Date-night Korean pub in Mangwon comparing two set menus: Baennori

Baennori (뱃놀이) is a Mangwon favorite with a great date-night mood and tasty food, so good that I've visited twice recently.

Where is Baennori? A 3–5 minute walk from Mangwon Station Exit 2

Baennori is a pub 200m from Mangwon Station Exit 2. Follow the road from Mangwon Station toward Mangwon Market, and turn into the alley on the left just before Cheongnyeon Cheonggwa (a fruit shop)! It takes about 3–5 minutes from the station, I'd say? Easy access, nice~

Is there parking at Baennori?

Baennori doesn't offer its own parking. Like most pubs in Mangwon, there's no parking provided, so if you're driving you'll need to use a nearby public car park.

Is there a wait at Baennori on weekdays?

Even on a Monday evening, Baennori was already full. I came straight from work, and I was like, this many people on a weekday?!!! (It's delicious, so fair enough...)

✅ Weekends will likely have a wait, so I recommend booking on Naver before you go.

Inside Baennori: seating for dates and groups

The inside of Baennori is much bigger than it looks from outside, which surprised me. There are bar seats and group seating, plus tables for 2 and 4. There are more tables than I expected, so it seems fine not only for couples but also for friend gatherings and company dinners.

The overall mood is pleasantly lively rather than rowdy, so it suited a date night in Mangwon too 🤍

By the way, the restroom is shared, but you can get to it directly from inside the restaurant, so it wasn't inconvenient. And a cute kettle there. ✨

Baennori menu and set menus

Baennori has two set menus: flatfish & beef tartare + spicy clam stew, and garlic gopdoritang (spicy chicken stew) + beef tartare gimbap (seaweed rice roll). You order by tablet.

This was my second visit and I ordered a set menu both times. Everything on the menu looked so good that I couldn't decide, and the set menus were just right, so I went with them haha

Baennori's free side dish: warm tofu with three toppings

What I love about Baennori, number 1: the complimentary starter is delicious!!!! Warm tofu comes with three toppings (✔ stir-fried kimchi, ganggoendoenjang, changnanjeot), and putting those on the tofu is so good, I could cry ㅠ_ㅠ

It was fun to top it with different toppings depending on my mood haha. It's also nice as a light bite before you start drinking! You can feel the care even in a complimentary starter 🤍

Best set for a first visit: flatfish & beef tartare basket with clear clam soup

The flatfish & beef tartare basket and clear clam soup are what I ate on my previous visit to Baennori, which I paid for myself. It was so good that I still think about it, lol.

The flatfish was fresh and the beef tartare was tasty too, so if it's your first visit, I really recommend ordering this.

After eating I also ordered ice cream for dessert, and the dessert was amazing too 💛

Garlic gopdoritang and beef tartare gimbap set: how big are the portions?

This time at Baennori I ordered garlic gopdoritang and beef tartare gimbap. The first thing I thought when the food arrived was: that's a LOT!!! It was plenty for two and I was stuffed haha

How to eat Baennori's beef tartare gimbap

Baennori's beef tartare gimbap is generously filled with beef tartare and the seasoning is totally my style ㅠㅠ I couldn't help saying "so good!!!" with every bite.

Top the gimbap with beef tartare and wasabi like this and it's incredible ❤

Of course, we can't go without drinks, right?

What does Baennori's garlic gopdoritang taste like?

Just like the name says, Baennori's garlic gopdoritang has a TON of garlic and the broth is spicy and sharp. I love gopdoritang sooooo much that I ordered it, and I was shocked at the amount of garlic at first, but the spicy broth was so good.

The longer it boils, the richer the broth gets, so I kept spooning it up until the very end. It's the perfect dish to drink with 💥

Baennori pros and cons

• 🤍 You can feel the care starting from the complimentary starter
• 🤍 Generous portions of food
• 🤍 Delicious!!!
• 🤍 Friendly staff
• 🤍 Spacious inside with lots of tables
• 🤍 Restroom is accessible from inside, so it's convenient

The only downside, given the nature of the Mangwon neighborhood, is that there's no parking lot of its own, so you have to use a nearby public car park.

Verdict: a Mangwon date-night pub worth a return visit

Baennori has a varied menu and guaranteed flavor, so it's the kind of place where I immediately want to visit again. The staff are so kind, the inside is clean, and the mood is great, so I recommend it if you're looking for a Mangwon date spot 🤍