Daehangno Korean pub for knife-cut octopus and tartare sushi

The weather's been so nice lately, and I wanted to eat something good and catch up with a close friend of mine, so we headed to Hyehwa-dong. The Daehangno area is packed with good restaurants and bars, but this time I wanted somewhere with Korean-style bar snacks instead of the usual stuff — and that's how I ended up at Hyehwahwa (혜화화).

Where is Hyehwahwa, and when is it open?

Hyehwahwa is located on Daemyeong-gil in Jongno-gu, Seoul, so it's an easy place to meet up at if you're already in Daehangno.

Hyehwahwa visit info 📍 29-3 Daemyeong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea (2nd floor) ⏰ Tue–Sun 17:00–01:00 ⏰ Last order 00:00 ❌ Closed every Monday ✔️ Group seating available / reservations available / waiting area / easy pay accepted

True to its name, the atmosphere here is relaxed and the menu felt a bit different from a typical Daehangno bar, so it seemed like a good place to visit for a meal-plus-drinks night with friends or a date.

Korean bar food before or after a Daehangno show

A lot of people come to Hyehwa-dong for shows in Daehangno, so plenty of them are looking for a place to eat before or after. We came just to eat well and chat comfortably with each other, and looking at the menu, there were plenty of dishes that worked great as drinking snacks.

• Straw-fire spicy rice cake and gopchang stew — ₩26,000
• Fire-grilled gopchang bomb spicy hotpot — ₩26,000
• Straw-fire seared cauldron octopus — ₩24,000
• Korean beef tartare & aged kimchi egg sushi — ₩26,000
• Straw-fire grilled garlic pork jowl BBQ suyuk — ₩32,000
• Crispy shrimp gangjeong — ₩15,000
• Stuffed fried peppers — ₩15,000
• Spicy scallop and clam soup — ₩15,000
• Scallop-loaded fish cake soup — ₩23,000
• Half plate of Korean beef tartare — ₩18,000
• Straw-fire-scented minari and octopus sukhoe — ₩17,900
• Korean beef tartare bomb yukbi — ₩23,000
• Cheese bomb beef belly kimchi fried rice — ₩15,000
• Meat bomb yukjeon (beef pancake) — ₩18,900
• Rice with seaweed flakes — ₩3,000

The signature straw-fire seared cauldron knife-cut octopus, 24,000 won

The dish I was most looking forward to that day was the signature straw-fire seared cauldron octopus. The name alone sets it apart from a typical octopus dish, right? The octopus is pre-seared directly over straw fire, then served cauldron-style — a specialty you can really only find at Hyehwahwa. A lot of bars serve octopus with just a strong spicy sauce, but the straw-fire searing here made me even more curious.

The signature straw-fire seared cauldron octopus arrived!! You've got to order the signature dish if you come to Hyehwahwa. As their representative dish, it caught my eye visually right away. The octopus's naturally chewy texture combined with the smoky char from the straw fire gave it a different appeal from a regular stir-fried octopus. And octopus dishes just go so well as bar food — the spiciness really wakes up your appetite, and naturally makes you want a drink!

Chatting away with my friend, time flew by while we ate. If you're looking for a Hyehwa-dong bar and want something a little different in terms of Korean food, this kind of dish really delivers.

Another menu item that caught my eye was the spicy cold octopus noodles, made with the same straw-fire-seared octopus. Octopus and noodles — need I say more!!!

Korean beef tartare with aged kimchi egg sushi, 26,000 won

And here's another dish I really loved that day — the signature Korean beef tartare & aged kimchi egg sushi.

Beef tartare is already great with drinks, but paired with aged kimchi and egg sushi, it was surprisingly, deliciously simple!! The soft flavor of the Korean beef tartare, the tangy aged kimchi, and the mild richness of the egg sushi made for a really nice combination. After the spicy octopus, adding the tartare and sushi kept things from feeling one-note. Going with a close friend, we talked a lot while eating, and sharing each dish made the whole meal even more fun.

Is Hyehwahwa good for friend meetups and Daehangno dates?

Daehangno has so many good restaurants and bars that it's hard to decide where to go. If you're searching for Hyehwa-dong restaurants, Hyehwa restaurants, or Daehangno restaurants and want something a bit special, Hyehwahwa is worth checking out — especially if you like Korean food or spicy bar snacks.

It's a good spot for a meal-plus-drinks outing with friends, and the atmosphere works just as well for a date. Group seating and reservations are available, so if you're planning to go with a larger group, it's worth checking ahead.

If you're trying to figure out where to eat after a show in Daehangno, or looking for a relaxed spot in Hyehwa-dong to grab a drink with a friend, I'd recommend Hyehwahwa for its Korean bar food. We spent the whole time catching up over good food, and honestly, conversation always flows better in front of great food haha. If you're looking for a Hyehwa-dong restaurant, a Daehangno restaurant, or a Hyehwa Korean bar, go enjoy a drink at Hyehwahwa with their special bar snacks.

Hyehwahwa visit info 📍 29-3 Daemyeong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea (2nd floor) ⏰ Tue–Sun 17:00–01:00 ⏰ Last order 00:00 ❌ Closed every Monday ✔️ Group seating available / reservations available / waiting area / easy pay accepted