Solo lunch at Wangsimni gomtang restaurant, XL minari gomtang

I've been hooked on hot, clear broth lately, so while hunting for a good solo-lunch spot near Wangsimni, I ended up at Geumnyeong Gomtang, which is loaded with domestic Korean beef and famous for its huge portions. The vibe was great for eating alone, and the owner and staff were so kind that the meal ended up even tastier and more enjoyable.

If you're looking for a solo-dining spot near Wangsimni, Geumnyeong Gomtang's minari gomtang (watercress beef soup) is a filling lunch with a deep broth and generous amounts of domestic Korean beef. Here's a preview shot before I dive into the full post. Here we go!

Geumnyeong Gomtang location, hours, and parking

Geumnyeong Gomtang, a Wangsimni gomtang restaurant. The address is 11 Wangsimni-ro 20-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, near Exit 1 of Wangsimni Station. Hours are Monday–Saturday 10:00–22:00 (break time 15:00–17:00), closed every Sunday. There's no dedicated parking lot, so if you're driving, use a nearby paid lot. Group dining, takeout, and delivery are all available, so it's a good option to eat at home or have delivered to the office for lunch.

2nd-floor window seats, solo-dining vibe

There's a second floor, which is great for a relaxed lunch, and the big picture window looking out onto the garden let in lovely light — it felt almost healing to eat there.

Geumnyeong Gomtang menu and prices

The menu has gomtang and minari gomtang, and interestingly also rice noodle soup, so you can choose between rice and noodles.

• Gomtang ₩13,000 / XL ₩15,000
• Minari gomtang ₩14,000 / XL ₩16,000
• Rice noodle soup ₩13,000 / XL ₩15,000
• Minari rice noodle soup ₩14,000 / XL ₩16,000
• Add extra meat, tendon, rice noodles, or a bowl of rice
• Myeongtaehoe muchim (spicy pollack salad) ₩14,000

Myeongtaehoe muchim, a great drinking snack or side dish, is ₩14,000, and there's boiled pork (mul-suyuk) in 2-, 3-, and 4-person sizes, good for a group dinner, plus soju, beer, makgeolli, cheongha, and bokbunja wine on the drinks menu.

Jar kimchi and seokbakji, refillable

Kimchi is a key point with gomtang, and here napa cabbage kimchi and seokbakji (diced radish kimchi) come out together in a jar, so you scoop out as much as you like onto a plate — easy to refill.

The XL minari gomtang — the portion is no joke

I ordered the XL minari gomtang. I usually eat a lot so I figured the XL size would be no big deal — but honestly, I'd only recommend it to true big eaters, because the portion is insane.

Geumnyeong Gomtang says it simmers only top-grade 1+ and 1++ Korean beef every day, and you could tell — the meat was really tender with a deep beefy aroma that paired perfectly with the rich, deep broth. The soup comes with rice already mixed in underneath the meat.

There was so much meat that no matter how much I ate, more kept turning up, and the watercress added a nice texture and aroma to the broth too. Since rice was tucked underneath, every scoop brought up rice and meat together, and eating it with the crunchy radish strips and seokbakji on top added a crisp texture — even full, I kept reaching for more of that rich gomtang flavor.

Rice cake slices hidden in the soup

Surprisingly, there were tteokguk tteok (sliced rice cakes) mixed in too — the chewy texture popping up here and there made the soup even more fun to eat.

The owner's treat: myeongtaehoe muchim

When I mentioned it was my first visit, the owner brought over a plate of myeongtaehoe muchim to try. One bite and my eyes went wide — it paired perfectly with the cabbage and onion, and it was packed with nothing but pollack, no filler, so I got to eat plenty of it too. I walked out of Geumnyeong Gomtang clutching my round, stuffed belly, having eaten so well. Next time I want to bring my parents. I left already wanting to come back to the Wangsimni main branch of Geumnyeong Gomtang — a great meal all around.