Ryunique — Restaurant in Seoul

Meal budget per person (without drinks) Category 3 (over 130K KRW)

The colorfully beautiful Upscale Fine Dining Restaurant, Ryunique is led by founder/Chef Patron, Tae-Hwan Ryu who studied Hattori Nutrition College and Le Cordon Blue London. He is awarded La Liste Special Award Nature in year 2020. His restaurant was listed 27th among the top 50 Asia Best Restaurant in year 2015. He expresses the beauty and nature of Navy, Army and Air Force, using Seasonal ingredients. He focuses on Present because it is Now. His motto reflects his philosophy very well: Less is More (과유불급, 간결한 것이 더 아름답다) Accordingly, his art of plating is not too much, but creatively artistic! His personal note for me is impressive: To Be Strong! To Be Proud!

Dinner Dining: 290K KRW His long journey of flavors based on convergence of contemporary Korean and French starts with: Amuse Bouche: 토마토, 돼지감자, 울릉도더덕 Sea Robin/Fatsia Sprout/Hanrabong (성대/두릎/한라봉) Crosne/Soy Bean/Rice (초석잠/된장/토종쌀): I have never seen the dish like this, which is very savory. Silky Fowl/Chicken/Abalone “Two Ways of Chicken” (오골계/닭/전복/두가지 방법의 닭): It is delectable, especially the second dish is delectable. Pork Belly/Scallop/Rotus Root “Surf & Turf” 돼지삼겹/관자/연근/서프 앤 터프: It is full of flavors with two different chewy ingredients. Cod/Wakame/Caola (대구/미역/유채): There may be some likes and dislikes about seaweed, but it helps the dish filled with a very unique flavor. Fresh Beat Juice after that appetizes, welcoming the next main dish. Hanwoo/Mushroom (한우/버섯) or Pork/Apple (돼지/차과): Both are tasty, very different style. If I should choose one, I would recommend Pork dish because its flavor and mouthfeel is more new to me. Pear/Vanilla/Malt (배/바닐라/맥아) Strawberry/Chocolate/Butterbur (딸기/초콜렛/머위) Tea with Petit Four

The creativity based on each different ingredients stands out, and especially, the variation in taste and texture is colorful! It is also interesting to show ingredients for the cuisine as an Objet for surrealism. The speed and the temperature of each dish are controlled very well. Staffs are kind, attentive and professional. Valet parking is available for comfortable visit. Thanks to the Chef Ryu for his hospitality and kind introduction to his journey of flavors. I enjoy the trip with you very much. Ryunique makes the guests who are with me feel like being treated well in a luxurious and elegant way and it is recommended especially for couples...

Words cannot begin to describe the culinary masterpieces I encountered at Ryunique. Under the visionary craftsmanship of Chef Tae Hwan Ryu, dining here transcends mere food—it’s an art form and a sensory journey. Having previously experienced the flavors at 2 Michelin starred restaurants like Solbam and Jungsik, Ryunique undeniably surpasses them all in Seoul.

Chef Ryu's dishes evoke memories of the legendary creativity seen in recognized Michelin star establishments. His ingenuity is akin to that of a culinary scientist, meticulously blending both native and exotic flavors into dishes that speak not only to the palate but to the heart. The menu doesn’t just tell a story —it dialogues with you, engaging with every forkful.

The presentation is exquisite and meticulously crafted, mirroring the precision and artistry seen in top-tier European dining experiences. Chef Ryu’s passion for Korean ingredients emerges brilliantly, each dish singing with authenticity and a unique flair.

I highly advise fellow gourmets, seasoned food critics, and Michelin inspectors alike to consider Ryunique a ‘must-visit’ on their Seoul culinary tours. Every expectation I had was exceeded, confirming my belief that Ryunique is among Seoul's pinnacles of dining excellence— mark this moment as I say it!

Special gratitude to Youmie, whose dedication to hospitality amplified the orchestrated dining experience. Her detailed introductions to each dish were infused with knowledge and enthusiasm, enhancing the overall dining journey.

Truly an unforgettable evening, Ryunique is a testament to the heights of culinary possibilities and experiences.

감사합니다 Sara from...

Came here a week ago and I wanted to take some time to think before leaving a review in effort to not make a quick judgement. Overall food was good and chef had some nice inventions.

Overall I left disappointed. Here’s why.

Food overall was good but for the price it was definitely not worth the value. I had one major problem though. We had the wine pairing, mind you, 150,000 won for it. The main came out, and so did the wine pairing. Immediately we noticed the coloration was a brownish tint. The smell was sour. It was a Tuscany wine which I know very well through many wine tours of the region. We tasted it and it definitely had gone bad. The sommelier said the color was because it’s organic but that’s not true, as we drink many DOGG Italian organic wines often.

Ultimately he tasted it and said it was opened a day ago. My main problem was that at this price ($450/2pax) why is the restaurant serving day old wine? It’s not even that good a bottle of wine lol. The other problem is that in discussion of the wine going bad we didn’t enjoy the main course that it was paired with.

The service was overall very nice but it just felt a bit awkward in there as we were the only guests on a weekend night at 8pm. The host/waiters were super attentive but also to the point where it felt super weird because we just felt like “too much” center of attention and felt like everyone was listening to our convo.

Thanks for reading and I hope the restaurant...