Dangsan Station bar for ice cream tempura and mixed skewers: Kaken

I was feeling a bit bored so I headed out to Dangsan, planning to grab an early dinner — that's how I ended up at Kaken, a Dangsan Station spot that seems to be known for its skewers. That day I was craving exactly this kind of simple meal, and honestly, being right in front of Dangsan Station made it super accessible.

What are Kaken's outdoor tables and counter seats like?

Kaken has outdoor tables, counter seats right by the charcoal grill, and counter seats further inside. We arrived pretty much at opening time, so at first it was quiet and we could eat in peace, but customers gradually filed in. It seemed like it'd get pretty packed later in the evening!

The weather was nice so the outdoor tables were set up too, and the atmosphere there was lovely.

We sat at the inner counter. The counter right by the charcoal grill is where you can watch the staff grilling skewers or fish right in front of you. It might get a little hot there, though.

We also saw grilled fish being prepared for another table, and it looked delicious.

Kaken's menu and this order: 40,000 won in total

Kaken has quite a varied menu, from sashimi and grilled fish to skewers, tempura, hot pots, and all sorts of dishes and sides. There's also a wide range of drinks — sake, soju, beer, highballs. I can't really drink, so... it was Pepsi Zero for me...

And this one I really recommend. It was seriously delicious...

• 10 assorted skewers ₩28,000
• Ice cream tempura ₩10,000
• Pepsi Zero ₩2,000
• Cheese sausage (Naver receipt review event)
• Total ₩40,000

A refreshing sip of cola to cleanse the palate~

10 assorted skewers for 28,000 won: how each one tasted

Kaken's assorted 10 skewers cost ₩28,000. We tried them one by one, and there was more variety than I expected, so it was fun picking through each type. Overall, everything had a great smoky char to it.

Negima and chicken cartilage skewers

The negima (green onion chicken skewer) had an amazing burst of scallion juice, so fragrant. The meat was tender with great smoky flavor, and a subtle sauce coating made it delicious. The chicken cartilage had a fun crunchy texture. Great texture, and just tasty overall!

Shrimp and chicken skin skewers

The shrimp was also grilled perfectly, with great texture and plenty of smoky flavor. Shrimp is tasty however you cook it, but there's a special charm to having it as a skewer. The chicken skin was chewy with good texture, as expected. I'm usually not a huge fan of chicken skin, but grilled well like this on a skewer or as tempura, it's actually delicious.

Bacon-tomato and chicken tenderloin skewers

The bacon-tomato skewer, this one was really good too. The tomato juice was incredible, with a subtle tartness and sweetness that paired well with the salty bacon. The chicken tenderloin was completely moist and tender. There was mayonnaise on top too, and eating them together was delicious.

Chicken heart and ginkgo nut skewers

The heart skewer was chewy and just the right size for a single bite. The ginkgo nuts had that distinctively slightly bitter charm.

Garlic and king oyster mushroom skewers

The garlic still had a bit of crunch to it. It wasn't spicy at all and had great flavor, so I enjoyed it a lot. I don't really like mushrooms so I passed on the king oyster mushroom skewer, but my friend tried it and was genuinely surprised at how good it was. Said the juice was incredible and it was super tender. If you like mushrooms, you'll probably love this one!

I'm not sure if it comes across well in the photos, but you could really see how well-grilled everything was.

The free cheese sausage from the receipt review event

Kaken's cheese sausage was the item I received through the Naver receipt review event. Honestly I joined the review event without expecting much, but it was genuinely delicious.

The sausage was so soft and rich, almost melting in your mouth, and the sauce that came with it was a spicy mayo that was a perfect match. I was curious what kind of sausage they use. And it wasn't just plain grilled either — it's grilled at a skewer specialty place, so it's on another level.

Ice cream tempura for 10,000 won: the dessert to order at Kaken

Kaken's ice cream tempura is ₩10,000.

And the ice cream tempura we ordered for dessert! It's literally deep-fried ice cream, and they fry it fresh when you order. Since it's ice cream, it can melt, so you need to eat it quickly once it arrives.

Warm, chewy-crisp fried exterior with cold, sweet ice cream inside... this combo can't miss! The warm batter plus cold ice cream matched so well. You just keep popping bites into your mouth and before you know it, it's gone...

I wasn't even that hungry and just wanted something simple, but it was so good we cleaned the plate...

Is Kaken worth it for an early evening near Dangsan Station?

Kaken, a Dangsan Station bar! Both dishes we ordered were genuinely delicious — the variety-packed 10 assorted skewers and the well-fried, sweet, refreshing ice cream tempura. Being right in front of Dangsan Station makes it super accessible, the atmosphere is great, and the outdoor seating has a romantic vibe too, so if you're looking for a good Dangsan Station bar, I'd recommend it.