Today, I visited ‘Okdongsik,’ located at Hongdae, Seoul.
I had heard rave reviews on Instagram and various social media platforms, with people calling it the Best pork soup restaurant in Hongdae. So, I decided to go with my companions!
Okdongsik is famous for its high-quality pork soup, selling only 100 bowls per day.
In 2024, it was selected for the Michelin Guide.
The most notable feature of Okdongsik’s pork soup is that it uses Berkshire K pork, not just any ordinary breed. This breed is said to have a unique aroma, so I visited the restaurant with high expectations.
I will share everything from the waiting time and parking information to the menu composition, a truly honest food review, pricing details, and a final summary!
1. Okdongsik Hongdae Parking
Since my companions and I visited by car, we had to search for a parking spot nearby…
Okdongsik is located in a very narrow residential alley, making parking in the vicinity virtually impossible.
However, we found the closest and relatively affordable parking lot at Homeplus Hapjeong branch.
The parking lot is very spacious, and the fees are much cheaper compared to the surrounding areas, so I highly recommend parking here if you plan to visit Okdongsik by car.
We parked for about two hours while we ate and went to a cafe, and it cost exactly 6,000 won. Considering it’s right in front of Hapjeong Station, it’s a very reasonable fee.
2. Waiting Reservation
To dine at Okdongsik, waiting is practically unavoidable.
There are two ways to handle the wait at Okdongsik.
- You can either visit Okdongsik directly or register your place in line using the tablet located in front of the restaurant.
- Alternatively, you can use the ‘Catch Table’ app to register for the waiting list remotely.
Download the Catch Table app from the App Store, search for “Okdongsik” in the search bar, and you can make a reservation remotely.
👇Download Catch Table on the App Store (Click Image)👇
It seems that most people opt for the second method to register for the waiting list.
I decided to visit with my companions around 1:30 PM, so I tried to make a reservation roughly an hour and a half beforehand.
At the time of booking, my position in line was 21st.
After about an hour and a half of waiting, when your position in line reaches 5th, you will receive a notification asking if you want to continue waiting.
If you miss the notification and don’t click on it, your reservation will be automatically canceled, so make sure to check your notifications regularly.
Around this time, it’s best to be near the restaurant so you can enter without rushing.
In front of the restaurant, quite a few people were waiting on-site to see if their turn was approaching.
The Michelin certification plaque was proudly displayed in front of the restaurant.
In front of the restaurant, there was a huge stack of styrofoam boxes, which were filled with Berkshire K pork.
Seeing this massive amount of pork that gets used up in a single day, it’s clear that the business is indeed thriving.
3. Menu
After nearly two hours of waiting, we finally entered Okdongsik.
The interior of the restaurant was slightly dim yet cozy, creating just the right atmosphere.
There are a total of 10 seats at the L-shaped counter table, and the service and turnover were very quick.
Okdongsik’s menu is really simple, consisting only of pork soup, dumplings, and alcoholic beverages (with takeout also available).
Name | Price |
Regular size Pork Soup | ₩10,000 |
Big size Pork Soup | ₩16,000 |
Pork Soup for 2 people (Take out) | ₩19,000 |
Kimchi Dumplings (4 Piece) | ₩6,000 |
Kimchi Dumplings (20 Piece, Takeout) | ₩18,000 |
Gaffel Kolsch (200cc) | ₩6,000 |
Gaffel Kolsch (300cc) | ₩8,000 |
Soju | ₩3,000 |
I ordered the big size pork soup along with a side of kimchi dumplings.
4. Pork Soup and Kimchi Dumplings
Due to the restaurant’s rapid turnover, it felt like the food came out in almost no time—probably less than two minutes after ordering.
The pork soup arrived first, followed by the kimchi dumplings about three minutes later. (I forgot to take a photo of the kimchi dumplings…)
The composition of the pork soup is very simple.
It includes pork soup, self-serve kimchi, and pickled chili.
Next to the kimchi, there’s an empty plate where you can put some of the pickled chili seasoning. They recommend taking some meat and eating it with the pickled chili.
First of all, the broth was incredibly clear. The simplicity of the visual presentation was quite surprising at first.
The rice is pre-mixed into the soup, and a generous amount of thinly sliced pork is placed on top.
For an adult male, the special size is enough to feel satisfied, while for an adult female, it could be quite filling.
Finally, some chopped green onions are lightly sprinkled on top.
I placed a slice of meat on top of the rice, then added some pickled chili or kimchi on top of that and ate it.
I’ll cover the details about the dumplings in the final summary…
5. Honest review
Pork Soup
To get straight to the point, the taste is quite ordinary.
One thing I definitely noticed while eating was that the pork aroma was quite strong.
It was a bit tricky because the aroma was intense, just shy of turning into an unpleasant smell.
In other words, if the aroma were just a bit stronger, it could have been perceived as a bad smell.
However, it managed to bring out the unique flavor of pork without crossing that line. This allowed me to finish the bowl without any aversion.
Pre-mixing the rice into the soup is a distinctive feature, but personally, I wasn’t a fan.
The pre-soaked rice wasn’t sticky and was already quite mushy, which isn’t my preference.
However, some people might prefer mushy rice, so this comes down to personal taste.
The texture of the meat was excellent. It was tender yet firm, which was delightful.
One thing I want to highlight is the pickled chili—it was very tasty.
It pairs extremely well with the meat, so I highly recommend trying it together.
Kimchi Dumplings
As for the kimchi dumplings, they were quite typical compared to the distinctive pork soup.
That’s not to say they were bad, but they tasted exactly as you’d expect from a standard kimchi dumpling.
If I were to visit again, I probably wouldn’t order them again.
Price
One of the best aspects of Okdongsik, in my opinion, is the pricing.
Despite the rising costs of living these days, the regular bowl at 10,000 won and the special at 16,000 won felt quite affordable.
Conclusion
- If there were no waiting time, I would definitely want to visit several more times because the food is that good.
- However, considering the waiting time, I wouldn’t actively consider revisiting.