# Hongdae Seoul restaurant for a client meeting, chewy naengmyeon: Anok - By Areum Shin (https://superchart.com/en/@seongbuk-narrow-porch/) - Written Sep 20, 2026 - Local places › Restaurants › Mapo, Seoul - Sponsored: This visit was sponsored by the business. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@seongbuk-narrow-porch/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@seongbuk-narrow-porch/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon/index.md) ## In short Anok is a gomtang (clear beef broth soup) and Pyongyang naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles) restaurant in a hanok up a stairway off an alley near Hongik University Station in Mapo, Seoul. Craving naengmyeon even after summer had passed, two diners ordered clear gomtang, Pyongyang naengmyeon in cold broth and braised pork tail, and the three dishes were generous enough to leave leftovers. Between the hanok-view two-seat table and the clear broth finished with cracked black pepper, Anok is a place worth booking with confidence for a client meeting. ## Good to know - **Dishes ordered**: Clear gomtang, Pyongyang naengmyeon in cold broth, braised pork tail (dwaeji kkori jjim) - **Portion for two**: Three dishes were too much for two and a lot was left over; the braised pork tail suits three people - **Seating**: Two cozy two-seat tables looking out on the hanok - **Location**: 13-4 Hongik-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, up a Hongdae alley - **Wait**: The dining hall was full at lunchtime but seating was immediate, and the food arrived quickly *as written by the visitor on Sep 20, 2026* ## What is Anok, the Hongdae gukbap and Pyongyang naengmyeon restaurant? Anok is a hanok Korean restaurant up an alley off Hongik-ro near Hongik University Station. Craving Pyongyang naengmyeon even after summer had ended, we searched for a well-known Hongdae gukbap restaurant and found it. The building's exterior and atmosphere won us over instantly — we were gasping and snapping photos the moment we walked up. ![Exterior of Anok, a hanok restaurant in Hongdae](https://img.superchart.com/images/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon-01-aauhc-900.webp) Just being a hanok, I can't imagine how much more famous this place will get as a Hongdae gukbap spot. It might soon have lines out the door. It's in an area with tons of foreign tourists passing through, and it looks like exactly the kind of place that would flood the results if you searched for Hongdae lunch spots — so we walked in with high expectations. ![View of Anok's entrance up an alley](https://img.superchart.com/images/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon-02-h0y23-900.webp) Now, before we go in, let's take a quick look at the price board. Gomtang and Pyongyang naengmyeon — honestly, that's all you need to hear. Add the hanok charm on top of solid Korean food, and my liking for the place shot up. ![Price board for gomtang and Pyongyang naengmyeon at Anok's entrance](https://img.superchart.com/images/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon-03-nt50s-900.webp) ### Does the Anok hanok exterior work for a client meeting? Can a naengmyeon place really be this pretty? Since it seems fairly new, the exterior is spotless too, making it a spot I'd confidently recommend for a client meeting. Next time I have a meeting with a client company, I'll book this place without hesitation. It's right in Hongdae's core commercial area, but sitting up an alley, it has this hidden, almost time-slip feeling of discovering a secret spot. What do I mean by that? You'll understand once you go. Just go and see. ![Alley leading up to Anok in Hongdae's core commercial area](https://img.superchart.com/images/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon-04-1qfhd-900.webp) Walking in, it might look more like a clean Japanese gyukatsu place than a Korean restaurant, but don't forget — this is a Hongdae gukbap spot and a Hongdae Pyongyang naengmyeon spot. ![Clean interior view of Anok](https://img.superchart.com/images/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon-05-1schc-900.webp) Anok's clean interior grabs your attention right away and boosts your confidence in the place even more. ![Anok's interior decor and tables](https://img.superchart.com/images/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon-06-9745h-900.webp) ## Lunchtime wait at Anok and the hanok-view two-seat table The hall was packed — did we need to wait? I panicked for a moment, but a staff member led us to an even cozier, more atmospheric spot, letting us enjoy a totally chill, peaceful lunch. Now let me brag about the hanok-view Hongdae gukbap and Pyongyang naengmyeon spot, Anok. ![Cozy seat at Anok where staff led us](https://img.superchart.com/images/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon-07-op0es-900.webp) The atmosphere is seriously something. ![Interior of Anok with hanok atmosphere](https://img.superchart.com/images/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon-08-bg116-900.webp) The two-seat table here was unmatched. That cozy spot only fits two tables, and satisfaction was maxed out — good, good, the best. ![Anok's cozy two-seat table](https://img.superchart.com/images/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon-09-thrxq-900.webp) Looking from outside — this seat! This is the one! ![Anok's two-seat table seen from outside](https://img.superchart.com/images/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon-10-t1319-900.webp) From straight on, it's right here! ![Anok's window-side two-seat table seen from the front](https://img.superchart.com/images/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon-11-r1781-900.webp) ## Three dishes for two: clear gomtang, Pyongyang naengmyeon, braised pork tail Being excited was one thing, but we didn't lose sight of why we came — to eat at this Hongdae gukbap and Pyongyang naengmyeon spot. - Clear gomtang - Pyongyang naengmyeon (water broth) - Braised pork tail (dwaeji kkorijjim) Two of us picked three dishes and ended up stuffed with a teary ending of way too many leftovers — but hey, if we were happy, that's what matters. ![Table set with three ordered dishes at Anok](https://img.superchart.com/images/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon-12-1t7m6-900.webp) Wait, no way! The food came out so fast after ordering. I figured it'd take a while during lunch hour, but it came out incredibly quickly, and my jaw dropped again — hello there, familiar naengmyeon! ![Bowl of Pyongyang naengmyeon served quickly at Anok](https://img.superchart.com/images/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon-13-xh69i-900.webp) The clear gomtang has that finely ground black pepper broth that only real go-to spots dare attempt, boasting a clean flavor. A Hongdae gukbap spot, a Hongdae gomtang spot, a Hongdae Pyongyang naengmyeon spot — yes, Anok is delicious too. ![Anok's clear gomtang with ground black pepper](https://img.superchart.com/images/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon-14-1n4q9-900.webp) Since I love eating so much, I picked up the camera and snapped photo after photo of everything. ![Close-up of dishes on the table at Anok](https://img.superchart.com/images/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon-15-1tm47-900.webp) This dish that looks like sweet-spicy fried chicken or Cheogatjip seasoned fried chicken is actually the braised pork tail — and oh... it was truly delicious. We clearly came for naengmyeon, but first we fell for the hanok atmosphere, then for the great seat view, then a spoonful of clear gomtang melted away our morning bus motion sickness, and finally the pork tail jjim blew our minds. We were happy. ![Seasoned braised pork tail at Anok](https://img.superchart.com/images/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon-16-xayue-1200.webp) ### How does the clear gomtang at Anok taste? Anok's clear gomtang, with its thick meat and clean broth, still makes me drool just writing this blog post now. It was a flavor that cured motion sickness — refreshing and clean. Anok truly is a Hongdae gukbap spot. ![Anok's clear gomtang with thick slices of meat](https://img.superchart.com/images/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon-17-ij4vy-900.webp) ### Pyongyang naengmyeon at Anok: chewy noodles and an unusual broth The Pyongyang naengmyeon was clean and true to its roots. I wondered whether our tongues, marinated in the pork tail's seasoning and the gomtang's peppery kick, might fail to appreciate naengmyeon's charm. But naengmyeon is naengmyeon. Eat the light, refined naengmyeon first, then move through the others one by one — that's the way to do it. The meat portion was fairly generous, and the noodles were surprisingly chewy — an interesting texture, not bad at all, and the broth was distinctive, almost like it was steeped with bean sprouts. Anyway, really clean! This does seem to be Anok's own signature charm as a Hongdae gukbap spot. ![Anok's water naengmyeon topped generously with meat](https://img.superchart.com/images/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon-18-deqow-900.webp) ### Braised pork tail at Anok is sized for three Chewy braised pork tail, plentifully portioned — really a lot. If three people go and order this, it'd be just right. For two of us, the portion was quite a lot. Side dishes included basic kimchi and something spicy-sweet, either pickled radish or burdock, not sure which. ![Plate of pickled side dishes at Anok](https://img.superchart.com/images/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon-19-1hnnu-900.webp) Basic diced radish kimchi (kkakdugi). ![Basic kkakdugi side dish at Anok](https://img.superchart.com/images/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon-20-1f4h1-900.webp) ![Side dishes and table setting at Anok](https://img.superchart.com/images/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon-21-526vx-900.webp) ## Lunch in order at Anok: naengmyeon, then gukbap, then pork tail So we savored our happy lunch slowly, taking in the amazing outdoor hanok view, going through naengmyeon, then gukbap, then pork tail jjim in order. ![Lunch table at Anok enjoyed with a hanok view](https://img.superchart.com/images/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon-22-1fh43-900.webp) Every time I ate, the golden spoon caught the sunlight and sparkled, which was fun to photograph, but sadly the camera didn't quite capture it. Anok, the Hongdae gukbap spot, is great... I really want to bring people here for meetings... ![A golden spoon placed on the table at Anok](https://img.superchart.com/images/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon-23-1jqms-900.webp) I keep thinking about that flavor... I want to go again... > Happiness was at Anok. ![View of Anok's hanok exterior after the meal](https://img.superchart.com/images/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon-24-6cilm-900.webp) Thanks for the meal. Anok, the Hongdae gukbap and Hongdae Pyongyang naengmyeon spot — glad we got to visit before it gets too famous. Good stuff. ## Where it is - Anok (안옥) - 13-4 Hongik-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea - 서울특별시 마포구 홍익로 13-4 - 37.5536729, 126.9229752 - Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EC%95%88%EC%98%A5/@37.5536729,126.9229752,17z --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@seongbuk-narrow-porch/anok-hongdae-hanok-lunch-pyeongyang-naengmyeon/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt