Mapo skewer bar with Wando abalone hot pot rice: Yakitori Shomong

A review of Yakitori Shomong, a Gongdeok Station favorite ♪

Calm and composed, this is Bonibonim~ ♪ 🌿 A while back I was walking along the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail from Gongdeok Station when the mood of this place stopped me in my tracks — Yakitori Shomong, a Gongdeok Station favorite.

Yakitori Shomong is a Gongdeok favorite and a Gyeongui Line Forest Trail favorite where you can enjoy yakitori (chicken skewers) infused with the smoky scent of binchotan charcoal while looking out at the trail — a great izakaya for dinner and drinks after a walk.

Yakitori Shomong hours, reservations and corkage rules

Yakitori Shomong is open Mon–Fri 17:00–23:00 and Sat–Sun 16:00–23:00, with last order at 21:55. Reservations can be made via Naver Place and Catch Table — and since it's a Gongdeok yakitori spot that actually takes reservations, a lot of people were visiting after booking ahead.

🍷 ✓ Corkage available — starting Sep 3, 2026, ordering the 6- or 9-course per person makes sake, wine, and whiskey corkage-free (ask about other alcohol), while the 3-course order costs ₩30,000 per bottle.

Parking and how to get to Yakitori Shomong

🅿️ Yakitori Shomong has no parking, so you'll need to use a nearby paid lot. 🚇 It's about a 5-minute walk from either Gongdeok Station Exit 1 or Daeheung Station Exit 3, with the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail nicely paved along the way — since it's walkable from both stations, public transit is probably the easiest way to get there.

Inside Yakitori Shomong: seats and atmosphere

Inside Yakitori Shomong felt both open and cozy at the same time. I visited right at opening time and captured the mood inside.

• ✓ Business meetings and work dinners
• ✓ Anniversaries, birthdays, dates, solo drinking
• ✓ Wine and sake gatherings / friend meetups

There's an outdoor bar table facing the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail and 3 window tables, and further inside there's a variety of table seating comfortable for groups.

There was a real mix of guests — couples on dates, people out for work dinners, even families having a beer together.

At the U-shaped counter (tachi) seats surrounding the skewer-grilling station, there were even people enjoying a solo drink. The staff were friendly, so it looked like a comfortable spot to visit alone too.

Yakitori Shomong menu and what we ordered

Yakitori Shomong's menu centers on yakitori, Japanese chicken skewers, alongside a variety of other Japanese skewers and dishes.

✅ What we ordered at Yakitori Shomong

• Yakitori Shomong 3-course
• Yakitori Shomong 6-course
• Kaisen tomato nabe
• Abalone hot pot rice

The Yakitori Shomong course doesn't all arrive at once — like an omakase, each skewer comes out one after another straight off the charcoal so you catch it at its best. 💡 Shall we dig in together? 🤗

How the chicken skewers tasted, cut by cut

1. Chicken tenderloin skewer

This skewer, which looks a bit like tteokkochi (rice cake skewer) haha, is tenderloin. The sauce that looks like ketchup is actually a plum sauce — paired with the savory, tender tenderloin, it added a refreshing tang.

2. Truffle chicken thigh skewer

The truffle thigh was moist yet chewy chicken thigh with a subtle hint of basil — delicious, and one I ordered as an extra.

3. Tsukune (chicken meatball skewer)

This is Yakitori Shomong's signature menu item, tsukune. My friend who came along said it was the tastiest thing we ate. Finely minced chicken meat and vegetables are grilled into a thick patty like tteokgalbi (grilled short rib patty) — not greasy at all, with a clean, savory taste.

Popping the egg yolk that came with it into the tare sauce and dipping the skewer in deep added a rich, savory umami that made it even better.

4. Neck meat / 5. Breast cartilage / 6. Chicken heart

The 'today's skewer' included in Yakitori Shomong's 6-course sometimes changes its specialty cuts. When I visited, it was one skewer each of neck meat, chest cartilage, and heart. In the photo, from right to left, it's heart, chest cartilage, then neck meat.

Each part had a different taste and texture, which made comparing them one by one fun. The heart was fresh with no gamey smell, with a rich, deep flavor reminiscent of abalone intestines — a real delicacy. The chest cartilage had an appealing crunchy texture, and the neck meat was juicy and moist all the way through.

7. Chicken wing, added as a single skewer

The chicken wing we ordered extra was delicious too, with strong umami coming through in the moist meat near the bone~

Kaisen tomato nabe (seafood tomato hot pot)

The tomato nabe came out about 10–15 minutes after ordering, with a rich tomato-based broth loaded with fresh seafood — mussels, shrimp, squid — plus noodles, generous enough to share between two.

It tasted a bit like a slightly spicy soup pasta, offering a totally different appeal from the oily grilled skewers, and I enjoyed it a lot. It came set over a mini brazier too, so it stayed hot and kept simmering the whole time we ate.

Hot pot rice topped with three Wando abalone

The abalone hot pot rice arrived with three whole abalone from Wando and finely chopped scallions piled on top, looking irresistible.

The deep, rich flavor of the abalone intestines had soaked well into the rice, and the grains had a firm, springy bite reminiscent of al dente risotto. The abalone itself was tender, not chewy at all — delicious.

For reference, the abalone hot pot rice takes about 20 minutes to come out, so I'd recommend ordering it early.

✅ The cabbage salad served alongside had a peanut sauce on top, which was nice and savory.

Small notes from the visit

Yakitori Shomong, a Gongdeok Station favorite! 🎵◠‿◠ It was an izakaya where, looking out at the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail, I got to enjoy charcoal-scented Japanese skewers, abalone hot pot rice, and tomato nabe all together — a great combination.

✨ This post is a subjective record based on personal experience. ✅ Others' opinions may differ.