Gwanghwamun dim sum restaurant with beef fried rice to go: Cheonghwa

What kind of restaurant is Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon in Gwanghwamun?

Today I'm reviewing my visit to Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon, well known as a dim sum spot in Gwanghwamun. Since the name itself includes dosakmyeon (knife-cut noodles), I expected it to feel very noodle-focused, but looking at the menu, it actually has a wide range of authentic Chinese dishes — dim sum, fried rice, kkoobarou (sweet and sour pork), lazi ji (spicy chicken), and more. I'd gotten takeout from here before and eaten it at home.

It has an atmosphere where you can eat comfortably even alone, so I thought it'd be a great option when looking for somewhere to eat solo in Gwanghwamun. That day I ordered the eggplant tempura rice bowl and crystal moon dumplings, and since I wanted to try the beef fried rice too, I got that packed to go!

Address, hours and free parking at Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon

• 📍 19 Jong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea (118-1)
• ⏰ Daily 10:30-22:00 (last order 21:40)
• 🚘 2 hours free parking — Le Meilleur Building underground lot
• ✔️ Groups use the 2nd floor

How are dosakmyeon (knife-cut noodles) made?

As the name suggests, Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon specializes in dosakmyeon, and according to the shop's own description, the noodles are authentic — shaved off the dough by hand with a knife right in the kitchen. Unlike ordinary noodles, dosakmyeon is made by shaving strips off the dough, so rather than being perfectly uniform, each strand has a slightly different thickness and texture, which is part of the charm.

They describe it as combining deep, long-simmered bone broth with chewy noodles made from dough aged for a day, plus the distinctive tingly, numbing flavor of Sichuan cuisine for a deep, complex taste. Next time I'd love to try the dosakmyeon itself. This time, though, I was curious about the other dishes, so I picked the eggplant tempura rice bowl first!

Is the fried eggplant rice bowl enough for a solo meal?

The eggplant tempura rice bowl at Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon was exactly the hearty solo meal I wanted. The eggplant's naturally soft texture combined with the crispy tempura coating gave it a completely different appeal from plain stir-fried eggplant. Fried eggplant has that great contrast — moist and soft inside, crisp outside — and eating it with rice made for a pretty filling meal.

When eating alone, ordering just one dish can sometimes leave you with an awkward portion or limited choices, but Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon has such a varied menu that it's easy to pick whatever you're craving that day. If you like the rich flavors of Chinese food, I'd recommend the eggplant tempura rice bowl too!!

Crystal moon dumplings, the signature dim sum

And the crystal moon dumplings I ordered alongside were unforgettable too. They were so good I finished both dishes! According to the menu description at Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon, these are the signature dim sum — a thin wrapper packed with juicy pork filling. There are also plump shrimp inside.

Ordering the crystal moon dumplings alongside the rice bowl made the meal feel much more substantial than eating the bowl alone. Since I like dim sum, having a menu like this meant I could try several things even eating solo, which was great.

Beef fried rice ordered to go and eaten at home

There was one more dish I packed to go that day — the beef fried rice. There were a lot of dishes I wanted to try in the restaurant, but eating alone made it hard to order everything at once, so I got the beef fried rice as takeout instead. It was genuinely delicious even eaten at home. There's a generous amount of beef piled on top~

Is Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon good for eating alone in Gwanghwamun?

With such a wide range of dishes that are easy to enjoy alone, this place suits anyone looking for a solo dining spot in Gwanghwamun. Next time, I want to try the dosakmyeon I missed this time, along with more of their dim sum and other dishes ☺️