Anguk Hanok Cafe Onion - A Sentimental Review of a Blue Ribbon Selected Bakery

The place I was curious about after seeing it so much on Instagram!

Lately, when I see people posting hanok photos on Instagram, it seems like they're all taken at the same place. It was Cafe Onion near Anguk Station! My friend suggested we visit Bukchon Hanok Village, so I thought, why not visit Onion too, and we finally went.

It's really close from Anguk Station Exit 3. They say it's 69 meters away, so you can see it almost as soon as you come out? It's located at 5 Gye-dong-gil, and since it's a cafe made by remodeling a real traditional hanok, the exterior was incredibly beautiful.

Be prepared to wait

Even though I went around 2 PM on a weekday, there was a wait. Many reviews mentioned the waiting, and it was true ㅠㅠ. But I think we waited about 20 minutes. It might be worse on weekends, so it might be better to go early in the morning or late in the evening.

While waiting, I took a closer look at the hanok structure outside, and it seemed really well-preserved and remodeled. There was a yard and a wooden veranda, making it a perfect place for taking photos.

Finally entering the hanok cafe atmosphere

Wow... I was really impressed as soon as I entered. The space was uniquely created by preserving the hanok's characteristic eaves and pillars. There were seats where you could sit on the wooden veranda and seats where you could look down at the yard.

We were lucky enough to get a seat on the wooden veranda, and the sunlight made the atmosphere really nice. It was a bit hot since it was summer, but the air conditioning was good, so it was fine. It was a bit noisy due to the crowd.

The dilemma of choosing a menu

Looking at the menu, the bakery was definitely the main focus. They said the signature menus are An Butter Bread, An Scone, and Pandoro, but I really wanted to try the Onion Cream Cheese that I had only heard about. My friend, who usually likes scones, ordered the An Scone.

We just ordered two Americanos as drinks. The price... well, it's a hanok cafe, so it's a bit on the expensive side. But if you think of it as paying for the atmosphere, it's somewhat reasonable?

Finally, the breads are here!

The first thing that came out was the Onion Cream Cheese I ordered. Wow, the visual was truly artistic! The bagel was split in half with cream cheese filled inside, and onions on top, and the color combination was so pretty.

When I took a bite... it was saltier than I expected, yet the creaminess of the cream cheese spread throughout my mouth. The crunchy texture of the onion was nice, and the bagel itself was chewy and delicious. But it was more filling than I thought, so I was full ㅋㅋ

I also tried the An Scone my friend ordered, and it was really unique. It had red bean paste inside the scone, which felt like a meeting of Western scones and Korean red bean paste? It was sweet yet had the unique crispiness of a scone, making it an intriguing taste.

Great spots for taking photos

As expected, the highlight of this cafe is the photos! The pictures we took while sitting on the wooden veranda turned out really well. Especially when the afternoon sunlight came in, the atmosphere was amazing. The photos taken looking down towards the yard were also beautiful.

It's a place that truly satisfies the Instagram aesthetic. I saw many people taking photos in hanbok, and it was a perfect match. Next time, I feel like I should come in a hanbok too.

Things that were a bit disappointing

Honestly, it was a bit hectic because there were too many people. Even when trying to take photos, people kept passing by, and it was noisy for conversations. Also, the prices were a bit high, which was burdensome.

The restroom was outside the cafe, which was a bit inconvenient, and there's no parking, so it's better to use public transportation. But the atmosphere was truly perfect!

Pair it with a visit to Bukchon Hanok Village!

After eating bread at Onion, we went for a walk to Bukchon Hanok Village right away. It's really nice because it's just a 3-minute walk away! A course that connects a hanok cafe to a hanok village, could there be a more perfect date course?

Gyeongbokgung is also close, and Insadong is within walking distance, so you could spend the whole day around here. Next time, I plan to visit Changdeokgung and walk around Samcheong-dong too.

Overall impression and intention to revisit

In conclusion, I was satisfied! Although the price is a bit high and there's waiting, it's a place worth visiting at least once. I highly recommend it to those who love hanok atmospheres or want to take Instagram-worthy photos.

I think I'll go again next time. However, I want to try the Pandoro or An Butter Bread that I couldn't try this time, and I want to visit during a quieter time to enjoy it more leisurely. Oh, and next time, I'll definitely go in a hanbok!