Sick-day solo bowl at a Wangsimni gomtang restaurant: Geumnyeong

Geumnyeong Gomtang, a solo-dining favorite in Wangsimni, recommended for its tender Korean beef and rich broth.

• Location: 11 Wangsimni-ro 20-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, Geumnyeong Gomtang
• Hours: Mon-Fri 10:30-22:00 / Sat 10:00-22:00 / closed Sundays
• Break time 15:00-17:00, last order 21:30
• Note: solo dining is fine

My review of Geumnyeong Gomtang Wangsimni, visited on a day when I wasn't feeling great and just wanted something warm ❤️🔥

How to walk from Wangsimni Station to Geumnyeong Gomtang

Geumnyeong Gomtang Wangsimni is just a 3-minute walk from Exit 1 of Wangsimni Station. The building feels like a converted house, which made it feel even more welcoming and cozy 🥰 I went during the lunch peak, and a group of customers was already finishing up and heading out.

First and second floor seating, and groups

The 1st floor at Geumnyeong Gomtang Wangsimni isn't very spacious, but the 2nd floor is big enough for groups. When I visited, it seemed like a group had just left. If you're planning to come with a big group, it might be worth calling ahead!

Geumnyeong Gomtang serves a warm gomtang (beef bone soup) loaded with tender Korean beef. It feels like early autumn but it was still pretty hot out, so I was really looking forward to this soup, having gone specifically because I wasn't feeling well 💕

Ordering the basic gomtang at 13,000 won

*Order Gomtang 13,000

I was thinking of ordering the extra-large size, but when I asked the staff, they said it could be quite a lot, so I went with the basic gomtang instead. Next time, when I come back with a friend, I think I'll try the pollack salad too 🤭 I visited around 12:30pm, and luckily the tables turn over pretty quickly here, so I was able to sit down right away with no wait ✔️

There's an origin labeling board inside the restaurant too, so if you're curious, check it out 🍀

They gave me water in a mini Del Monte bottle, the kind I remember as a sturdy water bottle from childhood, and I got a little nostalgic .. 🥹 The water somehow felt even more refreshing haha. It's little details like this that make a place feel like it's really good food ~!

Seokbakji, dried radish strips and the dipping sauce

At Geumnyeong Gomtang, they give you seokbakji (young radish kimchi) you can portion out yourself, along with scissors and tongs 🤗 Geumnyeong Gomtang Wangsimni is genuinely spotless.

Once you've portioned out as much seokbakji as you want to eat, they also bring out dried radish strips and a dipping sauce for the Korean beef. The staff were so kind .. 👍💛

How tender is the beef and how rich is the broth?

What defines Geumnyeong Gomtang is its tender Korean beef and rich broth‼️ The seokbakji and dried radish served alongside added a savory depth that really brought out the deep flavor of the gomtang broth.

Extra beef add-on is ₩5,000! If you want more meat, I definitely recommend adding it haha.

There's a generous amount of green onion, giving the sense that they don't skimp on ingredients, and the broth is so rich that I feel like I could handle the extra-large size if I come back in winter ✨ A woman waiting for winter just to eat gomtang . . haha

It's also really nice to just fish out the Korean beef and dip it into the sauce they provide. Personally, I think adding extra beef and enjoying it dipped in the sauce would be the way to go.

Enjoying the gomtang with dried radish and seokbakji at Geumnyeong Gomtang Wangsimni, a Wangsimni gomtang favorite. Both were so delicious, it was fun trying them together 👍👍

The basic size gomtang also comes with 3 pieces of rice cake, great to enjoy alongside the soup 💝

Restrooms and the verdict on Geumnyeong Gomtang

📌 At Geumnyeong Gomtang Wangsimni, the men's restroom is on the 1st floor and the women's restroom is on the 2nd floor. Both restrooms are located inside the building, so you don't need to step outside to use them, which is convenient. I heard there's another Geumnyeong Gomtang location near Sinnonhyeon too, and I was satisfied enough with this visit that I'm already thinking of stopping by that one after work sometime. Recommending Geumnyeong Gomtang as a great solo-dining Korean restaurant in Wangsimni.