Sunday night Chinese dinner in Gwanghwamun: dim sum at Cheonghwa

After a stroll through Lotte Department Store Jongno and Cheonggyecheon, I had dinner at Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon in Gwanghwamun! I'd been craving mala-loaded Chinese food and went looking, and found Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon — the beef noodles and dim sum tasted so authentic, like real deal Chinese food. Let's get into the review!

Where is Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon, and what are the hours?

• 📍 19 Jongno, 118-1ho, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon
• 🚗 2 hours free parking
• ⏰ Hours: Daily 10:30–22:00 (last order 21:40)
• ✅ Groups welcome, takeout available

Cheonghwa Uyuk Dosakmyeon sits on Pimatgol, the alley between Gwanghwamun and Jongak stations! It's tucked inside so you can barely see it, yet it was packed with people on a Sunday evening. There's seating up to the 2nd floor, so we got a table, but on weekdays there might actually be a wait.

Sunday 8:30pm: the cooked dish menu at Cheonghwa was already closed

We showed up pretty late, around 8:30, and even then the place was packed and the kitchen menu was already so backed up that they told us only noodles and dim sum were available. Luckily we'd come for dim sum and Sichuan-style beef noodles anyway, so phew~!

We sat by the window on the 1st floor, which had a nice open view. Even though closing time was 10pm, the kitchen menu had already closed.

This place is all about the hand-pulled dosakmyeon (knife-cut noodles)! It's mainly known for Taiwanese-style beef dosakmyeon, but it also has a range of other dishes that taste genuinely mainland Chinese. It has that flavor like a chef from the region is actually cooking it.

What we ordered at Cheonghwa, and the side dishes

Today's order — Sichuan-style beef dosakmyeon, crystal dumplings, shumai

Even the basic side dish, zhacai (pickled mustard tuber), had a slightly unique style. Cabbage came along with it, interestingly. And the peanuts were nicely salty — good stuff!

How spicy are the Sichuan-style beef knife-cut noodles?

I was craving something spicy and bold today, so I ordered the Sichuan-style beef dosakmyeon! A savory beef broth full of numbing mala flavor. Contrary to what I worried, it wasn't actually that spicy for my taste! Just the right amount of numbing tingle and heat.

These dosakmyeon noodles are the real deal — probably because they're hand-pulled in-house, there's zero floury taste, just that chewy texture that keeps you craving more carbs haha. If the portion had been bigger I honestly would've kept eating..!

The broth has that classic savory beef dosakmyeon flavor plus a proper numbing mala kick — I found myself wondering if this was really the taste of mainland China.

Since we ordered dim sum too, we only got one bowl of noodles for the two of us, and honestly that ended up being just right! The portion was pretty big, so if I'd eaten it alone I might've gotten a bit tired of it. Plenty of meat and a substantial portion, quite filling. Eating it solo would probably leave you pretty stuffed.

Crystal dumplings and shumai: the dim sum wrappers at Cheonghwa

We also ordered dim sum — the crystal dumplings came in 6 pieces, the shumai in 5. Thick and generously filled. This place really knows their dim sum too!?

Crystal dumplings packed with chives and shrimp! It's a har gow style, but the wrapper is a bit chewier and the chives give it a fragrant edge.

This chewy wrapper is honestly the most important thing in dim sum, and they nail it here! The kind of taste that makes me want to keep coming back for dim sum, ugh.

Plump, properly steamed dim sum that makes me want to go back to Hong Kong again! The chives and shrimp pair so well together. Dim sum with chives in it is seriously so good...

The shumai, packed full of pork and shrimp, was genuinely bigger than what you'd get elsewhere! Five pieces for the price feels like good value.

The dumpling wrapper was nice and chewy too, another one that tasted like proper dim sum! Who knew there was a place near Gwanghwamun doing such authentic Chinese flavors!!

Is Cheonghwa a good dinner spot near Gwanghwamun?

One bite in, the juicy pork and chewy shrimp just wrapped around my mouth — I felt like I'd finally had proper dim sum after a long time haha. I got that original dim sum thrill again, right here in Korea. The prices are on the affordable side too, and the food quality doesn't disappoint, so it seems like a pretty solid choice for a simple lunch or dinner near Gwanghwamun. Being on Pimatgol makes the location great too! I'll probably be back soon craving that Sichuan-style beef noodles again!