Hyehwa restaurant for a Saturday night dinner with my sister: Omil

After watching a play in Hyehwa, you sometimes end up wondering what to eat. My younger sister and I saw a show in Daehangno and, craving pasta, decided on dinner, so we headed to Omil Hyehwa Daehangno.

Where is Omil Hyehwa Daehangno, and is there parking?

Omil has several branches, and the one we visited is the Hyehwa branch. It's about a 2-minute walk from Exit 4 of Hyehwa Station, so it's easy to reach by subway. That said, there's no parking, so if you're driving you'll need to use a nearby public parking lot :(

Walking in, the space was bright and cute overall. It felt like a comfortable place to eat, good for a date in Daehangno or meeting up with friends. Since Hyehwa is a neighborhood people often visit for plays and performances, it's also a great spot for anyone looking for a meal before or after a show.

We visited around 7:30pm on a Saturday. Maybe because it was an in-between time, there was no wait and we got seated right away. On weekends there might be a wait depending on the time slot — the restaurant does have a waiting area set up.

Omil's menu in Hyehwa and how NFC phone ordering works

Once we sat down, there was no paper menu at all. Instead, you tag an NFC point to check the menu and order — you look at the menu on your phone and pick what you want. Omil has a wide range of dishes beyond pasta, including omurice (omelet rice), gnocchi, risotto, and steak.

If you're craving pasta in Hyehwa, Omil Hyehwa Daehangno has all kinds — from cream pasta to oil pasta to gochujang (Korean chili paste) butter pasta. It's a good option after watching a play like us, but it also looked like a solid choice for a couple's date in Hyehwa, a meetup with friends, or a meal with kids.

What comes in Omil's OH! SET for two at ₩47,700

We thought about ordering separate à la carte dishes, but we were so hungry we went with the OH! SET for two instead. It costs ₩47,700 and lets you pick 2 mains, 1 side, and 2 drinks.

You can also add a surcharge for certain menu items to upgrade your choices. Here's what we picked.

• 2 mains — Sizzling cheese katsu (+₩4,000), spicy skirt steak risotto (+₩2,000)
• 1 side — Crunchy corn fritters
• 2 drinks — 2 colas

If you were planning to order 2 mains and a side separately anyway, I'd say going with the OH! SET like we did is a solid choice. It's convenient when you want to share a variety of dishes between two people.

How did the cheese katsu and spicy skirt steak risotto taste?

Both of us have a low spice tolerance, so the spicy skirt steak risotto was a bit spicy for our taste.

With the cheese katsu on the sizzling plate, there's a moment where they pour the cheese over — and the staff actually asked us first whether we'd want to film it. I was worried it might be a bit greasy, but it was savory and the meat was tender, which I loved.

The corn fritters we got as a side were on the salty side, so eating them made us think of beer! I'd recommend them to anyone looking for a light side dish. Since everything is cooked fresh after ordering, it took about 10 minutes.

If you're heading to Omil for a Hyehwa date, it's close to Hyehwa Station, so it pairs well with catching a show in Daehangno beforehand. Even though the two of us were already pretty full, eating 2 mains plus a side felt like slightly too much T_T It seemed like just the right amount for a date, though!

Is Omil Hyehwa Daehangno a good restaurant to bring kids to?

Omil Hyehwa Daehangno has high chairs available, so it's worth considering for a meal with kids. We didn't visit with a child this time, but with everything from omurice to pasta to steak on the menu, it's nice to have options when eating as a family!

Especially when dining out with kids, you sometimes have to hunt for separate adult and kid menus, but here the variety makes it easy to pick something for every member of the family. Pets aren't allowed, though.

Final verdict on Omil Hyehwa Daehangno

After the play, my sister and I were trying to figure out what to eat and, craving pasta, ended up at Omil Hyehwa Daehangno! It was easy to find, about 2 minutes on foot from Hyehwa Station Exit 4, and the bright, cute interior made for a comfortable meal.

If you're looking for a good pasta spot in Hyehwa, a place to eat before or after a Daehangno show, or a restaurant for a Hyehwa date or family meal with kids, Omil Hyehwa Daehangno is worth considering. Just keep in mind there's no parking if you're driving!