Manao Hannam-dong Review 2026: Michelin Thai for Your Next Celebration

My husband and I recently celebrated our anniversary at Manao (마나오), a fantastic Thai restaurant nestled in Seoul's (서울특별시) trendy Hannam-dong (한남동) neighborhood.

It's a spot I'd been wanting to visit for ages, so it was the perfect opportunity!

As a Michelin-recognized establishment, my expectations were sky-high!

I made our reservation through Catchtable, and the restaurant was completely booked on a Saturday evening. Definitely make a reservation before you go! We had the option to choose between bar seating and a regular table, and I opted for the bar.

I thought it would be fun to watch the chefs prepare the food, but with several dishes ordered, it felt a little cramped, and the cooking wasn't as visible as I'd hoped. Next time, I'll probably go for a regular table.

Tom Yum Talay M (똠얌 탈레 M) – ₩40,000 (~$30)

The first dish to arrive was the Tom Yum Talay. 'Talay' means 'sea' in Thai, and in food menus, it often refers to seafood.

If you're a fan of Tom Yum Goong, you'll absolutely love this. We also added rice noodles, which were hidden inside! You can choose between M (medium) and L (large) sizes.

It might not look like much, but the portion was surprisingly generous. It came with about four large shrimp, scallops, and plenty of various mushrooms.

If you prefer no cilantro, simply let them know when you order.

Kor Moo Yang (커무양) – ₩38,000 (~$29)

This dish features grilled pork jowl marinated in a savory sauce, a common sight on menus across Thailand. It was absolutely delicious!

The side dish, located between the sauce and cucumber, was a refreshing papaya pickle, which served as a wonderful palate cleanser. This is definitely a dish that anyone would enjoy!

Chodang Corn Som Tam (초당 옥수수 솜땀) – ₩32,000 (~$24)

This was a seasonal take on classic Som Tam, with the addition of sweet Chodang corn.

I already love Som Tam, and this version was no exception. The Chodang corn truly complemented the dish, making it incredibly, incredibly delicious!

We debated what to drink and ultimately chose some unique cocktails only available here. I'm not usually a huge cocktail person, but these sounded so intriguing!

The one with the chili on top was called 'Tom Yum,' and the other, served in a bowl-like glass, was named 'Street Fruit Cart,' topped with green mango. Both were excellent, generously sized, and had a noticeable kick of alcohol, which I certainly appreciated!

Every dish we ordered turned out to be quite substantial. Of course, we finished everything and even ordered more...

Moo Ping (무삥) – ₩36,000 (~$27)

Grilled pork skewers – what's not to love? While Moo Ping is a ubiquitous street food in Thailand, I usually avoid street food due to a sensitive stomach (I've only tried it once in Thailand, and that was because my husband ordered it!).

So, I was thrilled to finally enjoy authentic Moo Ping here at Manao. It came with sticky rice in a bamboo basket-like pouch, and there was also a skewer of mushrooms, green onions, and eggplant. We were already quite full from our initial order, but we couldn't resist adding this, and we almost burst!

While Manao is on the pricier side for a Thai restaurant, the quality and taste were absolutely worth it. My husband and I promised to return again soon.

The only minor disappointment was that they were out of mango sticky rice that day, but I'm determined to try it for dessert on our next visit!