Hyehwa western restaurant with a 7-team phone waitlist: Omil Daehangno

I was heading out near Jongno and Hyehwa for a date, and being a date, I was really craving western food. It just so happened there was a great spot where you can dine alongside an adorable rubber duck, so I visited and had a genuinely happy time — here's the record.

Where is Omil Hyehwa Daehangno? 3 minutes from Hyehwa Station Exit 4

Omil Hyehwa Daehangno is on the 2nd floor of a building at 35 Daemyeong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Walk straight for about 3 minutes from Exit 4 of Hyehwa Station and you'll find it.

Head up to the 2nd floor where a cute little sign is waiting for you. By the way, apparently "Omil Hyehwa Daehangno" is the newly opened third branch of Omil!!

Hours: Mon–Fri 11:30–21:15 / break time 15:15–16:30 / last order 20:30 Sat–Sun 11:30–21:15 / last order 20:30

How long is the lunch wait at Omil? 7 groups ahead, with a phone waitlist

I went during the lunch peak and there were 7 teams ahead of me, so I put my name on the waitlist and went out to explore Hyehwa (it cleared surprisingly fast!). If you give them your phone number when you sign up, they call you when your turn comes — great, since you don't have to wait on site.

The inside of the restaurant was bigger than I expected, with a variety of 2–4 person seats. Maybe because the food looks so cute and pretty, there were tons of families with kids and couples♥

Ordering at Omil: table tag or QR, the two-person set and the review event

At Omil Hyehwa Daehangno, you order using the sticker tag on each table or by scanning a QR code.

There's also a 2-person set consisting of 2 main dishes + 1 side dish + 2 drinks.

They're also running an event where you get a free ade if you verify a Naver receipt review or a Google Maps review. And you can even do it multiple times per person~! (I was won over by the generosity.)

What's at the Omil self-service bar, chargers included

In one corner of the restaurant there's a self-service bar where you can use things like wet wipes, paper cups, chargers, and pickles.

Of course Wi-Fi and aprons are provided too~

Three plates at Omil: rubber duck omurice, gochujang butter pasta and soba maki

What we ordered was: Chong-chong-chong! Rubber Duck Omurice, Gochujang Butter Pasta, and Omil Soba Maki.

Chong-chong-chong! Rubber Duck Omurice at Omil Hyehwa Daehangno

Chong-chong-chong! Rubber Duck Omurice — isn't it just too cute, exactly like the name says?ㅜㅜㅜ Seven little quail-duck shapes huddled on top of the omurice ㅜㅜ It wasn't just good to look at, it tasted great too — my companion took one bite and, surprised, said it was really delicious (a rare occurrence). The egg was soft and fluffy, and the fried rice inside had a variety of ingredients mixed in, so it was fun to eat. The sauce was a bit strong for my taste, but since everything else was mild, eating it together created the perfect balance, which actually worked out well.

Gochujang butter pasta: how spicy is it?

Just from the name, Gochujang Butter Pasta, I was curious how the combination of gochujang (Korean red chili paste) and pasta would come together, but the slightly spicy sauce with its rich, thick texture was so delicious. There was also a huge amount of meat served on top, so after finishing it I felt incredibly full!! It really lives up to its looks. So good.

Omil soba maki (buckwheat noodle rolls)

Ordering just 2 mains felt like it wasn't quite enough, but adding a side on top could be too much — Omil Soba Maki, made with soba noodles instead of rice, felt healthy and light, which made it a satisfying choice as a side. Inside the maki (roll) were clean ingredients like cucumber, egg, and fried tofu, and it was genuinely delicious?♥ The size was just right too, perfect for one bite.

Also, looking at the sizzling cheese katsu ordered at the table next to us, they poured the cheese right in front of the customer, so it had visual appeal too, and the food looked hearty and delicious (I kept peeking over, wondering what it was).

Pretty and delicious — how can it have it all?

Adopting the rubber duck haha

Eating the egg together with the omurice sauce is a must-☆

Twirling the pasta noodles and eating them with the meat is naturally the formula-★

If you're a wasabi lover, you can't resist piling wasabi onto the soba maki

How pretty can it get ㅜㅜ This is the cherry ade I got for participating in the Naver receipt review

Ate well and I'm off

Is Omil Hyehwa Daehangno worth a date in Daehangno? Final verdict

With visuals that capture everyone's heart from kids to adults, and impressive taste to match,

Omil Hyehwa Daehangno

I've successfully added another happy food memory to my collection today >_<