Seocho Korean pub: braised short ribs and Hanu tartare at Onyangjae

What kind of place is Onyangjae in Seocho?

Onyangjae (온양재) is a new restaurant and pub with a great atmosphere near the Poi intersection by Yangjae Stream. I can never resist a new opening~ We went in the evening, but looking at the menu, it would work for lunch too! Onyangjae review, here we go :))

Onyangjae is at 20 Nonhyeon-ro 17-gil, 1st floor, Seocho-gu, Seoul. It's open Monday to Friday from 11:00 to 01:00 the next day, with a break from 15:00 to 17:00 and last orders at 14:00 and 00:00. On Saturdays it's open 18:00 to 01:00, last order at 00:00, and there's parking for 1–2 cars out front.

Getting to Onyangjae from the Poi intersection near Yangjae Citizens' Forest

Onyangjae is about a 3-minute walk from the Poi intersection near Yangjae Citizens' Forest. This alley? The whole street is lined with restaurants, so there are lots of tasty and pretty places haha.

The opening hours and break time are posted at the entrance too! But the info on Naver Map is much more accurate, so check Naver Map before you go.

Onyangjae atmosphere, seating and outdoor street-side tables

Inside, Onyangjae is black-toned and very clean, with seating from tables for four up to group tables.

It's outdoor-seating season, and only for now! The weather was so nice that eating outside would feel great. The unwritten rule is to use outdoor seating as much as you can before it gets really hot ㅠㅠ

Onyangjae menu and prices: what we ordered

As a date-spot favorite near Yangjae Citizens' Forest, Onyangjae has a huge menu from lunch to dinner, and every dish looks pretty :)) (and it's not that pretty-but-bland, it's pretty AND delicious!!)

• Royal-style braised short ribs (gungjung galbijjim) ₩26,000
• Hanu 1++ beef tartare (yukhoe) with gamtae (seaweed) ₩23,000
• Jinro (soju) ₩5,000 × 2 bottles

Onyangjae complimentary snacks: crackers and egg salad

The complimentary side at Onyangjae is crackers and egg salad!

You probably know the flavor already, but even so, it was really good. I couldn't tell whether the sauce on the egg was soy sauce or balsamic.. it was a bit salty, so I'm guessing soy sauce?

The Hanu 1++ beef tartare and gamtae came out with peanut sauce on the side. The look of Onyangjae's food is just stunning. Looks: passed!! ^.^ And now, drinks~!

Cheers ❤️ cheers ❤️

Then the royal-style braised short ribs arrived.

I make it at home sometimes, but braised short ribs just get better the longer you simmer them, so it's a real hassle to cook, you know? So whenever I come to a place that serves it as drinking food, I always order it, and this time was a success too!

How does Onyangjae's Hanu 1++ beef tartare with gamtae taste?

Onyangjae's Hanu 1++ beef tartare with gamtae (₩23,000) is a dish where you wrap the tartare in seaweed and top it with plenty of peanut sauce. As long as tartare is fresh, the flavor is guaranteed.

So-o-o-o-o-o good!! Deli-i-i-i-icious!! Tartare is a given, but I'd never had it wrapped in gamtae, and why is it SO good? Hats off to the owner who came up with this combo.

Onyangjae royal-style braised short ribs: portion and flavor

Onyangjae's royal-style braised short ribs (₩26,000) come with huge pieces of rib and look amazing. Look at this, it's so big.. wow

The pot is packed with enoki mushrooms, glass noodles, rice cakes, shiitake and more, and eating them with the ribs and the broth was heaven..

We don't handle spicy food well, so this day we just ordered the royal-style ribs marked "best," but if you like spicy, I'd recommend the spicy braised ribs too. They sound delicious.

They were simmered so long that the meat crumbles right off the bone, and dipped lightly in the broth it was really, really good. The meat just melted in my mouth.

Are soy-based braised short ribs too salty?

Since it's royal-style, it's soy-sauce based, and I thought it might be a little salty, but not at all? Not salty one bit!! The seasoning was just right, and it's the best drinking food, though I did find myself wanting rice haha

Is Onyangjae good for a lunch date too?

We came in the evening and had it with drinks, but the atmosphere at Onyangjae looks great for a date, and the plating of every dish is so pretty that I think it's a good spot for a lunch date too.

After all that simmering, the rice cakes got so soft they were about to burst. See how plump the ribs are? It was plenty for two people. I really wanted to have rice with it too if only I had room, but I was so full that I left the broth behind, such a shame ㅠㅠ

Braised ribs get better the more they reduce! The meat now tastes even better than what I ate earlier.. And glass noodles belong in braised ribs! I think I ate all the noodles by myself haha. Anyway, we finished off the tartare and braised ribs at Onyangjae to the last bite.

If you're on a date in Yangjae and looking for a restaurant-slash-pub with a nice mood and good food, I recommend Onyangjae!! Next time I'll have to come back for other dishes.