Hongdae Korean restaurant for a pork tail and broth lunch: Anok

I found this place while looking for lunch in Hongdae! Today’s spot is Anok, known for its gomtang (Korean beef soup) in Hongdae. Hongdae has so many restaurants, but this time I wanted a quieter Korean meal, so I came here. Anok serves a range of Korean dishes, including clear gomtang, Pyongyang naengmyeon (Pyongyang-style cold noodles), braised pork tail, and warm sliced meat. I was excited to visit after hearing that both its gomtang and Pyongyang naengmyeon are made with its own clear, house-simmered broth. 👀

A hanok restaurant near Hongdae Entrance Station

Anok is about a five-minute walk from Exit 9 of Hongdae Entrance Station, and its calm hanok-style exterior is something you do not often see in Hongdae. It opens at 11 AM from Tuesday through Sunday, making it a nice option when you are looking for lunch in Hongdae.

I visited at lunchtime, and it felt like a good place to have a quiet meal away from Hongdae’s usual bustle. The restaurant has table seating and can accommodate groups from two to 12 people. 👍🏼 It looked suitable not only for a meal with friends, but also for family meals, meals with elders, or small get-togethers. :)

Neat side dishes served with gomtang

As soon as you order after sitting down, they bring out these side dishes! They are just right to eat with the gomtang.

The three dishes we ordered

• Braised pork tail
• Pyongyang naengmyeon (Pyongyang-style cold noodles)
• Clear gomtang (Korean beef soup)

Rather than having just one dish, I wanted to try a variety of Anok’s signature items, and the combination turned out to be really good. Ordering warm gomtang and cool Pyongyang naengmyeon together was especially fun because I could compare their different charms as I ate. ♥️

Braised pork tail, great for sharing

The first dish to arrive was the braised pork tail. It is a good dish to share when several people visit, so it pairs nicely with the individual meal dishes.

Gomtang or cold noodles alone can leave you wanting a little more, but adding a meat dish like this made the meal feel much more abundant! Along with braised pork tail, Anok has plenty of shareable dishes, including a plate of warm sliced meat, yukhoe (Korean beef tartare), kimchi pancake, grilled deodeok root, and potato pancake. If I come with a group next time, I would like to order some of the other dishes too.

Anok’s foundational clear gomtang

One of the dishes I had been looking forward to: clear gomtang! You could call it Anok’s foundational dish. When people think of gomtang, it is easy to picture a milky, rich broth, but Anok’s specialty is exactly what its name says: clear broth. They use their own simmered clear broth, and both the gomtang and Pyongyang naengmyeon are built on it.

So I think it would suit people who prefer a clean, mild bowl of soup to one that is deep and heavy. It is also a good choice if you want something filling but not burdensome at lunchtime! 💫 Having warm soup with rice made me think, yes, this is exactly why Korean food is so comforting.

Pyongyang naengmyeon that paired well with the meat

The last dish I want to introduce is Pyongyang naengmyeon! Anok’s Pyongyang naengmyeon is also made with its house-simmered clear broth. 😊 I think it would suit anyone who enjoys the characteristically mild, subtly seasoned flavor of Pyongyang naengmyeon.

It went particularly well with the braised pork tail. The refreshing cold noodles seemed to cleanse my palate between bites, so the pairing worked nicely. Along with mul naengmyeon (cold noodles in broth), they also have bibim naengmyeon (spicy mixed cold noodles), which I would like to try next time. 🥰

Parking and a post-meal Hongdae stroll

Because of the nature of the Hongdae commercial area, the restaurant does not have dedicated parking. If you are driving, I recommend looking up nearby parking in advance. Personally, I think Hongdae is great to visit by public transportation and explore around after your meal. ✨✨✨

After the meal, I took photos with the hanok in the background, and now it was time to check out Hongdae’s hot spots~~~!!!

A Hongdae lunch for when you want mild Korean food

If you are looking for clean, comforting Korean food in Hongdae, Anok makes for a very satisfying meal with warm gomtang, refreshing Pyongyang naengmyeon, and a meat dish alongside them. More than a place that serves only gomtang, Anok’s appeal is that you can enjoy Pyongyang naengmyeon and a variety of Korean dishes together. I would recommend it for a day when you want mild Korean food rather than something strongly seasoned, when you need somewhere to eat with family or elders, or when you are looking for lunch in Hongdae. If, like me, you want to try several dishes, I also recommend sharing braised pork tail with clear gomtang and Pyongyang naengmyeon! When you are craving a warm bowl of gomtang in Hongdae, enjoy a hearty meal at Anok. 🤍