No-reservation Peking duck at an Apgujeong Chinese bar: Mirim Yangjang

I was looking for a good date spot in Apgujeong and Mirim Yangjang Apgujeong seemed perfect for Chinese food with a drink. Since it's corkage free, it's easy to bring your own wine or whisky, and being able to order Peking duck starting from a half portion made it great for two people. Here's my honest review after trying half a Beijing duck along with duck fried rice.

Where is Mirim Yangjang Apgujeong, and what about parking and corkage?

Mirim Yangjang Apgujeong sits between Line 3 Apgujeong Station and Suin-Bundang Line Apgujeong Rodeo Station, so it's easy to reach from either. If you're driving, there's a valet booth — use the one near Mukjeon during lunch hours, and the one near Cheongdam Isang for dinner.

Mirim Yangjang is also corkage free, so you can bring wine, whisky, sake, or whatever you like to enjoy alongside the Chinese food. Good to know not just for an Apgujeong date, but also if you're looking for a place for a work dinner or gathering where drinks are involved.

Inside the Hong Kong-style basement space: room and group seating

Mirim Yangjang Apgujeong feels like Hong Kong from the entrance — the restaurant is on the basement floor, so you go down a staircase to get in. Walk-ins are possible, but you can also book ahead through Naver or Catch Table, which is what I did.

Inside, the red chairs immediately catch your eye, and the overall vibe really does recall a Hong Kong Chinese restaurant. The seats are divided by partitions, so you get some separation from the next table — good for chatting over a meal.

There's also a room that can seat up to 10 people. It's an independent space with a round table, which looked great for a private meal with a group, and there's group seating too — good for wedding invitation get-togethers or a Gangnam work dinner.

On one side, Mirim Yangjang's signature Peking ducks were lined up on display.

The kitchen is open, so you can watch your Peking duck being sliced right in front of you.

The restrooms are inside the restaurant, too, which is convenient — separate for men and women, and kept clean throughout.

Half Peking duck for 39,000 won, ordered the same day

At Mirim Yangjang Apgujeong, Peking duck starts at ₩39,000 for a half portion, and you can order it on a same-day visit with no reservation needed. Since I'd booked ahead, my table was already set up and I was seated somewhere quiet to eat. Ordering is done through the QR code at the table.

Beyond the signature Peking duck, there was a wide range of Chinese dishes — hot pot, lamb skewers, sweet and sour pork, mala tang, mapo tofu, kkanshoo shrimp (spicy stir-fried shrimp), eggplant fritters, yurinchi (crispy chicken with tangy sauce), and mianbaoxia (shrimp toast), to name a few.

Half Peking duck, ₩39,000. Peking duck usually takes over 30 hours to prepare, so many restaurants require you to book in advance. At Mirim Yangjang, you can order it the same day, and starting from a half portion rather than a whole duck made it an easy, low-pressure choice for two — whether on a blind date or a regular date.

The warm pancakes for wrapping the duck came out too, each separated by paper so they didn't stick together and were easy to peel apart. The pancakes could also be refilled endlessly.

You put the Peking duck on the pancake, add scallion strips and cucumber, and wrap it up with the sauce.

The skin of the Peking duck really stood out — eaten on its own, it had a chewy yet crispy texture.

It was good on its own, but wrapping it in the pancake with scallion strips and cucumber brought all the textures and sauce together nicely.

Duck fried rice at 8,000 won and Hong Kong-style egg noodles

Duck fried rice, ₩8,000. This is a menu item you can only order alongside a Peking duck order, so we ordered it too. It was savory and light — a satisfying dish to fill up on.

You also get a half order of Hong Kong-style egg noodles for writing a Naver receipt review, so it might be worth taking part in that.

Who is Mirim Yangjang Apgujeong best for?

Since it lets you eat Peking duck the same day — a dish that usually requires reservations elsewhere — and offers a half portion, it's a good spot even if you're trying Peking duck for the first time. It's especially nice for two people to eat Peking duck with a drink, so if you're looking for a Peking duck spot in Gangnam, it's worth a visit.