Hongdae hanok restaurant for a Sunday lunch with jangajji: Anok

I was curious about a place where you could try Pyongyang naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles), clear gomtang (bone broth soup), and pork tail all at once, and the menu combination sounded great, so I stopped by on a Sunday for lunch :)

We arrived around 1pm on a Sunday!

The streets of Hongdae were packed since it was peak weekend lunch hour, but Anok stood out right away — the entrance had a hanok (traditional Korean house) feel that was totally different from the usual bustling Hongdae vibe.

A hanok-style restaurant in the middle of Hongdae

Anok is a Korean restaurant tucked into an alley in Hongdae, at 13-4 Hongik-ro, Mapo-gu. Walk into the alley and you'll spot a tiled roof and wooden gate — for a moment it doesn't even feel like Hongdae!

The exterior had such a nice atmosphere that I took a few photos before even going in.

Stepping inside, the same atmosphere from outside carried through. It was mostly wood tones with warm lighting, giving it a calm feel, and while it kept the traditional hanok mood, the interior was decorated cleanly and modernly.

It seemed like a good spot for a date, and also a nice option if you're looking for a place to eat with your parents in Hongdae.

What we ordered at Anok, and what it cost

We ordered three dishes at Anok: Pyongyang naengmyeon (14,000 won), clear pork gomtang (13,000 won), and braised pork tail (29,000 won). Two mild dishes plus one richly seasoned pork tail!

• Pyongyang naengmyeon ₩14,000
• Clear pork gomtang ₩13,000
• Braised pork tail ₩29,000

Bottom line first: ordering all three together turned out to be a great call.

We ordered comfortably from the table, and before the food arrived, the basic side dishes — kimchi, kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), and jangajji (pickles) — were set out first. When you're eating mild dishes like gomtang or Pyongyang naengmyeon, you naturally crave kimchi, so it paired nicely.

Clean, mild Pyongyang naengmyeon at Anok

Anok's Pyongyang naengmyeon (14,000 won) has broth that looks incredibly clear and clean just by sight. We started with this one first.

Rather than a noodle dish loaded with flashy toppings, this was the style served neatly with noodles, meat, and clear broth. One bite in, and sure enough, mild and subtle flavor came through first rather than anything sharp. It wasn't a naengmyeon with strong sweet or salty notes — it felt more like sipping the broth continuously to enjoy its subtle depth.

If you usually like Pyongyang naengmyeon or prefer food that isn't overly seasoned, this should suit you well. Eating the meat and noodles together was also delicious :)

The clear gomtang was better than expected

Then, the clear pork gomtang (13,000 won). Personally, this was one of the most memorable dishes we had at Anok that day.

It looks completely different from the usual milky ox-bone gomtang or pork rib soup you'd picture. The broth is nearly transparent, and generously piled with pork on top.

At first I thought the flavor might be really light since the broth was so clear, but once I tried it, it was clean yet still had enough depth of flavor. Best of all, there was more meat than I expected.

Eating the tender pork with the broth, and taking a bite of kimchi or kkakdugi in between, hit the spot perfectly. This is a dish I'd especially recommend to anyone who prefers a clear, clean broth over a heavy, greasy one.

Chewy braised pork tail, the richest dish of the three

Last up, the braised pork tail (29,000 won)! If the first two dishes were mild in style, the pork tail completely changes the mood the moment it arrives.

It comes out generously piled with pork tail in a glossy, rich sauce, along with scallions and garlic — just looking at it, you can tell the flavor is going to be intense. The chewy texture unique to pork tail was fun, and the seasoning was so well absorbed that I kept reaching for more.

This dish in particular was even better paired with the clear gomtang or Pyongyang naengmyeon rather than eaten on its own. After a bite of pork tail leaves the rich sauce flavor lingering, a spoonful of gomtang broth cleans your palate right back up! Being able to alternate between mild and rich dishes made the combination of three work better than expected.

If you enjoy drinking, the pork tail alone would also make a great dish to have a drink with :)

Is Anok worth a Sunday lunch in Hongdae?

Visiting around 1pm on a Sunday, we tried Pyongyang naengmyeon, clear gomtang, and braised pork tail at Anok. Hongdae already has so many great restaurants, but being able to eat this kind of Korean food in a hanok-style setting felt like something different. The Pyongyang naengmyeon was mild and clean, and the clear gomtang was satisfying with its transparent broth and generous amount of tender pork.

On top of that, adding the richly seasoned, chewy braised pork tail let us alternate between different flavors, which made for a great combination overall.

📍 Anok / 13-4 Hongik-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea

If you're craving Pyongyang naengmyeon or clear gomtang in Hongdae, or looking for a Korean restaurant with a slightly different atmosphere than usual, this is worth a visit. If you're going with a group, I'd especially recommend adding the pork tail to share alongside your meal :)