Haengdang-dong wine bar in Seoul: lemon cream gnocchi at Ryuun

Today I went to Ryuun, an atmospheric wine bar in Haengdang-dong that's a great date spot near Wangsimni. This time I came for an engagement-party gathering, but the vibe was so nice it would work perfectly for a date too.

Where Ryuun is in Haengdang-dong and its opening hours

• 📍Location: 2-1 Haengdang-ro 13-gil, 1st floor (a ground floor that feels like the second floor!), Seongdong-gu, Seoul — across from Mandujeonppang.
• ⏰Hours: Tue-Sun 17:00-24:00 / Closed every Monday
• 🚗Parking: Not available
• ✔️Reservations available via Naver Reservation

Ryuun, a good-vibe wine bar in Haengdang-dong and a Wangsimni date spot

Ryuun is located near Muhak Middle School. I really love Mandujeonppang across the street and stop by sometimes, but I had no idea such a stylish pasta place had opened here... If I'd known, I would have come sooner!

What the interior and seating at Ryuun are like

One slightly unusual thing about Ryuun is that there's a corridor before you get in, haha. It's neat that a space like this exists. You open a wooden door and the restaurant appears.

There's a bar table and a table for four. It's an open kitchen, so you can watch the chef cook. The space behind the glass door can be used like a private room, which seemed great for gatherings too.

The tableware is clean and simple too. Since it's French dining with Korean ingredients, the small plates give off a strangely Korean-tableware feel, haha.

And this is my "engagement gift" 😆 a surprise flower present from the person who invited me to the gathering 🤍 I picked this restaurant because it felt perfect for an engagement-party dinner, and I was very satisfied!

What we ordered at Ryuun and what it cost

• European Salad ₩16,000
• Lemon Cream Gnocchi ₩20,000
• Uni Whelk Pasta ₩27,000
• Bone-Broth Cream Pasta ₩20,000
• 131 Pinot Grigio ₩49,000

131 Pinot Grigio bottle, 49,000 won

Since it was a celebration for an engagement, of course we needed something to toast with, haha. We ordered the 131 Pinot Grigio (white wine). At ₩49,000 a bottle it's reasonably priced, and the taste is fairly fruit-forward, easy to enjoy casually. It's not very sweet so the finish is clean, and the fruity character paired really well with the dishes we ordered 👍🏻 Great wine pick today!

European salad, 16,000 won

A salad with lemon basil dressing and balsamic, refreshing with a touch of sweetness. Perfect appetizer to whet the appetite.

Why Ryuun's lemon cream gnocchi divides opinion

The lemon cream gnocchi I'd been looking forward to. Ryuun's gnocchi has a somewhat bread-like taste and texture. The cream itself has lemon in it, and the gnocchi seems to have lemon too. Not quite a madeleine, but the texture and flavor reminded me of a lemon madeleine. It's on the sweeter side, so I think opinions will be divided.

Bone-broth cream pasta, 20,000 won

The bone-broth cream pasta uses both chicken bone stock and beef bone broth together, giving it an extra kick. Rich, creamy flavor — I enjoyed it a lot.

The three pasta and gnocchi dishes we ordered. Since the chef runs the place alone, the food comes out one at a time. Not slow at all — it comes at a pace where you can savor each dish one by one, which I liked. You could tell every dish was carefully thought through.

Uni whelk pasta: the dish everyone at the table ranked first

Last up was the uni whelk pasta. Everyone at the gathering said it was the tastiest dish! Made with sea urchin and crab tomalley sauce, it's deeply savory with a strong ocean aroma — instantly delicious. That said, once it cools it might start to taste a bit fishy, so I'd recommend finishing it while hot! I thought it was best straight out of the kitchen.

Is Ryuun a good spot for a group dinner or a Wangsimni date?

✔️Ryuun, a Wangsimni-area date spot I visited for an engagement-party gathering. Apparently the chef has experience working at a domestic five-star hotel and at Michelin one- and two-star restaurants. You can definitely tell the cooking style isn't something you come across often. The combination of Korean seasonal ingredients and French cooking technique made for menus that felt both familiar and fresh — a genuinely refreshing experience. And it paired so well with the wine that it would definitely make a great date spot if you want to set a nice mood 🤍