Hongdae pasta dinner with a friend, Seoul: 5-team Friday wait at Omil

On the day I met a friend in Hongdae, we went to Omil Hongdae, a pasta place my friend had wanted to try. After the meal I was glad I had tagged along. The atmosphere was nice too, so it works easily for a Hongdae date or a meal with friends.

Where is Omil Hongdae, and where can you park?

Omil Hongdae is at 178-8 Yanghwa-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the 2nd floor, about a 2-minute walk from Exit 8 of Hongik Univ. Station. It is open Mon–Fri 11:30–21:15 and Sat–Sun 11:00–21:15, with last order at 20:30.

Go straight from the exit, turn right at Starbucks, and you will see it right away on the 2nd floor, so it was easy to find. Hongdae AK Plaza is across the street, so first-timers can spot it quickly. We like picking meeting spots close to the station, and the easy access made meeting up simple.

For reference, there is no parking provided, but you can use the underground parking at Hongdae AK Plaza (LC Tower) or the paid Hongdae Wisepark lot. Groups of up to 20 are possible and private booking is by phone. Pets, outside alcohol and corkage are not allowed.

How long is the Friday evening wait at Omil Hongdae?

When I arrived at 6pm on a Friday, about 5 teams were already waiting. I got there before my friend and went to the entrance to put our name down, and there were quite a few people already. I thought, "It's a weekday and it's this busy?"

Luckily we did not wait long, but if I had come a bit later the wait would probably have been longer.

Even after we were seated, guests kept coming in, which made me even more excited to taste the food!

What is the atmosphere like at Omil Hongdae?

Omil Hongdae is decorated with rubber duck props and Omil's own characters, giving it a cute feel, and the interior is bigger than I expected.

Once I stepped inside, I found the space much bigger than I expected.

There is seating further inside too, so even with a wait, tables turned over fairly fast and we did not wait long.

Rubber duck props and Omil's characters are everywhere, and every time I saw the one with arms spread wide it seemed to say "Hug me~", which made me laugh for no reason. The cute vibe suited the name "Omil" well and put me in a good mood even before the meal.

Omil Hongdae OH! SET: price and what's included

Omil Hongdae's set for two, the OH! SET, starts at ₩47,800 and includes 2 main dishes, a dessert and 2 drinks. Having a set menu made ordering easy.

We sat down, looked over the menu, and ordered the OH! SET. The set for two has a fixed basic lineup, so it looked easy for people who have trouble choosing.

Some items carry a surcharge of ₩1,000 to ₩4,000 depending on your choice, but you can swap to what you want to eat, so it did not feel like a big burden. We ordered the K-butter pasta, Rubber Duck omurice and whole corn fritters. The amount did not look too small for two people, and since these were well-reviewed dishes, I think we waited extra curious about how they would taste~

How does Omil's K-butter pasta (gochujang butter pasta) taste?

Omil Hongdae's K-butter pasta is a thick, rich pasta with the savory depth of gochujang (Korean chili paste) plus the nuttiness of butter, and it was better than I expected. The gochujang adds flavor rather than heat, so it was neither greasy nor too spicy.

The first dish we ate was the K-butter pasta. When I only read the name, I wondered whether gochujang and butter would really go together, but one bite changed my mind completely. The savory depth of gochujang was there, but it felt like it added flavor rather than heat, and with the nuttiness of the butter, the thick sauce coated the noodles nicely.

It was neither greasy nor too spicy, so I kept reaching for more. Above all, the meat on top was much more tender than I expected. It was cooked just right, and it was delicious even dipped on its own in the sauce. Eaten with the noodles, it filled my mouth richly, and my friend and I said "This is really good" I don't know how many times~!! Even I, who don't usually eat much pasta, enjoyed it, so I understand why it is popular.

What is Omil's Rubber Duck omurice?

Omil Hongdae's Rubber Duck omurice (rice omelet) has duck figures made of quail eggs sitting on top of the omelet, and when you order it they also bring a rubber duck doll. The fried rice had a faint curry aroma.

Just as I was marveling over a bite of pasta, the Rubber Duck omurice came out. The moment we saw it, my friend and I both grabbed our phones, because the quail egg ducks on top of the omelet were so cute. I had never seen a dish like this, so I think we took photos for a long time.

On top of that, when you order the Rubber Duck omurice they bring a cute rubber duck doll too, and standing it next to the dish for photos made it even more fun. I think I took ten photos of the omurice alone. The cute look made photos fun, but it was not a dish that is only pretty; it tasted good too.

The egg was really soft, and the fried rice inside had a faint curry aroma. It was not a strong curry taste, just a slight added savoriness, so it was easy to eat without getting tired of it. I also liked the slightly crunchy texture of the vegetables. I don't usually buy omurice out, but this made me think, "So there is a reason people eat omurice at a specialty restaurant."

Are the whole corn fritters sweet and candied like Chinese basi?

Omil Hongdae's whole corn fritters are not baseu (candied, glazed fried) style; they felt like a slightly more upscale version of the seasoned corn that was trendy a while back. Honestly it was the dish I expected least, but it was more addictive than I thought.

The salty-sweet flavor kept drawing me in, and with the crispy texture, I kept reaching for more. At first I said, "Let's just taste a little," but before I knew it I was picking at it nonstop haha.. My friend said it was delicious and kept going back too, and since the three dishes each had a distinct character, we never got bored while eating.

The plastic gloves had an unusual shape and I was briefly confused,,, but you just split them in half to use. When you order several dishes they can sometimes taste alike, but at Omil Hongdae the pasta, omurice and side dish each had their own charm, so the combination worked well.

Is Omil Hongdae good for a date or brunch in Hongdae?

Omil Hongdae has a wide range of meals, including pasta, omurice and steak, plus set menus, so it looked well suited to a Hongdae date as well as brunch or a lunch meetup. It is a 2-minute walk from Hongik Univ. Station, which also makes it a convenient meeting spot.

I came this time for a Friday dinner, but judging from the menu lineup, I think it would also suit brunch or lunch. The route is good for a meal after shopping in Hongdae or a stroll along the Gyeongui Line Forest Park. It was good with a friend like me, and the clean atmosphere seems a fit for anyone looking for a Hongdae date spot~

Who Omil Hongdae is best for

• Anyone looking for a good pasta restaurant in Hongdae
• Anyone deciding on a Hongdae date spot
• Anyone looking for a Hongdae brunch or lunch meetup spot
• Anyone who wants to enjoy omurice and pasta together
• Anyone looking for a restaurant near Hongik Univ. Station

Who might want to think twice about Omil Hongdae

• Anyone who wants a quiet meal (there may be a wait depending on the time)
• Anyone who needs a dedicated parking lot

I don't usually eat pasta often, yet I left having happily cleaned the plates. If you are looking for a good pasta or omurice place in Hongdae, Omil Hongdae is worth a visit.