a famous gamjatang (potato and pork bone soup) spot in Nowon, so I came to check it out. And get this — it's open 24 hours! I bet the neighborhood locals come here a lot.

Somunnan Gamjatang in Jungnye-dong: hours, parking and takeout

There's the main branch and a company-run second branch. Business must be going well for the owner, right? The second branch sits right across from Sangye Station. The owner and the operations manager (whoa) apparently take turns working here, so even at the branch location, you don't need to worry about the taste or service dropping off. The owner seems really thorough about it, haha.

• Open 24 hours
• Takeout available (served uncooked)
• Use the lot between Hyundai Motors and E-Mart, 2 hours supported
• Main menu: gamjatang, ppyeohaejangguk, samgyetang

It's located in Jungnye-dong, known for its hagwon (private academy) district! (If I'd bought a house here, I'd probably come all the time, haha.) It's also an easy walk from Sangye Station.

Here's a photo of the parking lot! We couldn't find it and ended up parking somewhere else, haha, so let me point it out for everyone else. If you're driving, it's easier to park if you come from the IBK Industrial Bank side!

Don't get the wrong idea and think there's no parking~~

Inside Somunnan Gamjatang: a big dining room still busy late at night

Honestly, the exterior alone wasn't ordinary — it had that unmistakable feel of an old, established restaurant. Walking inside, the place is huge! We went a bit late in the evening, and since it's open 24 hours, customers kept trickling in the whole time. They also do takeout, so you could easily bring it home as a side dish for drinks.

Yep, ppyeohaejangguk was clearly the solo-dining menu here, lol. Couples came a lot, solo diners came too, and the older gentlemen were having a shot of soju~! The average age of the crowd skewed a bit older! Oh, and one clear sign this was a real destination restaurant — there were so many kitchen staff!

What comes with the small gamjatang (36,000 won) and its side dishes

Gamjatang (small): ₩36,000

At a gamjatang restaurant, you've got to have the gamjatang. But first, the side dishes!

The kimchi was great — a bit spicy with a refreshing edge, kind of like bossam kimchi (kimchi served with boiled pork). I personally love this style of kimchi. Pickled onions, diced radish kimchi, and mustard sauce round it out — the standard lineup.

Whoa~ Look at this thing, isn't it wild? There's a seriously generous amount of perilla seeds in there, haha. My camera work got a little excited.

Oh, and rice isn't included!! You have to order it separately. As it bubbled away and they ladled broth over everything, I couldn't help wondering how it would turn out, how it would taste. Even just looking at it, the portion is huge!

How the free sujebi tastes simmered in the perilla-seed broth

Oh my??? What is this...? This restaurant's real hook is the hand-pulled dumplings (sujebi)! No extra charge for the add-in! You can add as much of the dough flakes as you like, and they cook it all up for you with real skill. Before long the gamjatang is bubbling away red — and that's when the smell gets seriously incredible, haha.

Oops, there's my face reflected in the spoon. Bat.tle. sta.tions.

There's also siraegi (dried radish greens) mixed in! Well-cooked siraegi and moist meat piled onto a spoon, scooped up in one go. The longer it simmers, the deeper the broth flavor gets! Ahh~ this is why 24-hour service is so great — drinks and gamjatang are just a perfect match, don't you think??? Want a shot of soju late at night, or need a hangover cure early in the morning? If you live near Sangye Station, just run over here.

Look at thisss~! (No off smell at all, and the meat is thick yet incredibly tender!!) (It just melts away)

And the tender ugeoji (napa cabbage greens), ugh, so good. The meat comes off the bone easily too. The two of us ate two servings, and the fact is I was still full when I went to bed that night... the portion is absolutely massive, haha. Isn't that great?

Takeout is available here too! I saw several people picking up orders to go. Just keep in mind that takeout is served uncooked~!

As someone who genuinely loves gamjatang and ppyeohaejangguk, I highly, highly recommend this place!