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Soups & stews · Jongno

Imun Seolnongtang

이문설농탕

Since 1904Michelin GuideOn TVGreat for solo diners ⓘ

Often called Korea's oldest restaurant, serving seolleongtang (ox bone soup) since 1904. The broth is mild and milky, and you season it yourself at the table with salt and green onion. Breakfast is served from 8 a.m.

서울특별시 종로구 우정국로 38-13

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How it works here

🥢 How Korean restaurants usually work

Waiting

Short wait
Just join the line

The dining room is large, so lines are usually short. Weekday lunch is the busiest time. Note the afternoon break: arriving just before 16:30 often means a line at the door.· 4 reviews

What to order

📖 What is Seolleongtang?📖 What is Suyuk and dombe-gogi?
  • Seolleongtang설농탕

    The signature: ox bone soup with sliced beef and rice.

  • Large seolleongtang특 설농탕

    More meat, including different cuts. A good pick if you are hungry.

  • Doganitang도가니탕

    Soup with soft ox knee cartilage, rich and gelatinous.

  • Suyuk (boiled beef)수육

    A platter of boiled beef cuts to share.

How much to order

  • 👤 1One seolleongtang, or the large one if you are hungry.
  • 👤 2One seolleongtang and one doganitang, so you can taste both.
  • 👤 3-4One soup each, plus a plate of suyuk to share.

How to eat it

  1. 1Season it yourself: the salt, chopped green onion and chili flakes on the table are for your soup. Add a little at a time.· 3 reviews
  2. 2Eat it with the kimchi and kkakdugi (radish kimchi). A splash of kkakdugi juice in the soup is a classic way to change the flavor.· 3 reviews

Insider tips

  • The broth comes lightly seasoned, and many first-timers find it bland until they add salt. Season it before you judge it.· 3 reviews
  • Some soups include beef head meat and spleen (mana). If you would rather avoid organ meats, ask for the regular seolleongtang and check what is in it.· 3 reviews

Why it's famous

Opened in 1904 as Imun-ok and now run by the fourth generation of the family. It holds Seoul's restaurant license No. 1, and the city has named it a Seoul Future Heritage.· 4 reviews

  • Michelin GuideListed in the Michelin Guide Seoul 2026, with a door covered in Blue Ribbon stickers.· 3 reviews
  • On TVFormer KBO baseball star Jamie Romak took his family here on the travel show Welcome, First Time in Korea? (2026). It has also appeared on Baekban Gihaeng and Wednesday Food Talk.· 3 reviews

Did you know?

  • The name comes from imun (里門), a small neighborhood watch gate that stood near the original shop in the early 1900s.· 2 reviews

Good to know

  • Opens at 08:00, with a break from 15:00 to 16:30. Closing time is around 20:00 to 21:00 (earlier on Sundays), so check before a late visit.· 4 reviews
  • About 3 minutes from Jonggak Station exit 3-1 (Line 1), down a side alley. It is a short walk from Insadong.· 3 reviews
Where this comes from (25 reviews)

Summarized in our own words from Korean diners' blog reviews; each fact is backed by at least two reviews. Last checked 2026-10-23.