Window seat by the open kitchen at Hey Jinny, Euljiro wine bar

Gomi and I have basically only been doing neighborhood dates lately, worn out from wedding prep. So it felt good to finally go on a date in Euljiro again ( ๑˃̶ ꇴ ˂̶)♪⁺

We both love drinking wine at home for round two or three of a night out, so we decided to check out a hip wine bar in Euljiro! I'd heard the crispy eggplant here was famously crunchy and savory, so I went in with high expectations haha.

Location and exterior of Hey Jinny in Euljiro

It's right in front of Euljiro 3(sam)-ga Station, so it was super easy to find! There are a lot of Korean BBQ spots nearby too, which made me think this would be perfect for a second-round spot ٩(๑´0`๑)۶

Here's what the exterior looks like! Being on the 2nd floor gives it a bit of a hidden-gem feel. How's our swag, heading out for wine in broad daylight ✿˘◡˘✿

The entrance leading up to Hey Jinny on the 2nd floor! "Open and buzzing" lol — a funny contrast to how quiet and cozy the wine bar actually feels inside. There's also a space that looks like it's meant for waiting, so I figured evening waits wouldn't be a problem haha.

The vibe inside and the open kitchen

The moment we walked in, Gomi and I both had the exact same thought.

Wow, this would be perfect for a second-round blind date spot.

Even though it was bright outside, the inside was just dim enough. If it were after sunset, the mood would be even better. Come for a light first-round meal on a blind date, then head here for round two — I'm pretty sure that's a 100% success rate ෆ˙ᵕ˙ෆ It really felt perfect for a date, too. Or it'd be great for renting out for something special, like a birthday party.

Various wines and whiskies were displayed along the wall, and I was happy to spot all three of my favorite Kopke wines lined up haha. What really built my trust, though, was that the kitchen was open enough that we could watch the cooking happen!

The music playing in the hall was so hip too. This place is a wine bar through and through haha.

We decided to sit at the window seat across from the kitchen! From there you can see the whole street outside — people-watching is a nice bonus ( ๑˃̶ ꇴ ˂̶)♪⁺

How the menu is organized

Hey Jinny's menu is divided into meals, side dishes, and drinks. As you'd expect from a wine bar, there were tons of dishes that pair well with wine! The eggplant we'd heard so much about was right at the top, and there were also a lot of pasta options. The gambas looked so good I nearly got distracted lol.

There was a huge variety of whisky, port wine, red wine, and white wine, so picking was half the fun.

They also had highballs and beer! It made me wonder if the staff has to memorize the recipes for all these different highballs. Even though we'd already filled up at a bakery beforehand, everything looked so good that we ended up ordering house wine plus two dishes lol.

• Osaka niboshi shrimp oil pasta ₩21,000
• Crispy eggplant ₩18,000
• House red wine ₩10,000 x2

Looking back, that's a pretty perfect combo lol. Both dishes were supposedly spicy, so we went in with half worry, half excitement.

Osaka niboshi shrimp oil pasta

The niboshi shrimp oil pasta came out first! It looked creamy, but with a touch of spice added, the savory depth was next level. The kick came from a white pollack roe oil sauce mixed with chili, dried barley shrimp, and jukbang anchovies. The toppings of raw shrimp, garlic, and scallion added a nice bite in every few forkfuls lol. I thought the black topping on top was pepper, but when I asked, it turned out to be ground sesame, nuts, and anchovies! You could really tell how much care went into this dish...★

The famous crispy eggplant, crunchy to the last bite

Next up, the crispy eggplant! You could tell from the look of it alone that it was going to be crunchy lol. This would go so well with beer too. The plating was pretty with scallions, bell pepper, and cherry tomatoes, and the sweet-and-sour sauce balanced out the spiciness perfectly. The kind of flavor that keeps you reaching for more!! Just like the reviews said, it stayed crispy right to the last bite — amazing...

A glass of house red wine

Cheers with house wine!! The sweetness and body were nicely balanced, really good.

Hehe, it came out looking so pretty, which made me even happier ๑˃̶ ꇴ ˂̶)♪⁺

Were we really just at a bakery earlier... just two people so stuffed they were still eating because it was that good lol. Not gonna lie, we scraped the pasta sauce right down to the bottom of the plate. And we finished every last bit of the eggplant too ★

Overall thoughts on Hey Jinny in Euljiro

• The atmosphere is on another level. Highly recommend for blind dates or date nights.
• A wide variety of side dishes that pair well with wine and whisky, so picking is half the fun
• Delicious food
• A clean, tidy interior
• A friendly owner

If a friend told me they were going on a date in Euljiro, I'd definitely recommend this place!! Great as a second-round blind date spot too haha. Being right by Euljiro 3(sam)-ga Station makes it super accessible. I loved the clean, cozy atmosphere so much that I plan to come back next time I'm in Euljiro. Gomi said the food was really delicious too, which made me proud haha. Next time we're definitely trying the gambas and cheese pizza ✿˘◡˘✿ Thanks for the meal again this time ♡