Hyehwa Korean pub with mentaiko pot rice and gopchang stew: Hyehwahwa

Daehangno restaurant and bar pick: [Hyehwahwa]

Hi hi, it's Mando :)

I was looking for somewhere to have dinner in Hyehwa and this time went for a Korean pub with a bit more atmosphere. That's Hyehwahwa, near Hyehwa Station.

This area has tons of good restaurants and even more bars, but finding a place where you can actually eat a proper meal while still enjoying the mood isn't as easy as you'd think. So this time I decided to try something a bit different from my usual Korean food order.

Where is Hyehwahwa, and how close is Hyehwa Station Exit 4?

Hyehwahwa is located at 29-3 Daemyeong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul. It's easy to find on the way from Exit 4 of Hyehwa Station, so even first-time visitors shouldn't have trouble getting there. Other reviews also mention that it's close to Exit 4, which makes it convenient to reach.

It's also a plus that it's easy to get to if you're meeting someone in Daehangno. I met up in Hyehwa and walked over slowly, and there were plenty of cafés and other restaurants nearby, so it seemed like a good spot to combine with wandering around Daehangno before or after eating.

Straw-fire interior: how Hyehwahwa differs from other Daehangno bars

The first thing that caught my eye walking into Hyehwahwa was the atmosphere of the space.

Rather than the noisy feel of a typical Daehangno bar, this space had the particular mood of a Korean pub done well, and the unique interior using straw stood out. Other reviews also mention the hanok (traditional Korean house) feel and the straw-fire concept interior as a defining feature.

So it felt less like a place you just go to eat, and more like somewhere good for having a drink alongside dinner in the evening.

I thought it would be especially good if you're on a date in Hyehwa or Daehangno and want somewhere with more atmosphere than a super casual spot. The vibe between tables wasn't overwhelming either, and overall it felt like a good place to enjoy the food and the space together.

What's on the menu at Hyehwahwa?

Rather than serving standard Korean dishes as-is, Hyehwahwa has menus with small twists, so it was fun just reading through the menu. As you'd expect from a Korean pub, there's a wide range of dishes that go well with drinks, plus meal-worthy options like gopchang stew, so the choices are pretty broad.

If you like gopchang stew, I'd recommend ordering it together with mentaiko rice for a really filling meal. If you're looking for a Korean pub that's a bit different from the usual Daehangno spots, this is worth a visit.

That day I ordered the two dishes I was most looking forward to: gopchang stew and mentaiko rice.

Basic side dishes were prepared before the food arrived. It was nice to have banchan to nibble on before the main dishes, as you'd expect from a Korean pub. When you're eating something centered on broth and tripe like gopchang stew, having clean side dishes to eat in between actually matters quite a bit.

Myeongnan pot rice: the right partner for gopchang stew

The dish I felt best about ordering that day was the mentaiko rice. If you just eat gopchang stew on its own, the broth and tripe flavor keeps repeating, but eating the stone pot rice alongside it made the meal much more substantial.

The rice itself comes out hot, so it's delicious even on its own, and the mentaiko (salted pollack roe) adds a salty umami that paired well with the gopchang stew. Eating the rice with a bit of the stew's broth mixed in gave a whole different feel. The salty flavor of the mentaiko went well with the rice, and switching back and forth with the spicy stew kept either flavor from feeling too strong.

Gopchang stew at Hyehwahwa, starting with the broth

The main dish, gopchang stew, finally arrived. It looked appetizing the moment it hit the table, and watching it bubble away while eating really got my appetite going.

Gopchang stew can be hit or miss depending on whether the tripe has any off smell, which affects the broth too, but when I ate it here I didn't notice any of that unpleasant smell. The broth was spicy with a good depth of umami, the kind that kept me reaching for another spoonful, and eating it with the gopchang added a nutty richness.

More than just sipping the broth on its own, scooping up the gopchang along with it made the flavor feel richer. The tripe wasn't overly chewy either — more springy and nutty — which worked well with the broth.

If you're having it as a drinking snack, it's the kind of dish that makes you crave a shot of soju, and even if you visit for a proper meal like I did, it's filling enough on its own. Personally, I felt gopchang stew gets better the longer it simmers rather than in the first few spoonfuls, so I'd recommend eating it slowly.

Both dishes had distinct flavors but played different roles, so eating them together actually made the meal feel more balanced. Overall, Hyehwahwa felt less like a place you go just for drinking snacks and more like a Korean pub good for enjoying a meal and drinks together.

Is Hyehwahwa a good Daehangno date or friends' night out?

It's easy to get to from Hyehwa Station, and the route works well if you're catching a movie or a show around Daehangno before dinner. Other reviews do recommend it as part of a date course paired with a movie or a visit to Naksan Park.

The atmosphere is a bit more special than a typical restaurant, so it's good with friends too, and it works well when you're looking for a dinner spot for a date. I also liked that the menu isn't limited to one style, letting you pick from a range of Korean dishes.

Above all, being close to Hyehwa Station and having a different vibe from an ordinary restaurant makes it a good match for anyone looking for a Korean restaurant with atmosphere in Daehangno. If you're looking for a date spot in Hyehwa, or somewhere for dinner and a drink with friends in Daehangno, Hyehwahwa is worth a visit.