Saturday lunch noodle house by Deoksugung stone wall path: Tanbaek

On a weekend date around Jeongdong-gil, we stopped by Tanbaek for lunch 🤍 It's near the Deoksugung stone wall path, so it's a great Jeongdong-gil spot to swing by before or after a Deoksugung date.

We visited on a Saturday for lunch and there were about 5 parties waiting ahead of us... Let me walk you through everything we tried, from the soybean bibim kalguksu to the gomguk kalguksu :)

Where is Tanbaek? An easy stop along Jeongdong-gil

Tanbaek sits right on Jeongdong-gil, so it's easy to drop by while exploring Deoksugung or the street itself. We wandered Jeongdong-gil first that day and then headed to Tanbaek for lunch!

How long is the Saturday lunch wait at Tanbaek?

Being Saturday lunch hour, it was busy as expected, and there were about 5 parties waiting when we arrived 🫢 Still, we could wander around Jeongdong-gil while waiting, so the time passed faster than I thought haha. There's a memorial hall almost right next door, so we looked around there until we got the notification and hurried back lol.

I figured there was a wait because I thought it was just one floor, but there's a second floor too, so the capacity is bigger than it looks?! There were plenty of customers, and since it's a noodle place, turnover is fast, so the wait clears quickly 👍

We were seated on the second floor, and the quietly traditional interior stands out at this Jeongdong-gil restaurant near Deoksugung 🏮

Ordering by QR code at Tanbaek and what the meal cost

At this Deoksugung-area Jeongdong-gil spot, the menu is a QR code you scan and order from on your phone! The menu was more varied than expected, so I had a hard time deciding...

• Soybean bibim kalguksu ₩16,000
• Gomguk kalguksu ₩14,000
• Kimchi dumplings, 2 pieces ₩5,000
• Makgeolli by the glass, 2 glasses ₩10,000

Since we wanted to try a few different things together, we ordered a bit generously :)

Sitting down at the table and opening things up, I was quietly touched to find the chopsticks and spoons individually wrapped, so neat ,,haha 🥲 Very hygienic operation!

A glass of makgeolli alongside the kalguksu

Eating kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) for weekend lunch, you can't skip makgeolli (Korean rice wine), right? lol We ordered two glasses too 🍶 After exploring Jeongdong-gil, having kalguksu with a glass of makgeolli gave that proper relaxed-weekend feeling haha.

Here comes the full Tanbaek spread~ Actually the kimchi dumplings came out first, so I already ate one ,,haha. Going on a date on Jeongdong-gil and around Deoksugung is really about enjoying that quiet traditional vibe, so I found myself wanting Korean food exactly like this 😋

Kimchi dumplings, 5,000 won for two: spicy and generously filled

The kimchi dumplings we ordered as a side! You get 2 pieces, and the dumpling skin wasn't too thick, with a filling that felt properly packed 🥟

The only downside,,, I regretted not ordering more,,,,,

The price is a bit on the higher side, so we only ordered the one set of 2 for ₩5,000, but it's genuinely delicious,,, the inside is stuffed tight with meat! It was spicier than I expected, which actually made it a perfect side for the mild, clean-tasting kalguksu 🌶️

Gomguk kalguksu, 14,000 won: clear broth with real depth

Let me show you the gomguk kalguksu first! Made with Tanbaek's own gomguk (bone-and-meat broth), the noodles came in a clear, clean broth topped with beef, and visually it looks very light.

But once I tasted the broth, the flavor was much deeper than expected. Rather than being sharply salty or strong, it's the type that's clean but has a quietly deep meaty richness!

The noodles were soft and chewy too, great for slurping up along with the broth 🍜

I seriously considered ordering a bowl of rice,, to mix into the broth or not,, 🍚

Soybean bibim kalguksu, 16,000 won: soybean, black sesame and Korean melon

The dish I was most curious about that day was the soybean bibim kalguksu! I went in expecting a typical red bibim kalguksu, but the look of it was completely different 🍜

At first I wondered — would soybean + black sesame + melon actually work together? But once I tried it, the combination was way better than expected haha. The soybean sauce was smooth and nutty, and with the black sesame added on top, the nutty flavor came through really richly 🫘

With melon mixed in here and there, a sweet, refreshing note got added, so even though the sauce is thick, it never felt heavy ✨ The sauce clung well to the noodles too, so every bite delivered that rich soybean flavor properly! If you like clean, nutty food, this is a dish worth trying at least once 🤍

Is Tanbaek worth it for a Jeongdong-gil date lunch?

If you're planning a date course around Deoksugung, Jeongdong-gil, or City Hall Station, Tanbaek is in such a great location for lunch that I'd recommend it as part of the route! It has dishes like the soybean bibim kalguksu that you don't often see elsewhere, and I was seriously tempted by the onjejuk (warm pork dish) too — I think I'll order that next time I'm back on Jeongdong-gil! If you're looking for a good restaurant near Deoksugung for a Jeongdong-gil date, I recommend giving Tanbaek a try 👍