Sinchon dim sum restaurant, no-wait 4pm Yonsei date: Cheonghwaweon

What is Cheonghwaweon in Sinchon like?

Cheonghwaweon is a Sinchon Chinese restaurant known for Taiwanese beef noodles and Hong Kong-style dim sum. Every time I walked past, there was a long line, so I'd always been curious. This time I went at 4pm and there was no wait at all.

I'd recommend it if you're looking for a date spot near Yonsei University or a good-value place that feels a bit different. The storefront is clean and exotic-looking, so you're already excited before you step inside.

Cheonghwaweon location, hours and parking

Cheonghwaweon is at 10 Myeongmul-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, on the ground floor. It's right in front of U-Plex at Sinchon Station Exit 3, so access is the best! It's open daily 11:00–22:00 with no break time.

There's no private parking, so I'd suggest the nearby Changcheon Public Parking Lot or Mapo Sinchon Off-street Public Parking Lot.

When to go to Cheonghwaweon without waiting

Cheonghwaweon is a Sinchon hotspot that always has a wait on weekends and at peak times. We went around 4pm and, luckily, got straight in with no wait!

Since there's no break time, going in the awkward afternoon hours means you can eat at a relaxed pace. That's my tip!

Is Cheonghwaweon's atmosphere good for a date?

Inside, the interior is stylish and pretty. It even felt like a restaurant in Taiwan or Hong Kong. The mood is cozy and the lighting is lovely, so I understood why it's such a popular date course near Yonsei.

There are tables for 2 up to 4, so it works for eating solo, as a couple, or with friends. Turnover is fast and it's tidy, so it's no pressure at all as a Sinchon spot for dining alone, which is a trend these days.

The menu is also displayed outside where you can see it at a glance, so you can check the lineup before going in. Maybe because the dishes are cooked by a veteran chef from the region, the menu was quite varied.

What happens when you order only 3 dim sum at Cheonghwaweon?

On this visit, we ordered just three dim sum: shumai, xiaolongbao and crystal shrimp dumplings. We're dim sum lovers, so this time we decided to focus purely on dim sum instead of other dishes!

• Shumai 9.5
• Xiaolongbao 9.5
• Crystal shrimp dumplings 9.5

After you order, peanuts and zha cai (pickled mustard stem) come as the standard side dishes. They had a clean taste, perfect for picking at one by one to refresh your mouth before the dim sum.

Shumai: yellow wrapper topped with flying fish roe

Cheonghwaweon's shumai came with flying fish roe neatly placed on a yellow wrapper.

The popping texture made it really fun to chew.

One of the really good things about Cheonghwaweon is that the dim sum isn't pre-steamed. It's steamed the moment you order and served steaming hot at the table! Dumplings are best eaten right when they come out fresh, after all.

Crystal shrimp dumplings: chewy wrapper with shrimp and pork

The crystal shrimp dumplings with their clear, glistening wrapper, which I was looking forward to most, were seriously amazing.

The wrapper is chewy like a potato starch wrapper, and the inside is packed tight with shrimp and meat.

Bite in and the bouncy shrimp and savory meat juices burst in your mouth at the same time. It's light yet full-flavored, so it isn't greasy and you keep reaching for more.

Xiaolongbao: my favorite this visit

Last is the Cheonghwaweon xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), our clear best! You can see the broth sloshing around inside the thin wrapper.

I slurped the broth first, and it was a bit sweeter and deeper in flavor than the xiaolongbao I usually have at other Chinese restaurants! The savory richness was no joke. Dipped in soy sauce with shredded ginger, it's pure happiness.

Of everything we ate this time, this xiaolongbao was the tastiest. It recreates the taste of Taiwan at a good price, and the two of us kept exclaiming as we ate.

Drink with dim sum: iced black tea

A sip of sweet, cold iced black tea with Cheonghwaweon's dim sum wipes away any greasiness and really makes you feel like you're on a trip to Taiwan.

Cheonghwaweon in Sinchon: verdict and will we return?

Prices are generally easy on the wallet, so I thought Cheonghwaweon is a top-value Taiwanese-style restaurant that fits the university district perfectly. The menu is solid and turnover is good, and the quality made it clear why people line up to eat here.

The atmosphere is clean and pretty, so I strongly recommend it whenever you want a date spot near Sinchon or Yonsei, or a tidy solo meal of good dim sum! Next time, we plan to take dim sum to go, try the signature beef knife-cut noodles and the oil-splashed knife-cut noodles, and have a cold Tsingtao beer too.

Next time you're craving tasty Taiwanese food, do stop by.