Dim sum restaurant in Yeonnam-dong for weekday lunch: Panda Dim Sum

Panda Dim Sum in Hongdae is a Chinese restaurant in Yeonnam-dong where you can get everything from dim sum to Peking duck to dongpo pork — my close friend and I were craving xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), so we went for lunch. Here's my honest review!

Where is Panda Dim Sum, and where can you park?

Panda Dim Sum is an 8-minute walk from Exit 3 of Hongik University Station (Line 2/Gyeongui-Jungang/Airport Railroad), on the 2nd floor of the building where Susu Yeonnam is on the 1st floor.

✅ Parking info There's no dedicated parking if you're driving, so here's the nearest lot: Yeonnam public street parking at ₩250 per 5 minutes.

Inside Panda Dim Sum: window seats and atmosphere

Q. What kind of place is Panda Dim Sum? True to its name, Panda Dim Sum serves xiaolongbao, shumai, and other dim sum, plus half a Peking duck — normally a fancy dish — for ₩39,000, making it a great-value Chinese restaurant in Hongdae's Yeonnam-dong. The cozy, warm-feeling interior makes it a nice spot for a date with a friend or partner, and since it's corkage-free, it's also good for group gatherings.

The interior was on the small side, with about 10 tables ranging from 2-seaters to 4-seaters. You can push tables together for groups, so it seemed good for company dinners or gatherings too.

Kung Fu Panda was playing on a projector screen, and cute panda figurines were scattered around the restaurant. We went for a late weekday lunch and luckily got seated right away without waiting, at a window seat where the sunlight came in so brightly the whole place felt bright and cheerful even without the lights on — a great atmosphere for a date.

Panda Dim Sum menu and prices

• Peking duck (half) ₩39,000
• Peking duck (whole) ₩75,000
• Xiaolongbao ₩8,000
• Flying fish roe shumai ₩8,500
• Corn shumai ₩9,000
• Truffle shumai ₩9,000
• Dongpo pork rice bowl ₩14,000
• Black pepper beef rice bowl ₩15,000
• Mala mapo tofu rice bowl ₩12,000
• Mala cold noodles ₩13,000
• Dandan noodles ₩13,000
• Crispy yurinki (fried chicken) ₩18,500
• Berry sweet and sour pork ₩19,500
• Yuzu mayo shrimp ₩24,000

Besides the food menu, there's a wide selection of alcohol too, like baijiu and whiskey highballs, so it also seemed like a good spot for dinner drinks.

What we ordered at Panda Dim Sum, and what to order

We ordered half Peking duck + xiaolongbao + dongpo pork rice bowl. I'd never had Peking duck before — it's usually ordered as a whole bird, which felt like too much for two people, but since Panda Dim Sum offers a half portion, I jumped at the chance to try it.

Peking duck, half for 39,000 won

This is a signature roast duck dish from Beijing, China, wrapped in thin pancakes with sugar, shredded scallion, cucumber, and sauce — a fancy dish indeed.

The pancakes were carefully separated with parchment paper so they didn't stick together, making them easy to peel off one at a time. The duck was cut into bite-sized pieces and decorated with a flower garnish that made it look really pretty.

They say the highlight of Peking duck is the crispy skin, and it lived up to the hype — crunchy and nutty and clean-tasting even eaten on its own, so good!!

No gaminess at all, just full duck flavor, chewy yet tender — I wasn't sure duck and sugar would work together, but it turned out not overpowering at all; with the scallion aroma and salty sauce, the sweet-and-salty combo worked really well.

Xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), 8,000 won

Since it's known as a dim sum spot, we also ordered xiaolongbao. It came as 4 pieces, so we split them 2 each — I got why it's famous for dim sum.

The moment I took a bite, broth burst out like a popped water balloon and dripped down — the wrapper was so chewy and the meat filling so tender, it was almost a shame to swallow it, that's how good it was!!

Dongpo pork rice bowl, 14,000 won

I was torn between rice and noodles but went with this, and it's my top pick — the best dongpo pork I've had. It wasn't mushy but had a texture as soft as ice cream, and the sauce was so, so good — you have to try it.

When it starts feeling rich, add wasabi and bok choy on top and eat it together — it's amazing, in a way that'll clear your sinuses too.

Is Panda Dim Sum worth a weekday lunch visit?

Trying it myself, I get why it's a well-known dim sum spot in Hongdae's Yeonnam-dong. Not being able to park right in front was a bit of a downside, but it was fine since there's a public lot nearby. Every dish was top-notch, so next time I'll have to come back to try the noodle dishes too.

If you love Chinese food or are looking for good eats in Yeonnam-dong, this one's worth a try!