Hongdae restaurant in Seoul for pasta with 1664 Blanc: Omil Hongdae

Hongdae Omil : ) Oh Meal

What kind of restaurant is Omil Hongdae?

I recently got together with a college friend after a really long time ~? (❁´◡`❁) To give my friend, who's exhausted from parenting and work, a taste of Hongdae's youthful vibe (?), we both came to Hongdae after ages. Hohoho I loved it too ~ ♥

Since we came to Hongdae, we had to eat something good!?!? I heard there was a famous pasta place in Hongdae, so we visited — this time it was Omil, a well-known Hongdae restaurant! It's already famous as a Hongdae pasta spot but has lots of other delicious menu items too, so come along quickly 😉🐥

Omil Hongdae location and parking near Hongik University Station

Here's the location and parking info for Omil Hongdae! O(∩_∩) O

• A 2-minute walk from Exit 4 of Hongik University Station (Airport Railroad)
• A 2-minute walk from Exit 8 of Hongik University Station (Line 2)

If you take the subway, it's easy to find!! If you drive, there's no separate parking lot! You can use the paid underground parking at AK Plaza Hongdae, a 1-minute walk away. However, please note there's no separate parking fee support!

How long is the wait at 7pm on a weekday?

We met on a weekday at 7pm and there was actually a wait?! There were 2 parties ahead of us, and we waited less than about 5 minutes >.< The notification comes faster than you'd think?! Make sure to check your KakaoTalk notifications 💌📬 We were being lazy, thinking it'd probably take 10 minutes, and chatting away — and we missed the alert..!!!

Since there weren't many people waiting, we sat on these chairs to wait! 💗🧡🤍💛 The atmosphere was so cute that our excitement was already maxed out before even going in~ Looking through the menu while we waited, the time flew by.

We noticed the alert late but luckily there were still seats left, so we got seated right away ~ ♡

The second-floor room with big windows, and eating alone

Here's the interior vibe of Omil Hongdae! (✿◡‿◡) It was crowded so I snapped photos whenever I could — the 2nd floor has big picture windows too, and it felt even more atmospheric once evening came!?!!?!

The store wasn't huge, but it didn't feel cramped either! It had a cute, kitschy charm. Aren't the interior props so cute?!?! 💚💚 Overall it's a warm, cozy-feeling space : )

Thanks to this vibe, there were a lot of couples on dates, but it's also great for friends visiting like us and, above all — surprisingly! — great for eating alone too!?!?! While I was eating, there were two tables of solo diners. And true to Hongdae's reputation, plenty of foreign customers were eating there too >~<

Omil Hongdae menu and review event

Let me introduce Omil Hongdae's menu! But first! Write a Naver receipt or Google Maps review and get a free drink ( *︾▽︾) Canned drinks run 3,500 won, which is a bit pricey ~ And it's nice to have a drink with your pasta! Since it adds up, I'd recommend joining the review event. Naver receipt reviews require prepayment (Google Maps doesn't).

Omil Hongdae has a 2-person set menu! It comes with 2 mains + 1 side + 2 drinks. Extra charges may apply depending on the menu.

• 🥩Main🥩 Omil steak, sizzling cheese cutlet on a hot plate, gochujang butter pasta, rubber duck omurice, daily omurice, salmon steak gnocchi, bacon cream pasta, spicy pollack roe pasta, spicy seafood pasta, spicy skirt steak risotto
• 🌽Side🌽 Omil soba maki, crunchy corn fritters, truffle fries
• 🍹Non Alcohol🍹 Cherry ade, pineapple ade, basil & tomato ade, Coca-Cola, Pepsi Zero, Sprite, Schweppes, orange juice
• 🍻Alcohol🍻 Peach highball, Hoegaarden, 1664 Blanc

The basic setup includes a side plate, tissues, utensils, and wet wipes! See the paper by the side~? 🔔 If you want to order, ring the bell and give it a jingle!

Please use the self-serve corner for water and pickles!

Does 1664 Blanc at 8,900 won go with pasta?

Honestly.. I wasn't even thinking about drinking, but before I knew it (?) there was a beer in front of me ( •̀ ω •́ )✧

But why is Blanc so good?!??!! Honestly I don't usually love Blanc — I'm not really into wheat beers — so I only ordered it because my friend did, but the moment I took a sip it was so crisp and refreshing, the best 🧡 It's not like I'd even worked, but it felt like a day's stress washing away~ The fragrant, smooth flavor unique to Blanc paired so well with the food ~ ~

While I was drinking my beer a bit, our order came out! ლ(╹◡╹ლ) First of all, it was so cute I lost my breath 🫢💛

Rubber Duck omurice, 16,900 won

Yes~ honestly I ordered it because it's cute! 💛 But it's also Omil's signature dish, so there's no way I wasn't going to try it!?!?

The round quail eggs made into a duck are so cute!?!?!

This is so pretty I couldn't bear to eat it ㅠㅠ Honestly, I didn't have high expectations for the taste? Places like this are often pretty to look at but taste plain.

Wow.. but why is this so good!!? 😭 Personally I'm not a huge omurice fan. Not that I dislike it either.. just something I eat occasionally! Omurice usually all tastes similar to me and I don't have many memories of eating an especially delicious one, but Hongdae Omil was different.. seriously ... ♡ The egg is so soft and the sauce is sweet without being greasy. This is exactly the flavor kids would love!! If it's your first visit to Omil, I think it's worth ordering at least once!!!

Best of all, this duck figure comes along with the dish! My friend has a five-year-old son, so I gave it to her to take home, and he apparently loved it 🪿💛

How does the gochujang butter pasta at 18,900 won taste?

I debated which pasta to get and ended up going with the signature gochujang butter pasta!

That thing on top is the gochujang (fermented chili paste) butter, and interestingly, once the gochujang and butter come together, you barely notice gochujang's usual heaviness...!!! I guess the gochujang and butter blended really well. It's just.. so good?!?!?! It's slightly spicy but you don't taste raw gochujang, and while it's creamy enough to be greasy, there's zero greasiness!!! I think it tasted similar to a rosé pasta!! You get both the umami of the gochujang and the nuttiness of the butter 🌶️🧈

The noodles soaked up the sauce nicely so it's thick and satisfying, and why is the meat so tender..? 🥹 It's sous vide pork shoulder apparently — no smell, and it's so overwhelmingly soft you can basically swallow it without chewing haha

I feel like anyone who tried this combo would say it's delicious! Especially since I mentioned there were a lot of foreign customers too!? This place can't fail.. 🫶🏻 It was so good I even ordered another beer, shh. At first I thought the omurice was the main event, but the more I ate, the more my hand kept going back to the pasta.

Are two mains enough for two people?

The portions were generous, so if two people go, ordering 2 main dishes should be plenty! ~(￣▽￣)~* Honestly I have a big appetite and wanted to order the set menu, but my friend talked me out of it (?), so we did 1 dish per person, and it was just right!!!! The portions were big, so it felt good value too.

I picked this place based on the vibe and visuals first, and while I did have expectations for the taste, they weren't sky-high. But after eating, I really felt glad we came here! I haven't been to Hongdae in a while so I don't know the good spots well, but if someone asked me for a Hongdae restaurant recommendation, I'd confidently suggest Omil Hongdae! (‾◡◝) Seriously!!! A place where I loved not just the food but the atmosphere too 💘

By the way, the restroom is outside the store, but they had mouthwash ready there. Nice touch ♥

I ate so satisfyingly that I want to come back and try all the other menu items too >.< 💟💗 Eat, Smile, Love! 💗💟

Why Omil Hongdae is worth a visit

• 🐥 The cute rubber duck omurice
• 🌶️ Umami-packed, nutty gochujang butter pasta
• 🍺 The Blanc beer that paired so well with the food
• 🏡 A cozy, comfortable store vibe
• 👭 Recommended for dates and gatherings with friends alike
• 🙆🏻‍♀️ Not intimidating for solo dining at all

Hours, address and other details

• 📍 178-8 Yanghwa-ro, 2nd floor, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• 📆 Weekdays 11:30 - 21:15
• 📆 Weekends 11:30 - 21:15
• 🛜 Group dining available, takeout, delivery, reservations, WiFi, high chairs, waiting area, easy payment

A great spot for dates, anniversaries, blind dates, and celebrations — and just as good to enjoy with kids!