Hyehwa pub for a sunset beer after a play: shrimp gangjeong, Hyehwahwa

Where is Hyehwahwa and how do you get there?

Come out of Hyehwa Station Exit 4 and walk straight toward CGV for about 2 minutes. Hyehwahwa is on the second floor of the Jeongtongjip building, in a small alley across from CGV. My boyfriend and I had seen a play in Hyehwa and said, "let's go eat something yummy!" so this Daehangno spot is where we ended up. You go all the way to Hyehwa, you're hungry, and you want a light drink somewhere with a nice mood, right? haha

The alley is so small that at first I wondered, "is this really the right place?" But walk in and Hyehwahwa is on the second floor of the Jeongtongjip building!

• Address: 2F, 29-3 Daemyeong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
• Hours: 17:00–01:00 (closed Tuesdays)
• Reservations available on Naver

And this is the Hyehwahwa sign!!!! Maybe because it's tucked inside the alley, it felt like a hidden gem that only people in the know find, haha. It's slightly off Daehangno's main street, so there's none of that noisy buzz, which makes it a good place for a quiet drink!!

Hyehwahwa's straw-fire cooking and the story behind it

Hyehwahwa is famous for straw-fire grilling (jipbul-gui), so lol, there's straw everywhere. My first reaction was "oh, cool!" but it's not just decoration, they actually cook with it, which made it even more interesting lol

And the story behind Hyehwahwa was really impressive... Apparently this Daehangno pub was born when a son born in 1996, who came out of a three-Michelin-star Korean restaurant, met the 30-year recipes of his mother, born in 1966 and once the owner of a restaurant with long lines! After hearing that, I trusted every dish even more, haha. I felt that mix of young sensibility and long-earned know-how in the menu and the flavors too, if that makes sense?!

The sunset from Hyehwahwa's window seat and the interior

The weather was nice so we sat by the window at Hyehwahwa, with a gentle breeze, and I felt sooo good, haha. Sitting there with the afterglow of the play, watching the street at sunset, was healing all by itself!! Hyehwa is good any time you go :)

The inside of Hyehwahwa was neat like this, with a calm overall tone, so it's good for dates and for get-togethers with friends! It seemed like almost everyone came for either a date or a group meetup, haha. It's not loud but still lively enough, so talking was easy, which is another plus!

And it was really fun to watch the owner cook with straw fire right in front of us, lol haha. With the crackling sound and the smoke rising from the straw, I found myself picking up my phone to film it again lol. My excitement went way up before the food even came out!!!! It's going to be good, of course~~

Took more photos of the interior for no reason, haha

What is Hyehwahwa's free side dish?

The free side dish at Hyehwahwa is tofu and kimchi (dubu-kimchi)! Let's loosen up our mouths with it while we wait. The combo of warm tofu and spicy kimchi is familiar and hearty, so it felt like a warm-up before starting the drinks, haha. It set the mood before the main dishes even arrived.

A glass of Cass beer while looking at the view outside!! This is real happiness... With the afterglow of the play plus a cold beer, it was just a perfect afternoon, haha!!

How are the handmade shrimp gangjeong and the straw-fire knife-cut octopus?

What we ordered at Hyehwahwa was fried shrimp (on the menu it's handmade shrimp gangjeong, ₩15,000) and

knife-cut octopus!! (straw-fire cauldron knife-cut octopus, ₩24,000)

The shrimp gangjeong had a crunchy coating with plump, springy shrimp inside!!! The straw-fire knife-cut octopus was spicy and chewy, just right for a daytime beer, haha. The octopus kept its texture, and the seasoning was kicky without being harsh, so I kept reaching for it with the beer.

If you alternate between the fried shrimp and the knife-cut octopus... crunchy bite, spicy bite, beer... it just keeps going forever~!~!

Is it a good place for a drink after a play in Daehangno?

Hyehwahwa satisfied me on mood, location and food for a light drink after a play! The straw-fire concept was fresh, and the shrimp fried plus knife-cut octopus combo was perfect for daytime drinking, haha.

The menu of snacks (anju) is varied, so I think it works as a first stop and also as a second or third round!! The Korean dishes are good quality, so it seemed like a lot of people came just to eat a meal, haha. If you're craving a drink after a play in Daehangno, I highly recommend Hyehwahwa!😊 Next time I want to try the straw-fire main dishes too!