Grilled clam date night with wine corkage free in Hongdae: Hawaii Clam

On a Saturday night date in Hongdae, I got a craving for grilled clams and a cold soju-beer cocktail, so we headed to Hawaii Clam Hongdae Branch.

I was a bit worried about getting a table since it was weekend Hongdae, but luckily we walked straight in with no wait. This isn't your typical noisy seaside grilled clam joint — it's a spot you can enjoy comfortably right in the middle of the city, and I've put together the whole meal with plenty of photos below.

What's the vibe like at this Hongdae grilled clam spot?

From the outside, the red neon signage and drum-barrel stools give off a hip pub kind of feel right away.

Step inside and you'll see an open-kitchen counter built heavily with stainless steel, with black tones and stainless steel tables throughout — really clean and modern. Before you visit, make sure to check the store's location and business hours.

Soy sauce and chojang (vinegar-chili sauce), tableware and cups were all neatly laid out on the table, so I could grab whatever I needed without going far.

On one of the pillars hung autographs from celebrities who'd visited, plus a poster from the TV show 'Meoksuldan (먹술단)' — you could really feel this place's popularity.

The drinks fridge had soju and beer, but also champagne and wine — and since there's one bottle of wine corkage-free per table, bringing your own wine is a great move if you want to set the mood.

The restrooms are tucked in one corner of the store, neatly separated for men and women, so no worries there haha.

Full menu rundown at Hawaii Clam Hongdae Branch

From the most popular grilled clam course to great-value budget menus and a range of sides and drinks, here's the whole lineup laid out for easy browsing.

[Course & set menus] We ordered the signature Hawaii Clam grilled clam set for two.

The grilled clam set for two, plus soju-beer cocktails

Here's the whole grilled clam order set up on the table.

It comes out in two trays total, and the seafood lineup is seriously packed. First to claim the center of the grill are the big, hefty cheese scallops. They're piled high with savory cheese and chili sauce, and it pairs perfectly with the chewy scallop meat.

Alongside that were plump hard clams gaping wide open, mussels filling up one corner of the grill, and springy whole squid grilled in one piece.

Besides the shellfish, sweet corn cheese in foil, plus spicy-sweet tteokbokki (stir-fried rice cakes) and pasta came out too, which stopped things from getting monotonous if you'd only had seafood.

The seafood was so fresh that we ate it before it had a chance to toughen up, so the texture was excellent. We ordered soju and beer, mixed up a cold soju-beer cocktail, and paired it with the grilled clams — all my weekend stress just melted away.

A spicy finish: unlimited Han River ramen

Another huge plus here is that 'Han River ramen' is served as an unlimited refill service. The shelf is well stocked with a variety of ramen — Yeul Ramyun, Jin Ramyun, Samyang Ramyun, Snack Myun, and more.

After the grilled clams, we were craving a spicy broth, so we went with Yeul Ramyun. Boiled up chewy on the salty grill and topped with a piece of the crunchy kimchi that came as a basic side dish, it made for a filling, spicy carb finish. We ended up boiling two pots!!

Handy tip! A receipt review event worth doing

They're also running Naver and Google receipt review events in-store, so don't miss out — go ahead and take part.

Google review: write a Google receipt review (with a photo required) and you get 10% off your total bill.

Naver Place: save the Place listing and write a receipt review, and you can get a free can of a drink or a highball on the house.

Being able to enjoy such a satisfying lineup of grilled clams in a clean, modern atmosphere right in the heart of Hongdae, without having to trek all the way to the beach, made for a really satisfying date. If you want to enjoy grilled clams with a drink without worrying about your clothes smelling afterward, I recommend Hawaii Clam Hongdae Branch!