Konkuk Univ. date-night rice bowls & honey cheese rice cake: Hekbap

Hekbap is a great spot for a solo meal near Konkuk Univ.! There are lots of good-value rice bowls (donburi), salmon bowls, steak bowls, ramen and more, so you never have to worry about what to eat for lunch. The atmosphere is nice and the staff are friendly, so I think it works for dates and group meals too.

Getting to Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch and opening hours

Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch (핵밥 건대본점) is 188m from Exit 3 of Konkuk Univ. Station and 196m from the Hanareum Park bus stop. It is open daily 11:00-21:00, with break time 15:00-16:30 and last order at 20:30.

• Subway: 188m from Exit 3 of Konkuk Univ. Station
• Bus: 196m from Hanareum Park stop
• Parking: not available, nearby public parking lot recommended
• Hours: daily 11:00 - 21:00
• Break time: 15:00 - 16:30
• Last order: 20:30

Atmosphere: seats for solo diners and dates

The restaurant is on the 2nd floor, and many seats look out on trees, with both solo seats and date-friendly tables. It's close to the Hanareum Park stop too!

You do have to go up one floor, but the lush green tree view is so pretty. There are plenty of good solo seats near Konkuk Univ., so it's one of the comfortable restaurants for people who eat alone.

There are lots of tables good for dates, too! I had dinner plans this day, so I came as a date. The tables come in different styles, so I think it would work well for group meals as well.

You order by tablet, which was convenient. If you order a set (jeongsik), you get mini udon and karaage (Japanese fried chicken) along with it. If you want a heartier meal, I recommend the set!

How does Hekbap's sake-don salmon bowl (₩15,900) taste?

The sake-don salmon bowl at Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch is ₩15,900, with thickly sliced salmon topped with a raw egg yolk, flying fish roe and onion. Mostly belly cuts, so it was soft and fresh.

First, the sake-don! I really wanted salmon so I picked the salmon bowl, and I loved the combo of thick salmon slices with raw egg yolk, flying fish roe and onion.

There's salmon under the onions too, which I liked. You don't mix it, you just scoop it up as it is. The onion wasn't spicy at all, and the salmon was full of savory flavor and fresh. Such springy, bouncy salmon!

It's delicious just dipped in soy sauce, and super, extremely tasty with the onion. If you love salmon, just order it without a second thought. Mostly belly cuts, so the texture was soft.

Cube steak bowl set (₩16,900): what's in it and how it tastes

The cube steak bowl set at Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch is ₩16,900, and ordering the set comes with mini udon and 2 pieces of karaage. The steak is cut into bite-size cubes, so it was easy to dig right in.

A hungry kid gets the set!

It has a soy sauce base, so the flavor works for just about everyone. The meat was moist and tender, and the assorted vegetables stir-fried with it were tasty too. The veggies weren't too soft, which made it even better! It's the kind of rice bowl you want when you're craving meat. I think it would be good after a workout, too.

The meat was cooked just right and soft, a great steak bowl! The soy sauce base means I think kids would enjoy it too if you came with them.

The set's mini udon and karaage

Honestly, I didn't order udon separately because I figured it wouldn't live up to expectations, and it was so good I regretted it. Next time I'm definitely getting the set! The udon noodles were super springy and chewy. The karaage was crispy outside and juicy inside, so even better, and it went well with the salad sauce too.

Dessert: Hekbap's grilled cheese rice cake

The highlight at Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch is the grilled cheese rice cake (tteok) drizzled with honey. You eat it as a dessert, and the honey over the grilled cheese tteok was so good. It's a real treat that finished the meal perfectly. Sweet, with lovely cheese flavor.

Verdict: Hekbap is good for solo meals and dates

Hekbap Konkuk University Main Branch is good for eating alone near Konkuk Univ. and good for dates! The long window seats make it easy to eat solo while looking outside, and the tables are spaced widely and the place itself is big, so it's comfortable for gatherings or dates.

The staff were friendly so it was easy to relax, and the food was fresh and came out fast, which is great for busy lunches and dinners. There are lots of good-value rice bowls (around ₩10,000 and a bit up) and plenty of ramen options too, so you won't get tired of eating in Konkuk Univ. I think I'll be visiting often.