Hongdae restaurant in Seoul for salmon gnocchi: Omil Hongdae

When you're on a date in Hongdae and wondering where to go, there are honestly so many great pasta spots, right? But the place I visited this time was memorable because not only was the food pretty, but its concept was clear from the moment we walked in! It was Omil Hongdae (오밀 홍대)! From omurice and pasta to gnocchi and buckwheat soba maki, it playfully combines Western and Japanese-style dishes, so it suited a day when we wanted something a little more special than an ordinary pasta place. What a cute little Omil find in a Hongdae alley!!

Getting to Omil Hongdae and the atmosphere

When I first arrived, Omil's signature character and sign were visible beside the building like this. At first, you might wonder, “Is this really the way up?” But if you spot that cute Oh! Meal sign, you've found the right place^^

The Omil logo was visible from outside the building too, so it wasn't as hard to find as I expected. It's also close to Hongik University Station, making it a decent location for a date or meetup! It's on the second floor at 178-8 Yanghwa-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul. The sign is even cuter up close. I went around sunset, and the yellow lights came on, making the mood really come alive. If you like taking photos, don't just walk past—take a shot here haha. Now then~ the Omil vibe starts right from the stairs!

The stairs leading up to the restaurant have menu photos and Omil characters posted all around. They're not just plain stairs; there is plenty to look at before you even go in, which is quietly fun.

This is the view looking down the stairs! Hongdae's characteristic alley atmosphere went well with Omil's cute interior. A bright, charming interior that's great for a date...

The window seats have big windows with an open view outside. Natural light comes in during the day, so it felt like a lovely setting for brunch in Hongdae too.

This was the area that caught my eye! The shelves were full of little potted plants and cute accessories, and it was fun to look at each one. The white and wood tones made it clean without feeling too cold, and cozy overall. There was an “I love it when you smile.” message and an Omil character on the wall too^^ The concept carries through not only the food but also the plates, walls, and accessories, so there were quite a few photo spots.

The tables didn't feel cramped, and there were sofa-style seats further inside too.

Enjoy your Meal & Do more what makes you happy.

It really suits the name Omil, doesn't it? Haha.

The menu, from omurice to gnocchi

There were even posters with food photos, so I somehow got hungrier before ordering... Shall we look at the menu?

They also had a set menu for two. It includes 2 mains + 1 side + 2 drinks, so it looked like a good option if you want to try several dishes together.

The mains are quite varied, from omurice and pasta to risotto, gnocchi, and steak. If you're looking for pasta in Hongdae in particular, there are lots of choices, including gochujang butter pasta, bacon cream pasta, spicy pollack roe pasta, and spicy seafood pasta.

For sides, there are Omil Soba Maki, crunchy fried corn, and truffle fries. We chose the Rubber Duck Omurice for ₩16,900 + Salmon Steak Gnocchi for ₩19,900 + Omil Soba Maki for ₩12,900, for a total of ₩49,700! The plan was for each of us to have a main, plus a side, so we could try a variety of things.

Rubber Duck Omurice: a satisfying meal

The Rubber Duck Omurice is an absolute attention-grabber from the first look.

I had no choice but to take photos as soon as this arrived haha. Little ducks were gathered on top of the yellow swirled egg—so cute, right? And there was even a rubber duck delivering full vacation vibes! Up close, each little egg had a slightly different expression. I needed to eat them... but when you make eye contact, you suddenly feel sorry. Hahaha. Still, I ate them in the end. When you break through the soft egg with a spoon, there is salmon fried rice inside. Eating the fluffy egg, fried rice, and sauce together went down smoothly like a proper omurice, and the sauce kept it from becoming bland until the end.

Taking a big spoonful like this is the best way to eat it. I ordered it for the cute visuals, but it wasn't just a photo menu item—it was quite filling as a meal too.

Salmon steak gnocchi that goes well with rosé sauce

And then, Salmon Steak Gnocchi topped with a thick piece of salmon!

Personally, this dish had the most striking visuals. Gnocchi, vegetables, and cheese were piled over rosé sauce, with a thick salmon steak right in the middle!

Can you see how thick the salmon is? The outside was nicely seared, while the inside stayed moist, so it separated into tender flakes when cut with a fork. The salmon was good on its own, but the key was to have it with the rosé sauce and gnocchi! And the gnocchi! Its surface was browned, so the sauce-soaked parts and seared parts had different textures, which made it fun.

Cut in half, the inside was soft and fluffy like this. The rich rosé sauce went beautifully with it, and personally, this was the dish I kept reaching for. If you want something a little different instead of ordinary Hongdae pasta, I recommend this one!

Omil Soba Maki made with buckwheat noodles

Gimbap (seaweed rice roll) made with buckwheat noodles? Omil Soba Maki.

Then there was the Omil Soba Maki, which we chose because we were curious. At first glance it looked like gimbap, but it was packed with buckwheat noodles instead of rice. It also had rolled egg and vegetables, so the color combination was pretty too.

When you lift a piece, it's more generously filled than you'd think. The mild flavor of the buckwheat noodles comes through with the soft egg, and a little wasabi gives it another character!

Opened up like this, it was truly full of buckwheat noodles haha. Eating it between sauce-based dishes like the pasta and omurice made the menu combination work well. I think having a dish like this at a Western-style restaurant is one of Omil's fun points.

A date meal made sweeter with a rubber duck

And of course, you can't just pass by a rubber duck.

This mini tube rubber duck came with the Rubber Duck Omurice that day! It was so cute in its sunglasses that I think I took more photos of it than of the food haha. Placed among the omurice, Salmon Steak Gnocchi, and soba maki, it suddenly became a duck on vacation all by itself~ These little touches would make it nice with friends too, and memorable as a date spot.

And this is what happened in the end.

Yep... At first we were busy taking photos, but when we came to, the plates looked like this haha. From the omurice to the Salmon Steak Gnocchi and soba maki, each dish had a different style, so ordering all three didn't feel overly repetitive. If you're looking through restaurants in Hongdae, Seoul for pasta or brunch and want food that photographs beautifully while being a bit different from the usual, this is a place worth stopping by. For two people to try a variety of mains and a side, the total was ₩49,700. Considering the food's visuals, portions, and the restaurant atmosphere, it felt like decent value for a date where you can enjoy several dishes. If you're looking for a date spot in Hongdae, or want to enjoy omurice, gnocchi, and Hongdae pasta all in one place, keep Omil Hongdae in mind. Eat, Smile, Love! It was a day of eating well with an adorable rubber duck~~ Hours are 11:30–21:15 on weekdays and 11:00–21:15 on weekends, with last order at 20:30. Hours may change, so please check before visiting.