Review of Onkijeong Tendon Restaurant in Sinsa-dong | Recommended Affordable Japanese Home-style Restaurant in Garosu-gil

A Restaurant in Sinsa-dong Discovered by Chance

I finally visited that tendon restaurant I've been seeing all over Instagram lately! While shopping with a friend in Garosu-gil, we got hungry and were wondering, "What should we eat?" My friend then remembered, "Oh! I heard there's a good tendon place nearby," and that's how we ended up at Onkijeong.

It was easier to find than I thought when we walked from Sinsa Station Exit 6 to Apgujeong-ro 4-gil. The exterior of the store was clean and modern, so it stood out even as we passed by.

First Impressions and Store Atmosphere

As soon as I entered, my first impression was, "Wow, the atmosphere is nice!" It's said to be a Japanese home-style restaurant, and it really felt clean and cozy. The tables were spaced appropriately, making it easy to have a conversation, and I noticed many people dining alone, which added to the comfortable atmosphere.

We visited around 2 PM on a weekday, and there were quite a few people there. There was no waiting line, but almost all the tables were occupied. I thought, "This place really is a famous restaurant."

The Dilemma of Choosing a Menu

When we received the menu, I was amazed by the variety! Tendon, tempura set, kaisendon, and even steak tendon... I almost had a hard time choosing, haha.

The staff kindly recommended the signature menu, tendon, since it was our first visit. The price was quite reasonable at 9,900 KRW, so we decided quickly. My friend ordered the tempura set.

The Food Finally Arrives!

Did we wait about 15 minutes after ordering? It came out faster than I expected. But when the food arrived, I couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow!"

The tendon looked really beautiful! Shrimp tempura, eggplant tempura, pumpkin tempura, and more were neatly placed on the rice, with a special sauce lightly drizzled over it, making it look truly appetizing.

This is What Delicious Means

From the moment I took the first bite, I was impressed. The tempura was crispy but not greasy at all! The shrimp was really plump, and each vegetable tempura was delicious.

Especially the special sauce was really good. It was sweet and salty, perfectly complementing the tempura and rice. The rice was also well-cooked, so I enjoyed every last bite.

I also tasted my friend's tempura set, and it was really delicious too. It came with mini udon, making it a hearty meal.

The Appeal of Various Menus

Onkijeong offers a wide variety of menus besides tendon. Especially the kaisendon (seafood rice bowl) seems to be really popular. Seeing it at the next table, the salmon looked really fresh!

I was also really curious about the obanzai, which was featured on 'Live Today.' They say it's the epitome of Japanese home-style cooking, so I definitely want to try it next time.

Value for Money and Satisfaction

Honestly, it was really satisfying for the price. For 9,900 KRW, the quality was truly reasonable. Considering it's a famous restaurant near Garosu-gil in Gangnam, the price was affordable, and the portion was sufficient.

Above all, you could feel the freshness of the ingredients. The shrimp was plump, and the vegetables were crisp. The frying technique was really good too. It was crispy but not greasy at all.

Visiting Tips and Nearby Information

Onkijeong is near Garosu-gil, making it a great place for shopping, and there are many pretty cafes nearby. It's a perfect location for visiting a dessert cafe after a meal.

It's also about a 10-minute walk from Sinsa Station, so accessibility is good. It's convenient to use the subway, so you can easily come from anywhere.

Honest Overall Impression

It was a truly satisfying meal! It was my first time trying tendon, and I realized this is what it tastes like. It was surprisingly light and clean, so I could eat it without feeling burdened.

My friend also said, "This place is really delicious! Let's come again next time!" We were both completely satisfied. Especially since the value for money is really good, I think I can visit often without feeling burdened.

I highly recommend it to those looking for a place to enjoy authentic Japanese home-style cooking. Next time, I want to try the obanzai. It was featured on 'Live Today,' and I'm curious about that too!

Onkijeong has become my favorite restaurant! 💕