Mapo Korean restaurant for beef tripe hot pot: Doonjeong

Looking for a comfortable place near Hongdae to have a drink, I went to Doonjeong Hongdae Direct Branch (도온정 홍대직영점). I had Hanwoo gopchang jeongol (Korean beef tripe hot pot) for dinner, and the food and space felt neat and calm enough that I thought it would be nice to visit with family too.

How do you get there from Hongik University Station?

I exited Hongik University Station through Exit 1, went around CGV, and walked straight for about 300 m. It is about a five-minute walk from the station, at 183-12 Donggyo-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea, on the first floor. The hours listed in the original post are daily from 11:00 to 21:00, with a break time from 15:00 to 17:00.

I heard it was selected for the Blue Ribbon for two consecutive years, in 2025 and 2026. There was a wide range of Korean dishes, from Hanwoo gomtang to Hanwoo hot pot, Hanwoo gopchang jeongol, and suyuk (boiled sliced meat).

Is the atmosphere good for a quiet meal or drinks?

When I visited, the restaurant was clean, and the atmosphere felt calm and refined. I thought my parents would enjoy coming here too. The owner and staff were also kind and welcoming.

The kitchen is open, so I could see the staff preparing the food.

What dishes are available for a meal or with drinks?

Meal dishes included Hanwoo yukhoe bibimbap (beef tartare mixed rice), spicy Hanwoo tripe gomtang, and clear Hanwoo gomtang. There were also jeon (Korean savory pancakes), Hanwoo yukhoe, suyuk, Hanwoo hot pot, and Hanwoo gopchang jeongol to have with drinks. I saw many guests dining alone as well. We visited for dinner and ordered Hanwoo gopchang jeongol and soju.

Kimchi and kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) came out first. They tasted well fermented, and I thought they would also pair nicely with gomtang.

A dipping sauce for the beef and tripe came with the meal too. It was tasty with mustard mixed in and a piece of chili on top.

The soju was served in ice. Since I like cold soju, I was glad to see that.

What is in the Hanwoo gopchang jeongol, and how is the broth?

The Hanwoo gopchang jeongol was generously filled with tripe, large-cut beef, tendon, and vegetables. I chose it because I wanted a spicy red broth.

It contained enoki mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, green onion, and crown daisy, with white wood ear mushrooms in the middle. The beef and tripe were good, but I especially remember how fresh the vegetables were.

As the owner explained the dish, they slowly dissolved the seasoning into the broth and cooked the hot pot for us. They also told us when it was ready to eat, which was convenient.

When the hot pot began to boil, I tried the broth first. To my taste, it was neither too salty nor too bland, and the beef and vegetables simmering together gave it a deep flavor.

How were the Hanwoo beef and tripe textures?

When we were told it was fully cooked, I tried the Hanwoo beef first. Each piece felt fairly large to me, but it was tender rather than tough. It went well with the soy-based sauce and Cheongyang chili, while the tendon in the hot pot had a pleasantly chewy texture.

The tripe was full of gop, the rich inner fat, and I did not notice any odor while eating it. It was not tough; it was chewy and savory. Still, tripe can feel rich, so I thought it was better with Cheongyang chili.

As we kept it simmering while we ate, the broth reduced quite a bit, but they refilled it from time to time without us asking. The longer it simmered, the more tender the tripe became, so I cooked it a little longer because I like a soft texture.

The vegetables also became tender after simmering for a long time and were good with the meat. Having soju with the hot pot in a space that was not noisy, while they looked after the cooking process, made for a comfortable dinner.