# Straw-fire seared beef tartare and bar seats at Hyehwahwa, Daehangno - By Juri (https://superchart.com/en/@seoul-cork-hours/) - Written Sep 8, 2026 - Local places › Restaurants › Jongno, Seoul - Sponsored: This meal was provided as part of a store-visit sponsorship, and drawbacks such as sold-out menu items are included exactly as experienced. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@seoul-cork-hours/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@seoul-cork-hours/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar/index.md) ## In short Hyehwahwa is a Korean restaurant and drinking spot centered on straw-fire cooking on Daemyeong-gil in Daehangno, Seoul. On a Tuesday evening reservation, the writer sat at the bar table facing the open kitchen to watch the straw-fire searing, then paired Ttubbeul Hanwoo Yukhoe & Aged Kimchi Egg Sushi, cheese-bomb beef belly kimchi fried rice, and gim-flake ttukbap with Kelly beer. The beef jeon and octopus dish were sold out, but the quality of the other dishes was good enough to turn a drink outing into a full meal. ## Good to know - **Location**: 29-3 Daemyeong-gil, 2nd floor, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea - **Visit time**: Tuesday, 7pm reservation - **Seating**: 4-person tables and a bar table facing the open kitchen - **Ordered**: Ttubbeul Hanwoo Yukhoe & Aged Kimchi Egg Sushi, cheese-bomb beef belly kimchi fried rice, gim-flake ttukbap, Kelly beer - **Sold out**: Beef jeon (pan-fried beef) and parboiled octopus were sold out on the day of the visit - **Service**: Matcha and chocolate ice cream from a Naver review event *as written by the visitor on Sep 8, 2026* ![First photo from the visit to Hyehwahwa, a Korean restaurant in Daehangno](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar-01-drrzz-900.webp) I went out to Daehangno for the first time in a while and found a place that won me over completely, from the atmosphere to the quality of the food. ![The exterior of the Hyehwahwa building and the area around the entrance](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar-02-1jceo-900.webp) I really love Korean-style drinking snacks, and this Hyehwahwa (혜화화) location had an unusual vibe from the entrance alone. ![The distinctive interior design at Hyehwahwa's 2nd-floor entrance](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar-03-gt6gy-900.webp) ![The atmosphere in the entrance passage at Hyehwahwa](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar-04-nbps9-900.webp) ![Decor at the entrance of the Hyehwahwa restaurant](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar-05-yyl0z-900.webp) The interior felt so distinctive, like stepping into another world, that I already felt like I was on a trip before I even walked in, haha. ## From the entrance to the interior, why does it feel so different? As soon as I stepped inside, the moderately dim, stylish mood made me like Hyehwahwa even more. We'd booked a 7pm reservation on a Tuesday, and even though it was a weekday evening, there were already quite a few customers. There was plenty of room at the 4-person tables inside, but we took the bar table by the kitchen where we could watch the cooking happen right in front of us. ![The bar table seating by the kitchen at Hyehwahwa](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar-06-1xk3x-900.webp) ![Dim, stylish seating inside Hyehwahwa](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar-07-1kn1z-900.webp) ![The interior of Hyehwahwa with the open kitchen visible](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar-08-1jskt-900.webp) Since it's an open kitchen, you can watch the whole cooking process up close, including how they use burning straw to infuse ingredients with a smoky char. It made the wait for food genuinely entertaining. ![Cooking with burning straw to infuse ingredients with smoky char](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar-09-crlt0-900.webp) ![Flames rising during the direct-fire searing process](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar-10-15wqn-900.webp) Watching the flames leap up as they did the initial direct-fire sear right in front of us really built up my anticipation for the food, haha. ![Cooking in progress at Hyehwahwa's open kitchen](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar-11-a71jj-900.webp) Turns out this is a place where a chef born in 1996 with a three-Michelin-star background meets 30 years of recipes from their mother, born in 1966. Maybe that's why it feels so distinct from typical bar food — the straw-fire cooking and fusion Korean dishes really stand out. ## Beef tartare and cheese-bomb fried rice — what's the secret to the flavor? ![A spread of Korean-style dishes at Hyehwahwa](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar-12-1bnnv-900.webp) Honestly, this place felt less like a drinking spot and more like a proper Korean restaurant in Hyehwa — every single dish felt like real cooking. ![A glass of Kelly beer served alongside the food](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar-13-5ltj0-900.webp) With a cold glass of Kelly beer on the side, all the fatigue from the day just melted away. ### Ttubbeul Hanwoo Yukhoe & Aged Kimchi Egg Sushi The first dish that made me gasp was the Ttubbeul Hanwoo Yukhoe & Aged Kimchi Egg Sushi (뚜쁠한우육회&묵은지계란초밥)! Unusually, the beef tartare arrives arranged neatly on a mirror-like tray, and it looked so pretty I couldn't not take photos, lol. ![Ttubbeul Hanwoo Yukhoe (hanwoo beef tartare) plated on a mirror-like tray](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar-14-ono21-900.webp) > "How could you possibly eat this, it's too pretty to ruin?" — that's the kind of comment the plating naturally drew out. ![Close-up of the beef tartare plating](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar-15-vabiz-900.webp) On the first bite, the quality of the beef really showed — it had an impressively smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture. ![Aged kimchi egg sushi served with the beef tartare](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar-16-bjq1w-900.webp) ![A single piece of aged kimchi egg sushi](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar-17-wqll4-900.webp) The aged kimchi egg sushi served alongside added a savory depth to the clean flavor of the tartare — eating the two together was a great pairing. ### Cheese-bomb beef belly kimchi fried rice and gim-flake ttukbap Next up was the cheese-bomb beef belly kimchi fried rice, dramatic name and all. ![The cheese-bomb beef belly kimchi fried rice spread](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar-18-jw2yv-900.webp) They pour a whole cup of cheese straight over the fried rice, and the way it stretched endlessly was a real showstopper. ![Cheese stretching over the fried rice](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar-19-1gkq3-900.webp) The savory beef belly, spicy kimchi, and soft cheese all came together beautifully — good as a drinking snack, but plenty filling as a full meal too. ![A spoonful of beef belly kimchi fried rice topped with cheese](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar-20-1v0sd-900.webp) ![Gim-flake ttukbap paired with the fried rice](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar-21-1squ4-900.webp) The portion was generous too, so we ended up eating more of the food than actually drinking, haha. On the side, the gim-flake ttukbap (gim flakes and nutty sesame oil mixed into rice) paired really well with the other dishes and made for a satisfying finish. ![The evening scene at Hyehwahwa filled with customers](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar-22-1i8xu-900.webp) Maybe because the Korean-style food was so good, I noticed quite a few people in the restaurant who seemed to be there mainly to eat, not just drink, hahaha. With such a wide variety of Korean-style dishes, it's a good spot for a proper first meal, or a relaxed casual second stop. ## Is it worth going back despite the sold-out dishes? The beef jeon and parboiled octopus I really wanted to try were already sold out that day, so unfortunately I couldn't order them. Popular dishes can run out early, so keep that in mind if you're planning a visit. Still, everything else was satisfying enough that the disappointment faded quickly. At the end, I made sure to enjoy the matcha and chocolate ice cream we got from a Naver review event. ![Matcha and chocolate ice cream received from a review event](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar-23-1tw3y-900.webp) It even came dusted with cocoa powder, which felt surprisingly upscale for a complimentary dessert — that made me pretty happy, haha. ![A signature photo of Hyehwahwa's straw-fire Korean dishes](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar-24-1rbb7-1200.webp) Overall, Hyehwahwa left an impression with dishes that playfully balance the smoky char of straw-fire cooking with familiar Korean flavors. Next time, I'm planning to go back and properly tackle the dishes that were sold out this time. If you're looking for a stylish Korean restaurant and drinking spot in Daehangno, Hyehwa where you can enjoy really well-made food, this is worth a visit. > I went out for drinks and ended up won over by the food quality enough to have a full proper meal, haha. ## Where it is - Hyehwahwa (혜화화) - 29-3 Daemyeong-gil, 2nd floor, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea - 서울특별시 종로구 대명길 29-3 2층 - 37.5830578, 127.0001101 - Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%ED%98%9C%ED%99%94%ED%99%94/@37.5830578,127.0001101,17z --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@seoul-cork-hours/hyehwahwa-hanwoo-yukhoe-cheese-bomb-bar/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt