Gangnam Chinese restaurant for xiaolongbao and guobaorou: Namsogwan

There was a place that caught my eye every time I passed through Gangnam Station. I would always think, “I have to try this place next time!” and keep walking, but today I finally had time to visit.

It was Namsogwan U Yuk Dosakmyeon. It is close to the main road by Gangnam Station, so I imagine plenty of you have spotted it while passing by.

Once I stepped inside, it was far more exotic and atmospheric than I expected—and the food was truly delicious, too.

Getting to Namsogwan U Yuk Dosakmyeon

📍 Namsogwan U Yuk Dosakmyeon 🧭 1F–2F, 19 Teheran-ro 1-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea (서울 강남구 테헤란로1길 19 1층 2층) ⏰ Daily 11:00–22:20 Last order: 22:00

An exotic Greater Chinese atmosphere in the heart of Gangnam

The first thing that caught my attention the moment I walked in was, of course, the interior.

The wood tones and design reminiscent of an old Hong Kong space gave it a distinctly different feel from an ordinary Chinese restaurant.

Some areas felt like caves or tunnels, with stained-glass details added throughout, so there was plenty to look at. Rather than simply coming out for food, I felt as if I had found a local restaurant while traveling in Hong Kong.

The menu was also impressively varied, from Hong Kong-style dim sum to Taiwanese beef noodle soup and other Greater Chinese dishes. It also looked like a nice place to have a beer with some of the cooked dishes in the evening.

A lively crowd, from international visitors to solo diners

When we visited, the first floor was nearly full, and it was difficult to find an empty seat upstairs, too.

There were so many international guests as well as Korean diners that it almost felt like being abroad. (Now I understand why it always looked busy whenever I passed by.) Quite a few people were dining alone, too, so it felt easy to come here for a solo meal.

Cabbage zhacai and peanuts to start

Once we sat down, water arrived along with peanuts and zhacai (pickled mustard stem) with cabbage.

Unlike typical zhacai, this one included cabbage, which added a lovely crunch. The peanuts were salted, making them nicely savory to snack on.

Even the water glasses and tableware were individually pretty, and those small details made the restaurant’s concept come through.

✨ Ondo’s picks ✨

• Xiaolongbao
• Guobaorou
• Coke Zero

Hong Kong-style xiaolongbao: taste the broth first

As you would expect from a dim sum specialist, they looked fantastic from the start.

The xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) were full of broth, so the key is not to pick one up with your chopsticks and take a huge bite right away—tear it slightly first and taste the broth inside! I slurped up the broth, then dipped it lightly in soy sauce with ginger, and it was so good. The gentle ginger aroma in the soy sauce worked beautifully with the dim sum’s flavor. It really made me think that dim sum from a specialist is different.

Guobaorou that exceeded expectations

And the dish that truly exceeded my expectations was the guobaorou.

First of all, the portion was very generous. Unlike guobaorou, which is usually made with thick pieces of meat, this came with meat that seemed flattened and minced—and honestly, that made it incredibly good. It had that perfect crisp-outside, moist-inside texture, with a gentle juiciness from the meat, too. The sauce was memorable as well. Its savory soy sauce base was joined by a sweet-and-tangy note like tangsuyuk, creating an exotic Hong Kong-style flavor.

From the first bite, savory flavor just burst across my mouth! My husband and I both loved the guobaorou among everything we ate that day, so it is the dish I especially want to recommend to anyone looking for a Chinese restaurant in Gangnam.

Guobaorou and Coke Zero

A delicious meal needs a drink, of course.

As we ate the xiaolongbao and guobaorou, we naturally ordered a Coke Zero, and it was such a great pairing.

A spacious, comfortable room with useful amenities

I also liked how spacious the restaurant was. Even at a busy time with lots of diners, it never felt cramped, and the comfortable seating let us enjoy our meal at an easy pace.

There were phone chargers set up on one side as well, so anyone running low on battery during a meal can use them conveniently.

Next time: beef noodles and more dim sum

This time, I tried the xiaolongbao and guobaorou, but looking at the menu, there were so many more dishes I wanted to try.

Especially since beef shaved noodle soup is right there in the restaurant’s name, I definitely want to try the Taiwanese-style beef noodle soup next time, along with other dim sum and Greater Chinese dishes one by one.

The first floor also had slightly different interiors in each area, so on my next visit, I would love to sit somewhere else and enjoy a different atmosphere.

A meal near Gangnam Station that feels like a trip to Hong Kong

It is right in the middle of Gangnam Station, yet the atmosphere changes completely the moment you step inside.

With its exotic interior and range of Greater Chinese dishes, including Hong Kong-style dim sum and Taiwanese beef noodle soup, the meal itself felt like a little trip.

If you are looking for a different kind of Chinese meal near Gangnam Station, I highly recommend Namsogwan U Yuk Dosakmyeon ✨