Weekday lunch at a Seongsu Taiwanese restaurant: Bao Seoul Seongsu

A Taiwanese restaurant I sought out for a slightly different lunch in Seongsu

Where is Bao Seoul Seongsu and what are its hours?

Bao Seoul Seongsu is a Taiwanese restaurant located at 110 Yeonmujang-gil, 1st floor unit 103, Seongdong-gu, Seoul. It's open daily from 11:30 to 21:00, with last order at 20:20.

• 📍 110 Yeonmujang-gil, 1st floor unit 103, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• 🕒 Daily 11:30–21:00 / last order 20:20
• Parking: nearby lots recommended, including Seongsu A-One Knowledge Industry Center parking
• ☑️ Reservations, delivery, takeout available / no corkage / pets welcome

I was looking for somewhere to have weekday lunch in Seongsu and was craving something a bit different from usual, so I stopped by Bao Seoul Seongsu~ I liked that I could try bao, beef noodle soup, and braised pork rice bowl all in one visit, and I was curious about the unique atmosphere that felt like being transported to Taiwan!!

Even from the outside, the vibe was totally different from the typical Seongsu restaurants and cafés!

The sign and colors have such a strong exotic feel that it catches your eye even while just walking by.

What is the atmosphere like inside Bao Seoul Seongsu?

The interior of Bao Seoul Seongsu is dimly lit with vividly colored props that come together for a Taiwanese night market feel. The seating is cozier and more tightly packed than at a large spacious restaurant.

Once you step inside, the lighting is low and the overall mood is a bit dark — but that actually suited the concept of the place well.

With the vivid colors and props blending together, it felt for a moment like I'd wandered into a restaurant tucked inside a Taiwanese night market.

The seating leans cozy and dense rather than spacious and roomy like a big restaurant.

It felt like a great fit for a Seongsu date or a unique meal out with friends.

What's on the menu at Bao Seoul Seongsu?

The menu includes classic bao along with lamb bao, shrimp bao, and chicken bao, as well as noodle dishes like beef noodle soup, gopchang (beef intestine) noodle, mazesoba, and cold peanut noodle.

For rice bowls, there's braised pork rice bowl, lamb rice bowl, mapo tofu rice, and more.

• ✔️ Classic bao — ₩12,000
• ✔️ Taiwanese beef noodle soup — ₩17,000
• ✔️ Braised pork rice bowl — ₩15,000

Ordering all three together made it easy to sample a good range of Bao Seoul's signature dishes.

Classic bao, 12,000 won

The bao bun itself was really soft and fluffy, with a subtle sweetness. Inside, it was filled with tender braised pork, mustard pickles, and peanut powder, so one bite gives you sweet, salty, and nutty flavors all at once.

It wasn't just the bun that was soft — the meat and fillings inside were pretty generous too. I assumed the bao would be a simple, light bite given its small size, but it was surprisingly packed inside, which was quite satisfying haha. The fluffy texture of the bao paired really well with the savory-salty braised pork, making it the most memorable dish of the day for me.

Taiwanese beef noodle soup, 17,000 won

The beef noodle soup felt a bit distinctive from the first sip rather than familiar. The broth had a subtle tanginess that worked better than I expected.

Rather than being a strongly spiced, love-it-or-hate-it style, it leaned toward unique but fairly easy to eat.

Above all, the meat was really tender. It was cooked so soft it practically fell apart when nudged with chopsticks, and there was plenty of it, making it a great match with the noodles.

Braised pork rice bowl, 15,000 won

The dish I enjoyed most was the braised pork rice bowl. A generous amount of braised pork sits on top of the rice along with tangy sides similar to oi-ji (pickled cucumber), and the combination worked really well.

Braised pork on its own can get heavy or greasy, but the tangy, crunchy elements coming in between bites kept my palate clean.

The portion of meat wasn't skimpy either, so eating it with the rice never felt lacking. The tender, savory-salty braised pork with the tangy pickles and rice made for a surprisingly good balance.

The biggest strength of Bao Seoul is that you can experience flavors different from what you'd normally eat. The classic bao was sweet, nutty, and salty; the beef noodle soup had a rich broth with a tangy edge; and the braised pork rice bowl had its richness nicely balanced by the tangy sides.

How long is the weekday lunch wait?

I visited Bao Seoul Seongsu around 12:30pm on a weekday, and the restaurant was packed since it was lunch hour, but I was still able to eat without any issues. I ordered three dishes and none of them tasted similar to each other!!

Given it's a Seongsu hotspot, there can be a wait depending on the time, so it's probably best to visit with some time to spare.

There's also a Naver receipt review event running, so check it out if that's useful for you!

If you want to feel like you've traveled to Taiwan without leaving Seongsu!!

From the soft texture of the bao to the tangy beef noodle soup to the clean-tasting braised pork rice bowl, each dish had its own distinct character.

Beyond the food, the dark, hip atmosphere of the space added to the fun throughout the meal.

Is Bao Seoul Seongsu worth a lunch trip to Seongsu?

This is a place I'd recommend on days when you want something distinctive instead of ordinary Korean food or familiar dishes. If you're browsing cafés or concept stores in Seongsu and want a different kind of lunch, it's worth adding to your route.

The unique atmosphere makes it a good fit for a Seongsu date course, and it's also great to visit with a friend who's looking for a Taiwanese restaurant. Personally, of the three dishes, I'd recommend the braised pork rice bowl and classic bao first.

Add the Taiwanese beef noodle soup on top when you're craving something with broth, and you've got a pretty solid meal! It has a different feel from the typical Chinese restaurants you commonly see in Seoul, so it should suit anyone looking for an unusual restaurant in Seoul.

There are so many good restaurants in Seongsu, but this time I definitely came away feeling like I'd eaten something a little more special than usual. If you want to enjoy a Taiwanese night market kind of atmosphere, this is a Seongdong restaurant worth stopping by at least once.