Minari gomtang and minari rice noodles side by side: Geumnyeong

Today I finally visited Geumnyeong Gomtang (금녕곰탕) in Wangsimni, a place I'd been meaning to try for ages. It's a gomtang (beef bone soup) restaurant, but I'd heard their minari (water dropwort)-loaded menu was famous, so I'd been putting it off for way too long — finally made it there today haha. If you're looking for a Wangsimni restaurant, a good spot for solo dining in Wangsimni, or a gomtang restaurant, take notes now 📝 It's a gomtang specialist that simmers premium Korean beef every day, and it's especially known for its signature dish piled high with minari.

What's the vibe like inside?

Inside, log pillars and props like straw sandals and woven baskets hang here and there, giving it a warm, nostalgic feel like stepping into an old countryside hanok house.

The tables were spaced generously and the chairs were standing-style rather than floor seating, which made it easy to bring elderly family members or families with kids (they actually had a baby chair on hand). One wall had a sunflower painting and cute little frames hanging up, so it didn't feel bare — it felt cozy — and there was a TV too, so waiting wasn't boring at all.

At the entrance, labels for refrigerated Korean beef shank were neatly lined up, with traceability numbers and grades all posted for anyone to check — it really showed how meticulously they manage their ingredients!

Geumnyeong Gomtang menu and prices

Looking at the menu, it was gomtang ₩13,000, minari gomtang ₩14,000, rice noodle soup ₩13,000, and minari rice noodle soup ₩14,000, with an extra ₩2,000 for the XL size on each item. You could also add extras like meat sari for ₩5,000, beef tendon sari for ₩4,000, rice noodle sari for ₩2,000, and a bowl of rice for ₩1,000, which made it easy to share as a family.

What we ordered today was 🍲 minari gomtang 🍜 minari rice noodle soup — one bowl of each.

Side dishes: jar kimchi and dried radish salad

For side dishes we got kimchi and a dried radish salad (mumallaengi muchim), and the kimchi came out in a big jar-shaped bowl, catching the eye right away with its visuals.

The radish kimchi was crisp and well-seasoned, and the cabbage part had a crunchy bite without being too salty — refreshing enough that I kept alternating between a spoonful of soup and a bite of kimchi.

The red-seasoned dried radish salad on the side had a chewy texture with a sweet-and-sour, spicy seasoning soaked in, giving it a solid savory punch — it's on the salty side, so it went perfectly with rice. Neither side was overpowering, both had real savory depth, and they matched really well with the rich broth.

Minari gomtang

The moment I lifted the lid, I was surprised to see minari completely covering the top of the soup.

Once I scooped the minari aside, there was plenty of tender Korean beef shank sitting on top of the milky broth, and the rice was soaked lightly in the soup, so one spoonful gave me the minari aroma, the meaty flavor, and a subtle savoriness all at once.

The Korean beef shank was thinly sliced along the grain and cooked so well it practically melted without much chewing, and the minari had a strong aroma but no bitterness — just a refreshing taste that kept me scooping it up with the broth over and over.

Minari rice noodle soup

The rice noodles were boiled to a springy, bouncy texture, and this bowl too was piled high with minari, releasing a burst of fragrant aroma.

The broth was a bit cleaner and lighter than the gomtang, the kind of style that made the noodles slurp down easily. The Korean beef garnish on top was also thinly sliced and tender to chew, and the balance between noodles, minari, and meat was spot on — a different kind of charm from the gomtang.

To sum up

• ☑️ If you're near Wangsimni looking for a rich but clean Korean beef gomtang, this was great for two people to share, like me and my husband
• ☑️ The origin labels and Korean beef traceability tags were fully transparent, which really boosted confidence in the ingredients
• ☑️ Both the minari gomtang and minari rice noodle soup were satisfying — the fragrant minari aroma paired so well with the rich broth that it's a taste I keep thinking about
• ☑️ It works well whether you're eating solo or enjoying a cozy meal for two, so I'd 200% go back

Next time I want to order the boiled pork (mulsuyuk) and pollock skate salad (myeongtae hoemuchim) too and have the full spread. Highly recommend! If you're ever in Wangsimni, be sure to stop by (⁎˃ᆺ˂)