Bar near Mangwon Station for beef tartare and raw shrimp: Baennori

Hi, I'm Malbeol Cheongnyeon :) There's a Korean bar in Mangwon-dong called 'Baennori' that I once fell hard for, thanks to their yukhoe (beef tartare) and gimbap (seaweed rice roll). It's a place with good memories with my partner too, so we went back together after a while.

Where is Baennori, and what are its hours and parking?

Baennori sits in the alley that runs from Mangwon Station Exit 2 toward Mangwon Market, about a 3-minute walk from the station — close enough that it's an easy place to invite friends who live in Mangwon.

• ⏰ Hours: Daily 17:00–01:00, last order at midnight
• 🚘 Parking: Not available on site; use nearby public parking lots

Is Baennori's semi-basement tavern setting good for a date?

You go down just a little to a semi-basement entrance, and the sign and soft lighting already have a certain mood. I like that the entrance sign doesn't try too hard haha.

My personal rule — places whose signs don't try too hard are usually the good ones

Inside it feels like an ochre-walled tavern, and the lamps wrapped in hanji (traditional mulberry paper) give it a cozy, date-friendly atmosphere.

I've never sat there myself, but there are window seats looking out at street level too — I imagine eating there would be fun as well.

Baennori's menu and basket prices

Since I hadn't been in a while, there were some new seasonal items and new menus!! The basket dishes stand out right from the photos.

• Flatfish & beef sashimi basket ₩39,000
• Flatfish & hanwoo basket ₩36,000
• Beef sashimi & raw shrimp ₩38,000
• Yukhoe & raw shrimp basket ₩33,000

I already knew this place's yukhoe is fresh and delicious, so while deciding what to pair it with, I picked raw shrimp since it's in season and I was craving raw shrimp sashimi (raw shrimp has been all over social media lately haha).

Baennori also has a good range of traditional liquors and makgeolli (rice wine) that pair well with the food, so there's fun in drinking here too.

The free starter: tofu with thick soybean paste

This tofu comes as the basic side dish, and it's one of the reasons I love Baennori — the quality of the free side dish is just too good... Warm tofu with a thick doenjang (soybean paste) dip, stir-fried kimchi, and salted seafood come with it, and both the tofu and the seasoning are so good you could get through half a bottle of soju on this alone. That doenjang dip especially — insane!!

Yukhoe and raw shrimp basket, 33,000 won

How long had I wanted to meet this beautiful sight of yukhoe and raw shrimp sashimi again...

I feel this every time I come, but the yukhoe here is genuinely fresh, sweet and tender, with a nutty flavor that grows the more you chew. Most places use eye of round, but here they use seolgitsal (a specific beef cut) for the yukhoe. The meat is chewy and just melts into your mouth, so ordering at least one dish with yukhoe here is basically the golden rule. Zero gamey smell.

The raw shrimp sashimi I'd been craving lately. Same-day-caught raw shrimp, plump and appetizing-looking.

There's something fun about holding the tail and eating it by hand. The raw shrimp has zero fishy taste, the plump flesh has great texture, and it's tasty enough that you barely need chojang (vinegar-chili sauce) — you can really taste the shrimp's own sweetness. I personally prefer soy sauce and wasabi over chojang, and eating it that way, the sweetness gets maximized and sends you straight to paradise with a shot of soju.

Cold octopus pasta served over somyeon noodles

I ordered the cold octopus pasta because I wanted something sweet-and-sour and refreshing alongside the rest. It was my first time trying this dish, so I went in with 70% excitement, 30% nerves — but it fully delivered.

The noodles aren't actual pasta but somyeon (thin wheat noodles), which actually goes really well with the sauce and made it light and easy to eat. The octopus on top was springy with great texture, matched the tangy sauce well, and the whole dish had a nice savory depth.

Green grapes for dessert to finish. Sometimes they bring out watermelon instead, and they often close the meal with fruit like this — every time I've had it, the fruit has been sweet enough and fresh, so it always leaves a good impression :)

A Mangwon local's verdict after many visits to Baennori

From the atmosphere to the basic side dishes, food quality, staff friendliness, and even the indoor bathroom — I honestly can't think of a drawback for this highly satisfying Mangwon-dong Korean bar, Baennori. The yukhoe is seriously... so good that I'd strongly recommend ordering it if you go.