1981 Hangang House
1981한강집
About
A Yongsan institution serving saengtae (fresh pollock) soup since 1981, now in a renovated two-story space with private rooms.
At 1981한강집, the name points to the dish that has defined this Yongsan Korean restaurant for decades: saengtae-tang, a stew made with fresh pollock. The restaurant’s own account traces its turn from a barbecue place to a pollock specialist to one pot shared with a customer—and says the fish stew has remained its signature ever since. That history feels most convincing when the pot arrives at the table, set over a burner and left to bubble. Choose the spicy version for a warming, red broth with pollock, tofu and fresh minari. The fish is served in generous pieces, with tender, moist flesh; roe adds a springy, slightly chewy bite. For a gentler meal, saengtae jiri offers a clear broth that one family visitor found clean-tasting, with little of the fishiness they expected. Either way, the stew makes a natural centerpiece for a meal with rice and small side dishes. There is more to the menu than soup: visitors also report ordering pollock sashimi-style cold noodles, assorted jeon, and meat dishes including garlic pork-neck jumeollok and beef sirloin jumeollok. The supporting plates are part of the pleasure, too. One account mentions seaweed, kimchi, doraji muchim and quail eggs; another singles out the rice, described as made with Icheon rice. A renovation has changed the setting without displacing the restaurant’s long-running identity. Reports describe a clean, composed interior in place of the old-fashioned tavern feel, with seating across two floors; one notes rooms and partitions that offer a more private setting. The result is less rough-edged neighborhood joint than calm dining room, but the bubbling stew still sets the rhythm. Come for a warming bowl, or gather around one with family or friends, and let the broth take its time.
Menu
- Spicy fresh pollock stew
- Clear fresh pollock soup
- 1981생태매운탕 (소)₩48,000
- 1981생태맑은탕 (소)₩48,000
- 1981마늘목살주물럭 (160g)₩20,000
- 1+한우등심주물럭 (200g)₩50,000
- 한강집모듬전₩30,000
- 대구전₩28,000
Local tips
- Choose the clear saengtae soup for a milder option; the spicy version is the house favorite.
- Ask about room seating for family meals or group dining; reservations are available.
- Check current opening hours before visiting, as published opening times differ.
Details
- Samgakji Station
Opening hours
- Sunday
- 11:00–22:00
- Monday
- 11:00–22:00
- Tuesday
- 11:00–22:00
- Wednesday
- 11:00–22:00
- Thursday
- 11:00–22:00
- Friday
- 11:00–22:00
- Saturday
- 11:00–22:00