Hongdae naengmyeon restaurant with glassless window seats: Anok
In short
Anok is a hanok restaurant serving Pyongyang naengmyeon (buckwheat cold noodles) and gomtang (clear beef broth soup) just off the main street by Hongdae's front gate in Mapo, Seoul. From a glassless window seat with the open-air feel of a yajang, we ordered Pyongyang naengmyeon, gomtang and braised pork tail, and the house-simmered clear broth and the naengmyeon bowl piled high with meat were the highlights. Anok is a quiet break from the chaos of Hongdae and an easy place to take visiting friends from abroad for Korean food.
Good to know
- Location
- 13-4 Hongik-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul
- Hours
- Tue-Sun 11:00-22:00, closed Mondays
- Groups and private bookings
- Available
- Parking
- Nearby public parking lots
- Dishes ordered
- Pyongyang naengmyeon, gomtang, braised pork tail
as written by the visitor on Sep 14, 2026
preview
I was so surprised to find such a nice-atmosphere Pyongyang naengmyeon and gomtang spot right on Hongdae's main street! Recommending Anok as a Hongdae naengmyeon spot and gomtang spot. They open from lunchtime, so it'd be great for Hongdae students' lunch or nearby office workers too.
Where Anok is in Hongdae, and its opening hours
- Location_13-4 Hongik-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul
- Hours_Tue-Sun 11:00-22:00 / closed Mondays
- Groups and private bookings available
- Parking has to be at a nearby public parking lot!!
A hanok restaurant hidden in the chaos of Hongdae
It was so surprising to find such a Korean-style restaurant near Hongdae's front-gate main street. Compared to the chaos of Hongdae outside, it was really calm and quiet in here, so comfortable for a meal.
I think it'd be popular with foreigners visiting Hongdae too, and I thought it would be perfect to introduce to my foreign friends whenever they visit Korea. The space feels very Korean, and the menu is clean, neat, and mostly Korean dishes, so I really wanted to recommend it.
Also, since they're open for lunch, it seemed good for Hongdae students or nearby office workers to eat here.! And the prices are pretty great too.
House-simmered clear broth: the three dishes we ordered at Anok
I heard Anok's broth is made from noodles simmered in-house for both the naengmyeon and the gomtang!! This house-brewed broth seems to be Anok's signature point. So looking forward to a clear, deep broth. --!
So we ordered Pyongyang naengmyeon, gomtang, and pork tail jjim!!•••
Anok's glassless window seats and their open-air yajang feel
We sat at this window seat, and since there's no glass and it's basically outdoors, a breeze drifted in and it felt like sitting at an outdoor yajang spot — the atmosphere was so good. I really wanted to bring a foreign friend here.
The basic side dishes came out. I think kkakdugi (diced radish kimchi) and kimchi are essential with gomtang, and the refreshing taste was so good. The gungchae namul (aster greens) was tasty too.
And seeing the brass spoon rests, spoons, and cups, I really felt the Korean spirit was captured well. So good.
The inner tables like this one were right by the open indoor-outdoor edge, so nice. Perfect for weather like this these days. Highly recommend this seating area! The yajang season is short, so gotta enjoy it now!!
How Anok's gomtang and Pyongyang naengmyeon taste
The food came out fast, which was great. The gomtang came first. You could really feel the clear, deep broth. House-brewed broth really is different. With the weather cooling down, this hot soup tasted even better. Dipping the meat in the ssamjang (dipping sauce) that came as a side made it feel like eating suyuk (boiled sliced meat), and it was delicious.
The Pyongyang naengmyeon came out right after. I've never seen a Pyongyang naengmyeon with this much meat on it before, haha. Felt like you could fill up on the meat alone. The broth was rich and clear as expected, and the buckwheat noodles were tasty too. I'd been sad there was no good naengmyeon place near Hongdae, but this place is totally solid!!
Is the braised pork tail at Anok worth ordering?
We also ordered pork tail jjim, which pairs well with gomtang. The visuals were amazing... the table got super full.
The pork tail jjim was genuinely great too. Not too salty, not too spicy, not overdone — the flavor was just right. That made it so nice; I could keep eating without feeling weighed down, and it wasn't overpowering. The collagen was so chewy! No pork smell at all!! It's perfect as a side with gomtang and would also make a great drinking snack.
Eating Korean food in a hanok like this made for such a great atmosphere. And all that in the middle of otherwise chaotic Hongdae..!
Why Anok is my pick for Pyongyang naengmyeon in Hongdae
I really love Pyongyang naengmyeon — eating it in summer is one of my joys — and Anok's naengmyeon was so delicious. Truly highly recommend! The mild, understated flavor is the best. The broth is the real deal~ House-brewed broth really is different!!!!
If you're looking for a good spot in Hongdae, I recommend Anok. It's also great to bring foreign friends along. If you want a very Korean restaurant, Anok is perfect. Make sure to try the naengmyeon and gomtang!!•••
