Seoul Gwanghwamun & Seochon: Top 3 Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup) Restaurants

AI illustration of samgyetang on a yellow plinth with green and cream tiles — AI-generated for illustration only; unrelated to the featured restaurants.

MONDAY · REVIEW-BASED SHORTLIST

Hi, I’m JO PIGGY. A palace walk can drain your phone and your stomach. Only one of those problems can be fixed with chicken soup.

Samgyetang is a small chicken simmered with ingredients such as glutinous rice, ginseng and jujube. Pull the tender meat from the bones, then let the rice mingle with the broth. The flavor is usually gentle rather than chili-hot, but each kitchen has its own personality.

Here are three review-backed options around Gwanghwamun and Seochon. These numbers are our introduction order, not a claim that we tasted every bowl in Seoul.

Three places to consider

1. Tosokchon Samgyetang

Come for a rich, nutty broth and tender chicken; stay for the hanok setting west of Gyeongbokgung. The rice inside the bird turns the last few spoonfuls into a tiny second course. One bowl can be plenty—don't let the next table's roast chicken order make decisions for your stomach.

What Korean bloggers said

Find it

GOOGLE MAPS서울 종로구 자하문로5길 5Get directions

Before you go

Opening hours: Daily 10:00–22:00
Closed: No weekly closure listed
Break time: Not listed on Naver Map
Last order: Daily 21:00

NAVER MAP ↗ · Checked 2026-10-11
All times are local (KST). Holiday hours may differ; check before visiting.

2. Goryeo Samgyetang, Gwanghwamun

A tidier, lighter-tasting broth and soft chicken make this a good pause near Sejong Center. The spoon handles the soup, chopsticks handle the chicken, and your phone can take a well-earned break. The menu also has more elaborate versions if you already know your way around a samgyetang bowl.

What Korean bloggers said

Find it

GOOGLE MAPS서울 종로구 세종대로23길 5-1Get directions

Before you go

Opening hours: Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri 10:30–20:30; Sat, Sun 10:30–20:00
Closed: No weekly closure listed
Break time: None (explicitly stated on Naver Map)
Last order: Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri 20:00; Sat, Sun 19:30

NAVER MAP ↗ · Checked 2026-10-11
All times are local (KST). Holiday hours may differ; check before visiting.

3. Gobong Samgyetang, Gwanghwamun

If a thick, savory broth is your idea of comfort, this bowl has your name on it. Reviewers describe moist chicken and rice that becomes almost porridge-like in the remaining soup. 'I'll only have a little broth' may be famous last words.

What Korean bloggers said

Find it

GOOGLE MAPS서울 종로구 새문안로 89 정우빌딩 2층Get directions

Before you go

Opening hours: Daily 10:30–21:00
Closed: No weekly closure listed
Break time: Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri 15:00–16:00
Last order: Not listed on Naver Map

NAVER MAP ↗ · Checked 2026-10-11
All times are local (KST). Holiday hours may differ; check before visiting.

One last bite

Choose Tosokchon for the hanok mood, Goryeo for a neat and comforting bowl, or Gobong for a thicker finish. You do not need to visit all three in one day. This is a holiday, not a chicken showdown.

Curated from public Korean reviews, not our own visits. Service, queues, menus and opening hours can change; check before you go. Tosokchon reviews mention nuts, so ask the restaurant about ingredients if you have an allergy.