Japanese restaurant near Hongik Univ. Station with baby chairs: Ochaya

I couldn't decide what to eat for lunch in Hongdae, and then I remembered Ochaya Yeonnam, an already popular Japanese restaurant that specializes in ochazuke (rice in hot broth). So I went to try its signature dishes myself, and here's how it went.

Where is Ochaya Yeonnam? Hours and parking

Ochaya Yeonnam is on the 2nd floor at 38 Donggyo-ro 38-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, inside the Yeonnam-dong food alley. It is open 11:30–20:30 (last order 19:50). There's no elevator, so you take the stairs, and you can reserve through Naver.

• Location: 2F, 38 Donggyo-ro 38-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul (inside the Yeonnam-dong food alley)
• No elevator, stairs only
• Hours: 11:30–20:30
• Last order: 19:50
• Reservations: available via Naver
• Parking: not available

Like most places in Yeonnam-dong, there's no parking, but it's not far from a bus stop, and it's a nice walk from Hongik Univ. Station while you browse the shops along the way. I'd recommend public transport.

Is Ochaya Yeonnam easy to find? Exterior and entrance

The simple exterior was what struck me. It captures the look of a Japanese restaurant well, and I liked that clean feel.

Photos of the main dishes are neatly posted at the entrance, but the Ochaya lettering isn't big, so if you're not paying attention you might walk right past. Worth keeping in mind when you visit.

As you'd expect from a popular spot, there's a wait on weekends, so it might be good to go when it's less crowded.

Climb the stairs to the 2nd floor and you'll see a wooden entrance, with that same clean atmosphere. The staff member greeted me warmly, and he was so good-looking I thought he was a celebrity the moment I saw him. I was genuinely startled!

How to order at Ochaya Yeonnam, and the seating inside

You order at the kiosk by the entrance. Ochazuke is the main menu and you just pick the main ingredient, so choosing was easy, which I liked.

I came a little outside mealtime, so it wasn't crowded and felt comfortable. As mealtime got closer, more and more people arrived, which really showed how popular it is.

There are tables for anywhere from 2 to 6 people, and the bench seats use bamboo, which made the space feel even more stylish.

The window seats have big windows, so you get even more of that Yeonnam-dong feel. Hongdae these days is full of foreign visitors too, so I felt a bit like a traveler myself.

Maybe because the colors of the seating are so calm, I felt relaxed and at ease the whole time I was there.

Is Ochaya Yeonnam good for lunch with kids?

Ochaya Yeonnam has baby chairs, so it seems fine to visit with a small child. With aprons, hair ties, a charger and coat hooks too, eating there was comfortable.

Aprons and hair ties were also set out so that eating isn't a hassle.

There's a charger too, so you can charge your phone while you eat, which was nice. In cold winter weather, you can hang your coat by the entrance, which should free up room at your seat.

Since I'm raising a child, I always check for baby chairs when I go to a restaurant, and Ochaya Yeonnam has them, so a visit with a little one seems fine.

How does Ochaya Yeonnam's unagi chazuke taste?

I usually love eel, so I ordered the eel chazuke (unagi chazuke), and it came out quickly after I ordered.

The tidy presentation was impressive, and I liked the neat feel of the whole thing, starting with the colors.

The eel was a normal size and well seasoned, so it was easy to enjoy. You cut the eel with a spoon, and even if it's your first time having ochazuke, the table has detailed instructions on how to eat it, which I appreciated.

I especially liked that the basic side dishes, seaweed and broth can all be refilled for free. The side dishes were neat too, and not too salty, which I liked.

The multigrain rice underneath the eel chazuke was great wrapped in seaweed, and while eating I kept thinking how healthy it felt.

How to eat unagi chazuke (eel rice in broth)

Mash the eel with the spoon and eat it first with a little rice. After about half, pour in the broth that comes with it.

The broth was piping hot, which made it even better in this recent chilly weather, and again it wasn't salty, so I really enjoyed it.

Is Ochaya Yeonnam's shrimp tempura worth ordering as a side?

The shrimp fry at Ochaya Yeonnam was very crispy and felt like great value. I added it on top of the eel chazuke, and I'd recommend it as a side.

It went well with the sauce too. The tender shrimp inside and the crunchy coating outside made it really fun to eat.

Lunch at Ochaya Yeonnam near Hongik Univ. Station: final verdict

The flavors at Ochaya Yeonnam were really neat and tidy, and from the multigrain rice to the eel it was all good, so I had a really tasty lunch. The staff member was a real looker, so good-looking that he's memorable, and that made the visit even more of an impression. The shrimp fry especially was great, so it's worth ordering as a side.

• Hours 11:30–20:30
• No parking / no elevator
• Baby chairs available
• Ochazuke specialist