Hongdae Japanese restaurant: summer soba and eel with Mom at Ochaya
In short
Ochaya Yeonnam is a Japanese ochazuke restaurant on the 2nd floor of a building in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo, Seoul. It is a 7–10 minute walk from Exit 3 of Hongik Univ. Station. Over lunch, the writer and her mom shared the summer-only chamnamul (Korean wild parsley) perilla oil soba for 13,000 won and the unagi chazuke, eel on fried rice, for 16,000 won. Both dishes came out together, so they could eat at the same time, and both were satisfying. With wide tables and a tidy window view, Ochaya Yeonnam is worth recommending for a Hongik Univ. lunch or a date.
Good to know
- Getting there
- Hongik Univ. Station Exit 3 · 5-min walk (store listing, Oct 6, 2026)
- Location
- 2nd floor, 38 Donggyo-ro 38-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul; 7–10 min walk from Exit 3 of Hongik Univ. Station
- Hours
- Daily 11:30–20:30 (last order given in the original as 20:50)
- Chamnamul perilla oil soba (summer only)
- 13,000 won
- Buta no kakuni (pork belly)
- 14,000 won
- Unagi chazuke (eel)
- 16,000 won
- How to order
- Kiosk at the entrance
- Seating
- Tables for 2, 4 and 6
- Review event
- Free senbei matcha ice cream when you write a review
- Payment
- Accepts the high oil price relief support payment
- Price reference
- ₩13,000 ≈ $9.7 · ₩16,000 ≈ $12 (2026-10-08)
as written by the visitor on Aug 1, 2026
Today I had a Japanese lunch near Hongik Univ. Station at Ochaya Yeonnam. I went with my mom, and the interior was lovely and the food was delicious, so I recommend it.
Where is Ochaya Yeonnam, and what are its hours?
Ochaya Yeonnam is a 7–10 minute walk from Exit 3 of Hongik Univ. Station, on the 2nd floor of a building on Donggyo-ro 38-gil in Yeonnam-dong. It accepts the high oil price relief support fund. The stairs are a walkway, so if you have to wait, please wait on the stairs below the 2nd floor.
Hours: daily 11:30–20:30 / last order 20:50
How to order at Ochaya Yeonnam, and menu prices
At Ochaya Yeonnam you order at the kiosk right inside the entrance. Two adults, one dish each: the summer-only perilla oil soba and Ochaya's signature unagi chazuke (eel chazuke).
If you join the review event, you get senbei matcha ice cream. Enjoy some ice cream in the summer heat, too!
- Perilla oil soba (summer only) ₩13,000
- Buta no kakuni (braised pork belly) ₩14,000
- Unagi chazuke (eel) ₩16,000
What are the seating and atmosphere like at Ochaya Yeonnam?
The space is laid out in a straight line, so it's easy to see the seats at a glance, with tables for 2, 4 and 6. The window glass was clean and you could see outside well. With its nice interior and mood, I recommend it as a Hongik Univ. date spot.
Behind the kiosk where you order, there are chargers, wet wipes and water, and spoons, chopsticks and tissues are set at each seat. The tables are fairly wide, so even with the food on them it never felt cramped.
I liked that both dishes came out at once. I could eat with my mom without waiting. We shared, and we were happy with both.
How does the summer-only chamnamul perilla oil soba taste?
The perilla oil soba (₩13,000) at Ochaya Yeonnam comes with shrimp tempura, and a side dish of seasoned pollock (myeongtae-hoe-muchim) comes along. That pollock side is delicious! The perilla and sesame oil flavor of the soba went really well with the eel rice bowl, too.
The noodles were boiled just right with a chewy texture, and the combination of chamnamul (pimpinella greens) and perilla oil was spot on. The nutty perilla oil whetted my appetite, and it wasn't heavy, so it was easy to eat lightly. The greens are tasty.
How do you eat unagi chazuke at Ochaya Yeonnam?
Unagi chazuke (₩16,000) is grilled eel on warm rice, eaten with green tea or broth poured over it, and the tables at Ochaya Yeonnam have instructions on how to eat it. The side dishes were kimchi, seed jeotgal (salted seasoned seeds), dried radish strips and seaweed, which went together neatly without overpowering the main dish.
It's fried rice rather than plain white rice, which adds fun chewiness, and I liked the soft, sweet eel. It's tender enough to cut with a spoon. The amount of eel was just right to eat with the fried rice. Once you're about halfway through, pour in the broth that comes with it; that made it even softer and easier to eat.
If you're looking for a good Japanese restaurant near Hongik Univ. Station, I recommend Ochaya Yeonnam.
Where it is
38 Donggyo-ro 38-gil, 2nd floor, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea서울특별시 마포구 동교로38길 38 2층
Ohchaya Yeonnam: hours, menu and prices →
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