Seoul Gwanghwamun Homestyle Restaurant: Hansotbap

February 28, 2023 1.2k Views

The Gwanghwamun area in Seoul is renowned as a bustling office district, housing various government offices and companies. It’s where countless office workers are based.

Thanks to this, you can find restaurants scattered all over to cater to the needs of these office workers. Particularly, you can see a concentration of restaurants in the underground shopping arcades of large buildings.

“Gwanghwamun Royal Building Underground Dining Area”

In the Gwanghwamun area, you can find buildings with a particularly high density of restaurants. The Royal Building is one such place where you can find various dining options. It’s especially close to Gwanghwamun Station on Line 5, just a short walk from Exit 1. When you come out of Exit 1 and cross the street, you can enter the Royal Building right away.

The place I visited this time is a restaurant located in the underground shopping arcade of the Royal Building, called “Hansotbap,” which is often referred to simply as “Hansotbap.”

“Seoul Gwanghwamun Homestyle Restaurant: Hansotbap”

Hansotbap is a homestyle restaurant where the menu changes daily. The restaurant itself is relatively small in size. Because the menu changes every day, it’s a great place to visit when you don’t want to spend too much time deciding what to eat.

Of course, you don’t have to order from the homestyle menu. You can choose from various items listed on the menu and order what you like for your meal.

Each dish is priced between approximately 7,000 KRW and 8,000 KRW. Considering the recent sharp rise in prices, it can be considered relatively affordable, especially given its location in Gwanghwamun.

On this day, I wanted to taste the “Mukbipbap” in addition to the homestyle menu, but unfortunately, they had run out of all the ingredients for Mukbipbap, so I couldn’t try it, which was a bit disappointing.

“Today’s Homestyle Meal”

For this visit, I ordered the lunch menu called “Today’s Homestyle Meal.” The basic side dishes are provided as usual, but the main menu changes slightly. On this day, the menu was “Grilled Flatfish + Soft Tofu Stew,” allowing me to enjoy two main dishes at a reasonable price.

Once you place your order, various side dishes like kimchi, seasoned vegetables, and grilled sausages are served. Then, after a while, the main dishes start to arrive one by one. With a variety of side dishes and main courses, I was able to enjoy a hearty meal.

Despite the prices not being too high, it’s always crowded with numerous office workers during lunchtime, confirming its popularity as a place where you can have a hearty meal without breaking the bank.

Since it’s located in the underground shopping arcade and is not very large in size, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it for a special occasion, but it’s a good place to quickly grab a meal without feeling burdened.

“Seoul Gwanghwamun Homestyle Restaurant: Hansotbap”