# Yeonnam-dong dinner date over John Dory ochazuke: Ochaya Yeonnam

- By Yerin Chi (https://superchart.com/en/@mangwon-late-noodle/)
- Written Sep 18, 2026
- Local places › Restaurants › Mapo, Seoul
- Sponsored: This visit was sponsored by the business.
- English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@mangwon-late-noodle/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner/
- Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@mangwon-late-noodle/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner/index.md)

## In short

Ochaya Yeonnam is an ochazuke (rice in savory broth) restaurant on the second floor of a building in a Yeonnam-dong alley in Mapo, Seoul, a 10-minute walk from Hongik Univ. Station Exit 3. On a dinner date the writer ordered matoudai chazuke with John Dory (15,000 won) and butanokakuni chazuke with braised pork belly (14,000 won), eating half of each bowl plain and pouring bonito-and-kelp broth over the rest. The seasoned rice and the broth were both excellent, making Ochaya Yeonnam an easy choice for a date or a solo dinner.

## Good to know

- **Hours**: Daily 11:00-20:30 (last order 19:50)
- **Address**: 2nd floor, 38 Donggyo-ro 38-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul
- **Getting there**: 10-minute walk from Hongik Univ. Station Exit 3, in an alley off Gyeongui Line Forest Trail
- **Parking**: Not available
- **Reservations**: Accepted
- **Branches**: Sangsu and Yeonnam locations open
- **Payment**: Mobile payment accepted
- **Matoudai chazuke (John Dory)**: 15,000 won
- **Butanokakuni (braised pork belly)**: 14,000 won
- **Sake chazuke (salmon)**: 15,000 won
- **Kaisen chazuke (seafood)**: 14,500 won
- **Unagi chazuke (eel)**: 16,000 won
- **Mentaiko ochazuke (pollock roe)**: 10,000 won
- **Chamnamul perilla oil soba (summer only)**: 13,000 won
- **Drinks**: Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite, Sprite Zero: 2,000 won each
- **Review event**: Seonbae matcha ice cream free

*as written by the visitor on Sep 18, 2026*

Ochaya Yeonnam, open daily 11:00–20:30 (last order 19:50).

![Photo from a visit to Ochaya Yeonnam](https://img.superchart.com/images/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner-01-1jcrq-966.webp)

Seoul date night with Soo-hyun, and dinner was this Seoul ochazuke spot, Hongdae restaurant, Hongik Univ. Station eatery — Ochaya, an ochazuke place. Here's the review.

## Where is Ochaya Yeonnam and how do you get there?

- 📍 Address: 38 Donggyo-ro 38-gil, 2nd floor, Mapo-gu, Seoul
- 🚘 Parking: none available.
- ⭐️ Yeonnam-dong ochazuke restaurant.
- ⭐️ Reservations available.
- ⭐️ Sangsu and Yeonnam locations currently open.
- ⭐️ Mobile/simple payment accepted.

![Exterior of the Ochaya Yeonnam building in a Gyeongui Line Forest Trail alley](https://img.superchart.com/images/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner-02-31gb0-966.webp)

Ochaya, this Yeonnam-dong ochazuke spot, is a 10-minute walk from Hongik Univ. Station Exit 3, tucked into an alley off the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail.

![Inner staircase leading up to the 2nd floor of Ochaya Yeonnam](https://img.superchart.com/images/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner-03-fdrmh-966.webp)

It's on the 2nd floor of the building, so head up the inner staircase ~

![Entrance to Ochaya Yeonnam's 2nd floor](https://img.superchart.com/images/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner-04-im6oq-966.webp)

## Dinner wait times and the mood inside Ochaya Yeonnam

The entrance to Ochaya, a Yeonnam-dong restaurant. We came early evening, so luckily there was no wait.

Inside Ochaya, a Yeonnam-dong favorite: calm wood tones make it comfortable.

The seating inside is spaced out generously. There's also a group table, so it's good for visiting with a bigger crowd.

We took a corner table for two.

![Menu board and price list at Ochaya Yeonnam](https://img.superchart.com/images/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner-05-jsqtk-966.webp)

## Ochaya Yeonnam menu and prices

The menu and prices at Ochaya Yeonnam, a Hongik Univ. Station restaurant known for Yeonnam-dong salmon.

- <Meals> Chamnamul perilla oil soba (summer only) ₩13,000
- Butanokakuni (pork belly) ₩14,000
- Sake chazuke (salmon) ₩15,000
- Kaisen chazuke (seafood) ₩14,500
- Unagi chazuke (eel) ₩16,000
- Matoudai chazuke (John Dory fish) ₩15,000
- Mentaiko ochazuke ₩10,000
- <Drinks> Coke ₩2,000 / Zero Coke ₩2,000 / Sprite ₩2,000 / Zero Sprite ₩2,000
- <Review event> Free matcha ice cream (Seonbae)

We each ordered whichever topping we liked! One ochazuke each at Ochaya, this Yeonnam-dong ochazuke restaurant 🍚

![Self-service bar at Ochaya Yeonnam](https://img.superchart.com/images/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner-06-1yct0-966.webp)

## Self-service bar, high chairs and other amenities

The self-service bar at Ochaya, a Yeonnam-dong solo-dining spot.

![Water, napkins and wet wipes on the self-service bar](https://img.superchart.com/images/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner-07-1l5sh-966.webp)

![A phone charger set up at the self-service bar](https://img.superchart.com/images/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner-08-8ddaq-966.webp)

Water, napkins, wet wipes — and even a phone charger. Great for solo diners in Yeonnam-dong, haha.

Self-service aprons.

![Self-service aprons at Ochaya Yeonnam](https://img.superchart.com/images/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner-09-du5fb-966.webp)

There are kids' chairs too, so it works well as a Yeonnam-dong spot to bring kids to.

![A kids' chair provided in the restaurant](https://img.superchart.com/images/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner-10-1h04c-966.webp)

There's also a coat hook.

![A coat hook on the wall of the restaurant](https://img.superchart.com/images/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner-11-jid48-966.webp)

## How to eat ochazuke: the two-step method

Every table has instructions posted for how to enjoy the ochazuke at this Hongik Univ. Station, Yeonnam-dong eatery. Eat about half, then pour the broth over the rest, apparently.

Soy sauce sitting on the table — probably meant for the fish dishes!

![Soy sauce placed on the table](https://img.superchart.com/images/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner-12-1d56o-966.webp)

While waiting for our ochazuke after ordering, I noticed a row of rice cookers lined up in the kitchen.

![A row of rice cookers lined up in the kitchen](https://img.superchart.com/images/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner-13-1140u-966.webp)

Soo-hyun picking out dessert — a very planned-only-when-it-comes-to-eating kind of person.

![Choosing dessert menu items](https://img.superchart.com/images/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner-14-158ii-966.webp)

## John Dory chazuke and braised pork belly chazuke

What we ordered at Ochaya, this Yeonnam-dong restaurant: John Dory ochazuke 🐟 and butanokakuni ochazuke 🍖

![Table setup with John Dory ochazuke and butanokakuni ochazuke](https://img.superchart.com/images/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner-15-1jb5x-966.webp)

My pick: John Dory ochazuke 🐟

![Matoudai ochazuke topped with John Dory](https://img.superchart.com/images/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner-16-1difz-1200.webp)

Soo-hyun's pick: butanokakuni ochazuke 🍖

John Dory, an unfamiliar name, is apparently a fish belonging to the John Dory family — a species rarely caught in Korean waters. The John Dory ochazuke comes topped with one big chunk of the fish.

Three side dishes.

![Three side dishes served with the ochazuke](https://img.superchart.com/images/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner-17-11n34-966.webp)

Seaweed that's delicious wrapped around the rice, haha.

The broth also comes served separately in a bottle.

The John Dory, nicely browned — the whole thing is white fish.

![Nicely browned white John Dory fish](https://img.superchart.com/images/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner-18-175kc-966.webp)

The rice at Ochaya, a Yeonnam-dong favorite, is nutty-rice style, mixed with mushrooms, beans, corn, and more, giving it a slight yellow tint.

The first bite was pure rice + John Dory. The texture is soft and chewy, like croaker flesh — a bit springy, with a clean, plain flavor that's easy to eat without feeling heavy.

![Nutty-rice-style rice used in the ochazuke](https://img.superchart.com/images/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner-19-1okvs-966.webp)

Wrapped in seaweed, it's nutty and toasty 😙

![A bite of ochazuke wrapped in seaweed](https://img.superchart.com/images/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner-20-osv30-966.webp)

The rice itself is so good you could eat it plain and it'd go down easy.

![Butanokakuni ochazuke topped with big chunks of pork belly](https://img.superchart.com/images/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner-21-1qhd3-966.webp)

Soo-hyun's butanokakuni ochazuke, with its huge chunks of meat, looked amazing. It comes with wasabi.

Soo-hyun made me a bite 🤤

> Whoa, what is this... the butanokakuni sauce is seriously delicious! Sweet-and-salty seasoning with a hint of smokiness, and the meat is completely moist and tender 😳 What a treat, seriously.

![A bite of rice topped with butanokakuni meat](https://img.superchart.com/images/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner-22-1fdzg-966.webp)

## What the bowls tasted like with the broth poured over

About halfway through, we poured the broth over. Even after some time had passed, the broth was still warm.

![Ochazuke broth served separately in a bottle](https://img.superchart.com/images/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner-23-owkpq-966.webp)

![John Dory ochazuke with the broth poured over](https://img.superchart.com/images/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner/ochaya-yeonnam-dory-ochazuke-dinner-24-58gvb-966.webp)

Pouring the broth over made it even better 🫢 At Ochaya, this Yeonnam-dong rice bowl restaurant, the ochazuke broth itself is incredibly tasty. It's a dashi flavor made from bonito flakes and kelp, refreshing yet full of umami. Compared to eating it plain, it definitely felt like something more was added, and it was nice to mix things up partway through.

With a varied menu and generous portions, Ochaya, a Hongik Univ. Station restaurant, is one I'd recommend as a Yeonnam-dong favorite, a Yeonnam-dong solo-dining spot, and a Yeonnam-dong date spot 🍚

## Where it is

- Ochaya Yeonnam (오차야 연남점)
- 38 Donggyo-ro 38-gil, 2nd floor, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
- 서울특별시 마포구 동교로38길 38 2층
- 37.5611823, 126.9256556
- Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EC%98%A4%EC%B0%A8%EC%95%BC%20%EC%97%B0%EB%82%A8%EC%A0%90/@37.5611823,126.9256556,17z

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