Busan Chinese bar with avocado cream shrimp: Lounge Mokhwa Dongnae

Today I'm posting about a great Dongnae date spot for Chinese food — Lounge Mokhwa! I'm a huge fan of Chinese cuisine, and it was so good I couldn't skip writing about it haha.

Where is Lounge Mokhwa Dongnae Branch, and what are the hours?

Lounge Mokhwa Dongnae Branch is at 37 Myeongnyun-ro 129beon-gil, 1F, Dongnae-gu, Busan, and it's open from 17:00 to 02:00. It's closed every Sunday.

Lounge Mokhwa is close to Dongnae Station, so a lot of people pick it for a Dongnae date course. It's just a short walk from the subway, so it's an easy visit by public transport.

Hong Kong-style interior and seating for groups

The interior of Lounge Mokhwa Dongnae Branch is decorated with such a strong Hong Kong feel that it's totally different from your average bar — really charming. It reminded me of trips I took to China and Hong Kong years ago, and I even felt a little like I was traveling again.

There are 4-person tables plus several round tables that seat 4 or more, so it looked great for group gatherings. The space isn't too small or cramped either, so it's good for company dinners or coming with a bunch of friends.

Menu and kiosk ordering at Lounge Mokhwa

At Lounge Mokhwa Dongnae Branch you order food through a kiosk, and you bring your own drinks and alcohol over yourself 〰️

True to a Chinese-food bar, there's a wide range of dishes like ganpunggi (crispy sweet-spicy chicken), mala cream noodles, and gochujapchae (spicy shredded pork with vegetables), so it seemed like a great place to order a bunch based on your taste. There were so many dishes I was curious about that I decided I need to make this a Dongnae date-course checklist.

The basic side dishes were ppeongtwigi (puffed rice crackers) and cabbage.

What we ordered at Lounge Mokhwa Dongnae Branch

• Avocado cream shrimp
• Fried dumplings
• Earl Grey highball

Earl Grey highball

If you like Earl Grey, you won't be able to resist a drink this good haha. The Earl Grey aroma comes through subtly, so it should be a clean, easy drink for lightweights.

New menu: avocado cream shrimp with flower buns

Avocado cream shrimp is a new item that just launched at Lounge Mokhwa Dongnae Branch — plump shrimp piled high with avocado cream.

Underneath the shrimp is a fresh salad, and beside it sits crispy hwajuan (flower buns) — the visuals are insane.

The shrimp were so huge that it's fair to say each one was about the size of my fist!!!

I was curious what the avocado cream would taste like, and it turned out to be a mayo base with a bright avocado aroma layered on top — just straight-up delicious.

The size is so huge there's no way you're eating one in a single bite — it's a two-or-three-bite piece!! The batter wasn't thick, more on the thin side, which I loved, and since the shrimp was so plump you could really feel that springy texture.

The salad was drizzled with a bright, tangy sauce too, which was really appealing, and I could enjoy it down to the last piece without getting tired of it!

The hwajuan buns were also big and fried super crispy, with a shattering crunch that was totally 👍🏻

Fresh out of the fryer and piping hot, dipped in sweet condensed milk — so good that skipping it would've been a real shame ㅠㅠ

Fried dumplings (gun-mandu)

The fried dumplings are crispy on the outside, and dipped in soy sauce they're the perfect side for soju or beer.

The textbook definition of a good crispy fried dumpling! A moist, packed filling wrapped in a crispy shell — a really harmonious bite.

Is Lounge Mokhwa Dongnae worth it? 💭

This visit to Lounge Mokhwa Dongnae Branch left a real impression on me since so many of the dishes aren't things you'd commonly find elsewhere. The quality and flavor of the bar snacks were excellent, so I'd love to come back whenever I'm craving Chinese-style drinking food. It's also a great spot for a get-together with friends, so I'd highly recommend it as a Dongnae date course ♡