Hyehwa Taiwanese restaurant with 2nd-floor terrace seats: Cheonghwawon

Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch

Where is Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch? 3 minutes from Hyehwa Station exit 4

I was looking for lunch around Hyehwa and stumbled on Cheonghwawon! It's a Taiwanese cuisine spot with a Taiwanese chef, known for down-to-earth prices and non-sharp, local flavors, so I decided to try lunch here this time!

It's a 3-minute walk from Hyehwa Station exit 4, right on the main street not far from the station, near the CGV building — a great Daehangno Chinese restaurant to hit up for lunch or dinner before or after a play or movie.

The sign has 'beef knife-cut noodles' written in Chinese characters — apparently it's a Taiwanese-style Chinese restaurant run by an actual Taiwanese owner! Open daily from 11:00 to 23:00, so it's easy to swing by for a late dinner or drinks too.

Inside Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch: the 2nd-floor terrace seats

From the entrance you could catch a glimpse into the kitchen, and seeing everyone busy cooking away gave a good first impression. There was a Taiwanese chef in the kitchen, and the servers seemed to be locals too, so I was already looking forward to the food before even eating,,

The interior was clean overall, with wood-tone furniture and green plants working together to give off a fresh, summery Taiwanese vibe, which I liked. From outside I hadn't realized there was a 2nd floor, but we were seated upstairs!

The 2nd floor had more space than I expected, and the window-side terrace seats looked really nice too — I'd recommend this Daehangno Chinese restaurant as a Hyehwa date spot as well.

Cheonghwawon menu, prices and tablet ordering

Every table has a tablet for ordering, so it was easy and convenient. The main dishes are various dim sum and the beef knife-cut noodles!

There were also plenty of fried and stir-fried dishes like guobaorou (sweet and sour pork), cream shrimp, and ganpunggi, which would make great drinking snacks at dinner too. Prices are reasonable too — a bowl of beef knife-cut noodles is ₩10,500, fried rice is around ₩9,000, which is good value for a full meal these days.

This time we ordered crystal moon dumplings, beef knife-cut noodles, and ganpunggi. Three dishes for two people.

Hand-pleated crystal moon dumplings, 9,500 won

First to arrive were the crystal moon dumplings (₩9,500), six pieces in a steamer, and the wrapper was so translucent and pretty,,, They're hand-pleated so each one is a different shape, and that's genuinely the charm point ㅜ

The wrapper was chewy, the filling was juicy with plenty of chives packed in, giving off a great aroma, and dipped in the accompanying soy sauce it was the kind of flavor that turns you into someone who's just eaten a banana... It felt healthy yet perfectly seasoned, and I instantly understood why this is known as a dim sum spot near Hyehwa Station.

The signature beef knife-cut noodles, 10,500 won

Next up, the signature beef knife-cut noodles (₩10,500)! Chinese food usually makes you think sweet, salty, and sharp — the kind that leaves you bloated or spikes your blood sugar — but this broth wasn't just salty, it was deep and rich with just the right amount of saltiness.

Noodle dishes can sometimes feel heavy, but Cheonghwawon's beef knife-cut noodles weren't overseasoned and the noodles were soft, so it sat really well — genuinely easy to eat for Chinese food!

The broth had that comforting, hearty flavor like a bowl of gamjatang (pork bone soup). The beef inside was thick and tender, and the pickled vegetables on top cut through any richness perfectly, keeping a great balance. The thick, chewy strands typical of knife-cut noodles were cooked through evenly and had soaked up the broth well!

Ganpunggi at 17,000 won: enough for two

Last up was the ganpunggi (₩17,000) — coated all over in a sweet-spicy sauce, crispy on the outside and juicy inside, so delicious. It came in bite-sized pieces that were easy to eat, and honestly the portion was huge — enough for three, really — but it was so good we cleaned the plate between the two of us ㅠ

Who should eat at Cheonghwawon Daehangno Branch?

Overall the food came out neat and clean, and the flavors were straightforward and not overpowering, so I never got tired of it through the whole meal. I'd recommend this Daehangno Chinese restaurant to anyone near Hyehwa looking for a gentle, well-made meal, a date spot, or somewhere to eat before or after a play.