First Impression Diner · 20 stories

Restaurant Impressions

I write about meals and impressions from restaurants I visit in Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Bars · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Family dinner at a Hyehwa pasta restaurant: ginger duck omurice, Omil

Omil Hyehwa Daehangno is a pasta and Western restaurant in Daehangno, Jongno, Seoul, about a 3-minute walk from Hyehwa Station Exit 4. At dinner, the Halloween rubber duck omurice (16,900 won) came with fried rice strongly flavored with ginger and pepper, and the gochujang butter pasta (18,900 won) was spicy rather than greasy; a pineapple ade (6,900 won) and a basil & tomato ade (7,900 won) rounded out the order. With cute plating and high chairs, Omil Hyehwa Daehangno is a good place to eat with kids in Hyehwa.

Written Nov 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDongdaemun, SeoulRestaurants

Hoegi galbitang restaurant, post-trip lunch with Mom: Hoegi Wang

Hoegi Wang Galbitang is a long-running galbitang (beef short rib soup) restaurant near Hoegi Station in Dongdaemun, Seoul. A longtime Hoegi resident had two bowls of the restorative galbitang (₩32,000 total) with her mom for lunch on the day they got back from a trip, and she loved the big ribs, the rich broth, and the barley puffed snack and grandma-style misugaru at the self bar. For a hearty Korean meal near Hoegi Station and Kyung Hee University, Hoegi Wang Galbitang is a reliable pick.

Written Jun 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongsan, SeoulRestaurants

Yongsan hot pot happy hour with mom, free guo bao rou: Mamalala Hotpot

Mamalala Hotpot (마마라라 훠궈) is a hot pot restaurant on the 2nd floor of the Episode Yongsan 241 building at 37 Hangang-daero, Yongsan, Seoul. On a visit with her mom during the 5–6 pm happy hour, the writer ordered the ₩75,000 Mama Set with Mama spicy red broth and neungi mushroom broth, and enjoyed free guo bao rou (crispy sweet-and-sour pork), the sauce bar and an apple cider. Verdict: the Mamalala Hotpot Mama Set comfortably filled three women, and since the red broth is quite spicy, ordering it half-and-half with the neungi mushroom broth is the way to go.

Written Oct 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulBars

Garosu-gil dining bar dinner with mom, futomaki: Negi Dining Lounge

Negi Dining Lounge (네기다이닝라운지) is an upscale izakaya-style dining bar on the 4th floor of 18 Dosan-daero 15-gil in Sinsa, Gangnam, Seoul, about a 7-minute walk from Sinsa Station Exit 8. The writer booked ahead and visited with her mother, ordering kurodamanegi (charred onion) for ₩16,000, a 2-person aged sashimi assortment for ₩72,000, futomaki for ₩38,000 and two highballs, and her mother ate the kurodamanegi down to the last piece. Negi Dining Lounge is worth recommending to anyone looking for a stylish Sinsa dining bar, a restaurant with private rooms or a date spot.

Written Jun 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Gwanghwamun Japanese restaurant to treat Mom: squid aburidon, Ilpum

Ilpum Gwanghwamun is a kaisendon (sashimi rice bowl) restaurant on the B2 level of the Le Meilleur building between Gwanghwamun and Jonggak in Jongno, Seoul, known as a pick of TV personality Lee Young-ja. The writer took her mom to Ilpum Gwanghwamun for a torch-seared sashimi aburidon and a 26,000 won kaisendon with aged sashimi, ankimo (monkfish liver) and snow crab meat. Chawanmushi, mini udon and mango panna cotta followed like a course. For sashimi and sushi lovers, Ilpum Gwanghwamun is worth booking ahead.

Written Jun 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNowon, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Nowon Station hair salon bouncy summer jelly perm: Yeum Hair

Yeum Hair Nowon District Office branch (예움헤어 노원구청점) is a hair salon in Nowon, Seoul, on the 2nd floor of the Starbucks building next to Nowon District Office, near Exit 7 of Nowon Station. The writer finally got the jelly perm she had been planning all summer, together with a long-hair cut and layering, and the whole service took about 2 hours 20 minutes; design perms start at 180,000 won, with 10% off when paying with Naver Pay. The jelly perm came out bouncy, and thoughtful touches at Yeum Hair, such as a cooling pack and iced tea during the heat perm, made it a very satisfying visit.

Written Jun 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Jonggak Le Meilleur gyukatsu: wasabi-salt striploin steki, Ichigyu

Ichigyu Gwanghwamun Branch (이치규 광화문점) is a gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) restaurant on basement level 1 of Le Meilleur Jongno Town in Jonggak, Jongno, Seoul. Craving the gyukatsu from a trip to Japan, the writer walked in on a weekend with no wait and grilled striploin gyukatsu and striploin steki (19,000 won each) in Isigny butter on a tabletop grill shared between two. Verdict: the Ichigyu striploin gyukatsu is crispy outside and tender inside, and the striploin steki tastes beefiest topped with wasabi and dipped in salt.

Written Jun 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Hyehwa Taiwanese eatery, iced black tea & yuxiang pork: Cheonghwawon

Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch is a two-floor Taiwanese-style Chinese restaurant about 3 minutes from Exit 4 of Hyehwa Station in Jongno, Seoul. After a play on a hot day, the writer ordered crystal dumplings, beef knife-cut noodles, a yuxiang pork rice bowl and iced black tea, and found the chewy dumpling wrappers, the subtly spiced broth and the sweet-salty rice bowl all delicious. With noodles and meals in the ₩9,000–10,000 range, Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch is a good fit if you need a roomy, good-value place for a group in Hyehwa.

Written Jun 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDongdaemun, SeoulRestaurants

Imun-dong Mexican restaurant: World Cup night fajita refill, Eaters

Eaters Mexican HUFS Branch is a Tex-Mex restaurant on the 3rd floor of a building near Exit 1 of Oedaeap Station in Imun-dong, Dongdaemun, Seoul. On a repeat visit, the writer watched Korea's World Cup match while eating the Signature Fajita (37,900 won) and ordered one tortilla refill to finish the meal. With its spacious, clean dining room, Eaters Mexican HUFS Branch is a reliable Mexican restaurant near HUFS for dinner with parents, a date or a group meetup.

Written Jun 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Gwanghwamun Chinese restaurant for a meal with parents: Bobo Sikdang

Bobo Sikdang Gwanghwamun is a Chinese restaurant by Culinary Class Wars chef Jang Bo-won, in the B1 food court of the KT Building at Gwanghwamun Station in Jongno, Seoul. On a booked meal with parents, the table shared ganpung monkfish (crispy monkfish in a sweet, spicy garlic sauce) for 38,000 won, meat jjamppong (spicy noodle soup) for 17,000 won, XO shrimp fried rice for 18,000 won, Bobo-style jakjangmyeon for 15,000 won and a bottle of Harbin beer for 12,000 won, and the springy monkfish and smoky meat jjamppong stood out. With roomy seating and private rooms, Bobo Sikdang Gwanghwamun is an easy recommendation for a family meal or group dinner in Gwanghwamun.

Written Jun 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Chungmuro gyukatsu lunch: ready-to-eat vs grill-it steak, Hurato

Hurato Sikdang Euljiro (후라토식당 을지로점) is a Japanese restaurant serving gyukatsu (breaded beef cutlet) and steak sets on basement level 1 of the Tower 107 Building in Euljiro 3-ga, Seoul. Over lunch with a friend, the gyukatsu and the steak set (₩19,500 each) arrived very differently. The gyukatsu was heavily pre-seared and came out medium rare, while the steak was barely seared and had to be grilled on the candle brazier. Hurato Sikdang Euljiro is a good Euljiro 3-ga gyukatsu lunch spot where two people can order one of each and share a single brazier.

Written Oct 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Spacious Indian restaurant at Hyehwa Station, mango lassi Set B: Meono

Meono Kkameona Daehangno Branch is a spacious Indian restaurant on the 2nd floor of the Ewha Building in Jongno, Seoul, about a 4-minute walk from Hyehwa Station Exit 4. Two women ordered the Meono Kkameona Set B for two (34,000 won), switching to butter naan and a mango lassi. They got a tangerine salad, 6 pieces of juicy tandoori chicken, butter chicken curry and turmeric rice, far more food than expected. At 17,000 won per person with salad, lassi and tandoori chicken included, Set B at Meono Kkameona Daehangno Branch is a good-value pick for Indian curry in Daehangno.

Written Jul 3, 2026Sponsored