Hongdae Seoul Korean restaurant with jazz in the hanok hall: Anok

Where is Anok in Hongdae, and when is it open?

Anok sits at 13-4 Hongik-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul — walk down from Exit 9 of Hongik University Station and turn into the alley, and you'll find a small, tidy hanok building housing the restaurant. It's open Tuesday through Sunday, 11:00–22:00, with last order at 21:00, and closed on Mondays.

• 📍Location: 13-4 Hongik-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul
• *Walk from Exit 9 of Hongik University Station and turn into the alley — you'll spot the entrance of a small hanok building!
• Hours: Closed Mondays / Tue–Sun 11:00–22:00 (last order 21:00)
• 🔸Reservations: Walk-ins welcome, no booking needed

The stone-walled alley leading to Anok's hanok entrance

The whole path to Anok's entrance is lined with a stone wall. The first time I found the restaurant and saw the entrance, I was genuinely surprised — a pretty hanok house was the last thing I expected in Hongdae, so I checked the sign again just to make sure I was in the right place.

The entrance looked as tidy and clean as if I'd booked a stay at a hanok guesthouse. That same atmosphere carries all the way to the restaurant's door.

What is the hanok hall inside Anok like?

Inside, paintings hung on the walls and the lighting blend together into a neat, well-kept hanok interior. The friend I came with was just as surprised, saying they had no idea a restaurant with this kind of atmosphere existed in Hongdae.

Walking in, the paintings on the walls and the lighting made for such a neat, put-together hanok interior that both my companion and I were impressed — neither of us knew a place with this kind of vibe existed in Hongdae. In person, the Asian aesthetic really comes together and makes it even prettier.

A full view of the restaurant's interior

Anok's sign

After taking a look around, the dishes we'd ordered had already arrived.

What we ordered at Anok

I went with the signature dishes. The first one out was a pork dish I don't often get to try — pork interpreted as a braised jjim.

Pork tail jjim: leftovers packed up for the next day

Anok's pork tail jjim was genuinely delicious. It wasn't just tasty because the seasoning was strong — it had a jokbal (braised pig's trotters)-like quality, but without any of the pork gaminess or the distinct jokbal flavor, more like chewy seasoned meat.

Even kids could probably handle the spice level, which felt just mildly hot to me (*personal spice tolerance noted). Honestly this dish was so good I wanted to mix it into my rice.

We even asked to pack up the little bit we had left, and I ate it again the next day — that's how good this signature dish was.

Pork gomtang (pork bone broth soup) and naengmyeon are Anok's signature combo, and it's the first time I've seen a place serving these Korean dishes together. Every dish came out looking as pretty and neatly plated as the photos suggest.

Pyongyang naengmyeon: mild enough for first-timers

My friend, a self-proclaimed 'naengmyeon master,' said Anok's Pyongyang naengmyeon is a great flavor for people trying it for the first time.

They praised it highly, saying the umami and seasoning were well balanced — not bland at all, but interpreted in a way that everyone could enjoy 🌟

Pork gukbap: all the meat gone before the rice went in

Anok's pork gukbap came with a really generous amount of meat. I finished all the meat before I'd even had a bite of rice and was already full — I loved how much meat there was, and the broth was seasoned just right, with a rich gomtang flavor that made me crave it as autumn turns to winter.

Even I, someone who usually can't handle naengmyeon, could eat Anok's version without any trouble.

The full table spread and the jazz playing at Anok

I loved how neatly the table was filled at Anok. Every bite felt like a small, happy moment, and the music playing alongside the hanok atmosphere added a lot to it.

With slightly jazz-toned music playing, it was such a good place to sit and talk. Even though it's an open space and gets busy, it never feels chaotic — you can tell real effort went into keeping the atmosphere composed and enjoyable (which made it even better!!)

Anok is a genuinely clean, warm space where you can feel the neatness of Korean food — I don't think anyone would regret coming here 💛🏯

Who is Anok in Hongdae best for?

• A great space for family gatherings to enjoy Korean food together
• Recommended as a date-course restaurant in Hongdae
• A place I'd love to bring a foreign friend to for Korean food in Hongdae — it carries both Korean sentiment and flavor

Would I go back? 🌟🌟🌟 Yes, definitely.