1. First pick for noodles and dumplings

    1. Myeongdong Kyoja

    명동교자

    Kalguksu and mandu are the reason to come to Myeongdong Kyoja. The main branch moved in 2026 to 129 Toegye-ro; use that address for 본점. Start with the noodle soup and add dumplings to share if your table wants a second dish. Source: Myeongdong Kyoja: current main branch

    Knife-cut noodle soup, steamed mandu and a small kimchi dish on a lunch table.
    Kalguksu with a separate order of mandu.

    Choose it for a noodle lunch in Myeongdong. Hadongkwan is an alternative for rice and beef soup.

    Older tourism pages still show the previous location at 29 Myeongdong 10-gil. Match the main-branch name and current address before following a saved pin.

    Address
    129 Toegye-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul서울 중구 퇴계로 129
    Hours
    10:30–21:00. Closed on Seollal and Chuseok day.
    Order
    Kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) (칼국수) · ₩12,000Price effective

    Checked

    Source details

    Source: VISITKOREA: Myeongdong Kyoja.

  2. For a beef-soup lunch in Myeongdong

    2. Hadongkwan

    하동관

    Hadongkwan's main branch specializes in gomtang, a beef soup with rice. VISITKOREA describes beef cuts and offal among its ingredients and notes payment before the meal. Both the operator and tourism listing give daytime hours, 07:00–16:00, with Sunday closure. The tourism guide also warns that the restaurant can close when its daily supply runs out. Source: VISITKOREA: Hadongkwan

    Painted brass-colored bowl of clear beef gomtang with rice and scallions.
    Gomtang with rice and scallions.

    Put this ahead of the noodle stop if a rice-and-soup meal is what you want. The menu's focus gives you a specific reason to come; you are not choosing it for a broad selection of Korean dishes.

    A late arrival risks a sold-out kitchen. Ask about the cuts in your order, including offal, before paying.

    Address
    12 Myeongdong 9-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul서울 중구 명동9길 12
    Hours
    07:00–16:00. Closed Sundays.
    Order
    Gomtang (beef soup) (곰탕)

    Checked

    Source details

    Source: Hadongkwan: main-branch hours.

  3. For a chicken-soup meal on a palace day

    3. Tosokchon Samgyetang

    토속촌삼계탕

    Tosokchon is the choice for samgyetang: a young chicken cooked with ginseng, jujube and rice. It sits near Gyeongbokgung, in a hanok setting. Visit Seoul lists English, Japanese and Chinese menus. Its location fits a palace-area day. Source: Visit Seoul: Tosokchon Samgyetang

    A whole cooked chicken in pale broth with ginseng, jujube and rice in an earthenware bowl.
    A whole-chicken samgyetang bowl.

    Choose it when you want the whole-chicken bowl to be the meal. It changes both the main ingredient and the part of the city from the first two picks.

    This is a substantial sit-down meal. VISITKOREA's recipe description includes nuts; ask about ingredients if you have an allergy.

    Address
    5 Jahamun-ro 5-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul서울 종로구 자하문로5길 5
    Hours
    Daily 10:00–22:00; last order 21:00.
    Order
    Samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) (삼계탕)

    Gyeongbokgung Station, Line 3, exit 2. English, Japanese and Chinese menus are available.

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    Source details

    Source: VISITKOREA: Tosokchon Samgyetang.

Before you go

Check branch and holiday notices before setting out. Tell the restaurant about ingredient restrictions before ordering; broth, fillings and side dishes may contain ingredients that are not obvious from the English dish name.

Sources & checks

Sources checked .