Early-evening Bangi-dong bar for chewy potatoes, raw shrimp: Wareureu

After a satisfying first round with friends, I started thinking about a nice pub near the Bangi-dong food alley for a casual second round: cold drinks and classy Korean-style snacks. So not long ago I went to Wareureu Mansion Bangi Branch (와르르맨숀 방이점), a fusion Korean pub that's getting hot for serving real meals too!

I'll write it all up in detail, from the happy hour deal where draft beer is a mere 100 won if you arrive before 7pm, to my honest review of the seasonal specials I tried~

Location and exterior of Wareureu Mansion Bangi Branch

This Jamsil Bangi food alley spot sits between Jamsil Station and Mongchontoseong Station. You go up to the second floor to find it. It had just newly opened, so I was even more excited.

I went on a weekend early evening and was surprised by how many people there were. So I snapped photos in the gaps whenever I could.

What's the atmosphere like?

Stepping inside, the first thing I noticed was a huge screen. It's a great vibe for watching sports. The interior is quite unique, antique yet stylish, I'd say?

The lighting has a slightly red glow, haha, so it doesn't show much when you've been drinking, which I liked. It's a bit dim, so women get an extra flattering effect. (This is a real tip. This is the kind of place you should go to when you drink.)

The tables are wide and clean too, so it's comfortable for a second round after dinner, with a cozy chat and no feeling of being crowded while you settle into the drinking.

100-won draft beer happy hour before 7pm

If you visit during happy hour, Wareureu Mansion Bangi Branch serves 100-won draft beer!! I arrived before 7pm, and the freshness of beer for just 100 won really cleared my chest.

There were so many tempting dishes that I agonized a bit, then ordered Sinan same-day raw shrimp, chewy potatoes, make-it-your-way ramen, a Coke Zero and 2 draft beers.

Chewy potatoes, a condensed potato pancake

The chewy potatoes are crisp outside and chewy like cheese inside, clinging nicely to your mouth. Dipped in sriracha mayo or buldak (fire chicken) mayo sauce, they were really chewy and delicious. I kept craving them. They felt like a condensed version of a potato pancake (gamjajeon).

Sinan same-day raw shrimp and fried shrimp heads

This is fresh raw shrimp, in season, sent straight from Sinan on the same day! The moment it went into my mouth, the chewy, nutty natural savoriness of raw shrimp burst out and I couldn't help exclaiming.

The heads are fried for you, so they're crunchy and nutty and perfect as a drinking snack. They go well with white kimchi (baek-kimchi) too.

Finishing with make-it-your-way ramen

When you order the make-it-your-way ramen, you get water, ramen, an egg and cheese, and boil it yourself on a burner. You can enjoy the broth too, and I liked eating it freshly boiled. It had been a while since I'd had cheese ramen, and it was really good.

Having a beer at a pub with a good atmosphere in Bangi-dong and a proper meal too was so nice. It's a great place for a first or second round. I want to visit again. If you're looking for a no-fail Korean pub in Bangi-dong, definitely visit Wareureu Mansion Bangi Branch! I was completely satisfied.

Business information

• Address: 11-8 Ogeum-ro 11-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, Unit 201, 2nd floor
• Hours: Sun–Thu 14:00 – 04:00 the next day
• Fri–Sat 14:00 – 05:00 the next day