The Han River in Seoul is without a doubt, one of the highlights of the city. From Korean dramas romanticizing a stroll along the Han River, to social media featuring how convenient it is to get Korean fried chicken delivered for a weekend picnic – the Han River is one of the best places to relax in Seoul! Aptly named, The River (더리버) is a spot near Seoraeseom that’s worth visiting during your next trip to Seoul!
Four Concepts in One
The River is located in an area near Dongjak Station (Line 4), which is right beside the popular Banpo Hangang Park.
It’s relatively easy to spot The River with its polished white exterior, which gives off a clean, sleek modern vibe. There are two bridges leading to the establishment, and a front counter staff will provide you with directions should you need any help.
You might be thinking, what help would I need? Well, that’s because there are 4 different concepts at The River and they’re located on different levels.
The building consists of Hey! (헤이), which is a bakery cafe, NOCT & NOCT M (녹트 & 녹트 M), and Le Da (르다). NOCT is a wine bar, while NOCT M is a live music bar and Le Da is a French Restaurant with its own private elevator entrance!
We’ll let the photos do the talking:
NOCT M, on the other hand, feels more casual with a live band with an alfresco-seating area that gives you a gorgeous view of the Han River.
Patrons of Le Da are usually celebrating a special occasion, such as birthdays or anniversaries, as the place gives off classy restaurant vibes.
Hey! Bakery Cafe along Hangang
Among the four concepts, we visited Hey! (헤이), which is a bakery cafe with a gorgeous view of the Han River. Located on the ground floor of The River, the interior of Hey! is clean and minimalistic, decorated with white-colored furniture and a few potted plants.
Honestly, we thought that this was such a clever move as the simple interior complemented the large windows and drew our attention to the view of the Han River – which is what makes the cafe special.
Menu at Hey! (헤이)
Being a bakery cafe, the menu here primarily consists of bakes and sandwiches. From items like the Classic Croissant (4,000won), Pecan Croissant (7,500won), Bacon Focaccia (5,500won) to more filling options like the Egg Sandwich (12,000won), and Grilled Chicken Sandwich (14,000won).
The bakes are made fresh each morning!
As for drinks, they have both coffee and non-coffee options, such as the usual Flat White (6,500won), Spanish Latte (7,000won), Ceylon Milk Tea (7,500won), Grapefruit Ade (7,500won), and more.
Here are some of the items we tried:
One of our favourite items was the Apple Croissant (7,000won) which was topped with a generous amount of apple compote and stuffed with fresh cream. Despite the large amount of fresh cream in the croissant, this didn’t feel cloying thanks to the refreshing apple compote.
If you’re a chocolate lover, opt for the Chocolate Croissant (7,500won) which was stuffed with a generous amount of chocolate cream, and had a gorgeous hazelnut chocolate glaze. On the other end of the spectrum was the Lemon Croissant (7,000won), which had a tangy lemon cream filling topped with meringue.
For a savoury treat, we opted for the Shrimp Focaccia (5,500won) which was topped with whole shrimp, pepperoni, and baby mix vegetables, finished with a balsamic sauce.
Attention spice lovers, indulge in the Grilled Calamari Sandwich (15,000won) made using squid ink ciabatta comes with charcoal grilled calamari, jalapenos, a handmade coriander salsa, herbs, and sriracha mayo! The combinations of the salsa and herbs went so well with the spicy flavours, providing a burst of freshness.
As for drinks, the Black Cacao Cream Latte (7,500won) not only looks gorgeous, but the soft cream also paired amazingly with the coffee, providing a not-too-sweet experience.
Some of the non-coffee options we tried included the Pink Lychee Chamomile (7,500won) and Lemonade (7,500won) which were both refreshing options perfect during the summer. A more unique treat was the Kombuchade (7,500won) which was sparkling and bright.
Pretty Sunset Spot in Seoul
One of the perks you get here at The River is the sunset view. Doesn’t matter if you’re sipping coffee at Hey! or dining at Le Da, the views here are unmatched.
Reservations aren’t needed at the cafe, but if you’re intending to pay a visit to NOCT, NOCT M, or Le Da, you can DM the respective Instagram accounts to help with your booking.
The River (더리버)
2085-96 Olympic-daero, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
서울 용산구 올림픽대로 2085-96
Hey! Bakery Cafe: Tues-Thurs, 10:30am-6:30pm, Sat-Sun, 10:30am-8pm
Le Da: Mon-Sat, 6pm-12am
NOCT: Mon-Sat, 6pm-12am
NOCT M: Tues-Sat, 8pm-1am
Nearest Subway: Dongjak Station (Line 4, 9), Exit 2
*This was an invite by The River (더리버) but all opinions are ours.
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