Hongdae beef soup restaurant with toryeom-style rice: Baengni Gomtang

I was craving a hot bowl of gomtang, so I went to Baengni Gomtang. Koreans really do love guk-bap (soup with rice). I was near Hongdae and heard this was a new spot worth trying, so I made my way to this gomtang restaurant near Hongik University Station.

Where is Baengni Gomtang, and how far is it from Hongik University Station?

Baengni Gomtang is within a 5-minute walk of Hongik University Station. Head into the alley and you'll find the restaurant on the ground floor. It's close to central Hongdae yet tucked into a quieter alley, making it an easy stop for a meal. If you're looking for Korean food near Hongik University Station and craving a bowl of gomtang, this location works well.

Inside Baengni Gomtang: a wood-toned room that works for solo diners

Inside, Baengni Gomtang is decorated mainly in bright wood tones, giving the whole place a clean feel. The tables weren't cramped together, and there were seats good for eating alone as well as tables for larger groups. I liked the tidy, well-kept Korean restaurant vibe.

Baengni Gomtang menu and the best order combination

The menu centers on beef gomtang, with beef yukhoe bibimbap and beef hot pot also available as mains. There are good side dishes too, like mini bossam (boiled pork), mini yukhoe (raw beef), and handmade tteokgalbi (grilled short rib patties), so if you're after gomtang in Hongdae, it's worth ordering a main plus a side. I went with the beef gomtang and the gochujang yukhoe bibimbap.

The utensils came neatly wrapped. A small detail, but I liked it.

There's also a handmade tteokgalbi review event running right now, so be sure to check it out :)

There was a fun poster on the wall :)

Eating toryeom-style beef gomtang and yukhoe bibimbap together

The beef yukhoe bibimbap and gomtang I ordered arrived. The gomtang had a clear broth generously filled with meat, and the rice was served toryeom-style. The yukhoe bibimbap came piled with various vegetables and raw beef, looking really appetizing. Eating the bibimbap while spooning in some of the warm gomtang broth turned out to be a great combination.

How rich is the hanwoo beef gomtang broth?

Baengni Gomtang's beef gomtang has a clear, transparent broth generously filled with thinly sliced beef. Tasting the broth first, it wasn't greasy at all — light and clean, yet carrying a deep flavor drawn from the meat. The seasoning wasn't heavy, so it was easy to eat without feeling overwhelmed, and the tender beef paired well with the broth.

How the food was plated was also striking. True to Korean dining style, everything was served neat and unfussy, and eating through the main dish and side dishes one by one kept the meal from feeling repetitive. Baengni Gomtang's approach — taking familiar dishes like soup and bibimbap and building them around beef — stood out as its signature. If you're looking for Korean food near Hongik University Station and prefer a meal with rice and broth, this is worth considering.

Eating it with the meat made for a filling meal, and having kkakdugi (diced radish kimchi) and jeotgal (salted seafood) alongside made it even better. This is the kind of gomtang restaurant in Hongdae that comes to mind on a day when you want something warm and soothing rather than spicy.

What is the gochujang yukhoe bibimbap like?

Baengni Gomtang's beef yukhoe bibimbap was loaded with raw beef and a variety of vegetables piled on top of the rice — looked amazing at first glance. The yukhoe wasn't tough at all, really tender, and the crunch of the vegetables added texture to every bite.

And of course, there's ginseng in the yukhoe bibimbap too!

Mixed thoroughly, the nutty flavor of the yukhoe blends nicely with the fresh taste of the vegetables, and since the seasoning wasn't too strong, you could still taste the yukhoe itself. Pairing it with sips of the gomtang broth I'd ordered alongside worked especially well. The bowl alone was quite filling, making it a solid lunch option, and splitting it with the gomtang let me enjoy both dishes fully. I'll definitely be back :)