Naju Gomtang Hajan-jip Review 2026: Comparing Top Restaurants

On our way back from a family trip to Mokpo last weekend, we made a delightful detour to Naju, specifically to try the famous Naju Gomtang at Hajan-jip.

Naju Gomtang Hajan-jip

6-1 Geumseonggwan-gil, Naju-si, Jeollanam-do, South Korea

08:00 AM - 08:00 PM

Closed on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month

+82-61-333-4292

Personally, I'm a frequent visitor to Noan-jip. However, after consistently going there, I decided to venture out and visit Hajan-jip this time.

Naju's top three famous Gomtang restaurants—Noan-jip, Hajan-jip, and Nampyeong Halmae-jip—are all conveniently located near each other.

Naju Gomtang Restaurant Locations

While Hajan-jip does have a branch in Gwangju, I've always found that the original location of any restaurant offers the most authentic and delicious experience.

Naju Gomtang Hajan-jip Business Hours

If you visit too late in the day, there's a chance they might run out of ingredients, so plan your trip accordingly!

Here's a look at the counter area.

It seems they store the takeaway Gomtang portions here, ready for customers.

Naju Gomtang is prepared using a traditional method called 'tor-yeom', where hot broth is ladled over rice multiple times right before serving. This means you don't have to wait long after ordering; your meal arrives almost instantly!

No matter what time you go, you'll generally find plenty of customers enjoying their meal.

Naju Gomtang Hajan-jip Menu

The menu is refreshingly simple:

Gomtang: ~$8

Suyuk Gomtang: ~$9

Suyuk (Boiled Beef Slices): ~$28

I highly recommend opting for the Suyuk Gomtang if you can!

Here you can see the difference between the regular Gomtang and the Suyuk Gomtang.

Hajan-jip, a famous Gomtang restaurant in Naju. We ordered Suyuk Gomtang, not the regular Gomtang. #NajuGomtang #SuyukGomtang #NajuRestaurant #GomtangRestaurantm.blog.naver.com

A close-up of the delicious meat in the Suyuk Gomtang!

The basic side dishes include kkakdugi (diced radish kimchi), kimchi, green chili peppers, and garlic. Both the kkakdugi and kimchi are absolutely delicious and perfectly complement the Gomtang.

Our family's preferred way to enjoy Gomtang is to first savor about half of the clear broth, then add kkakdugi and a splash of its juice into the soup. This has become my signature style, and now my sons have started mimicking it too!

We finished every last drop of the broth! Our family absolutely loves Gomtang, so we thoroughly enjoyed our meal. However, my kids, being accustomed to Noan-jip, still declared it their favorite. Ultimately, we ended up getting our takeaway Gomtang from Noan-jip.

Now, let me share my personal experiences and opinions.

The reason our family started frequenting Noan-jip was because it was a more child-friendly restaurant. We've often visited Naju for Gomtang since our children were young, alternating between Hajan-jip and Noan-jip. But at Noan-jip, they always thoughtfully provided a separate, milder broth for the kids.

This consideration for children was truly appreciated, making Noan-jip our go-to spot whenever we came to Naju. A few years back, Noan-jip was unfortunately in the news due to an issue concerning the origin of their meat. While there was a sense of betrayal after being loyal customers for so long, we believed they had learned their lesson and wouldn't repeat such mistakes. So, we continue to visit them to this day.

After finishing our meal, our family always picks up takeaway Gomtang when we visit Naju Gomtang restaurants.

It's perfect to freeze and enjoy for a quick breakfast, so we always make sure to grab some Gomtang to go. They provide generous portions, so it's best to package it in individual servings.

Naju Gomtang Hajan-jip and Naju Gomtang Noan-jip are arguably the top two Gomtang establishments in Naju. Ultimately, taste is subjective, so there's no single right answer as to which one is 'better'.

In my personal opinion, Noan-jip's broth tends to be a bit richer. Some might even say it's more seasoned, so I'm sure many people would prefer Hajan-jip's lighter flavor.

However, if you're traveling with children, I personally recommend Noan-jip. The main reason is their thoughtful provision of a separate broth for kids.

Regardless of which restaurant you choose, I believe you'll have a satisfying experience with authentic Naju Gomtang.