Self-bar cabbage refills at a Yeongdeungpo izakaya: Nani Byeolgwan

It was too hot to just crawl home after work and shut myself in. So this round of restaurant-hunting with Bamtol had one goal: somewhere cool and pretty!

But let me spoil it a little... Bamtol and I met our all-time favorite dish... get ready for it....... ah I'm hungry

Where is Nani Byeolgwan Yeongdeungpo Branch, and what are the hours?

Our destination was Nani Byeolgwan in Yeongdeungpo. Nani Byeolgwan Yeongdeungpo Branch is a 3-minute walk from Yeongdeungpo Times Square, and it's open from 18:00 to 2:00.

Inside Nani Byeolgwan: bookshelves, wood tones and strong air conditioning

The moment we walked in, the vibe was on another level!!!!!!!!

The interior isn't just a backdrop, it's the content. Every single bookshelf prop was placed with real care, so it was genuinely fun to look around while waiting for our food. Deep wood-tone interior, classic lighting, and a whole wall filled with bookshelves — look closely and they're not real books but props, lined up alongside whiskey and sake bottles, and it looked so pretty.

Something that comes up a lot in reviews too: the highball here reportedly has a stronger whiskey aroma than other places. Good to know if you're into drinking! We're a draft-beer-loving couple though, so even on a weekday we only had one glass... T_T

And here's the really important part!! That day I nearly died from the heat wave, but the air conditioning was cranked so wonderfully cold that my heat-exhausted body recovered instantly. Might seem minor, but it's honestly a huge factor when visiting an izakaya in summer.

The entrance self-bar: unlimited cabbage salad refills

There's a self-bar set up near the entrance where you can refill cabbage salad as many times as you want. The cabbage was tossed in a salty sauce, perfect for cleansing your palate between bites of the food, and being able to just help yourself without feeling awkward was a big plus. We refilled twice, hehe.

Pork belly and scallion skewers and spicy seafood yaki udon

That day we ordered the signature skewers and spicy seafood yaki udon. It's a spicy yaki-udon style loaded with clams and shrimp — a choice that perfectly matched my love of spicy food.

But the main event was the pork belly scallion skewers... ah, I want it again already

Can you see the visuals here... ugh, if my stomach weren't already full I would've ordered more. It was so good.

Bamtol and I really love izakayas, and yakitori especially, so we've visited quite a variety of them. But the pork belly scallion skewers at Nani Byeolgwan were a one-bite triumph... T... boss, have you lost your mind?(positive)

This is our signature pose whenever something's delicious... can you feel my sincerity here, T_T

How it tasted, and would we go back to Nani Byeolgwan?

🥢 The skewers were truly beyond expectations. Crisp on the outside, with the green onion inside still keeping its crunch, and the sauce clung on with a salty-sweet balance that paired perfectly with beer. Add a touch of mayo and cheongyang chili and it cuts the richness perfectly — top-tier balance!

The spicy seafood yaki udon also had deep clam umami running through it, so even with the spicy seasoning we ended up scraping up every bit of leftover sauce. Bamtol was satisfied enough to say, "We're definitely coming back here" — a high-satisfaction day all around!

Revisit intent: ★★★★★

Nani Byeolgwan Yeongdeungpo Branch was perfect both as an offbeat date spot and as a simple cool-off-with-a-drink kind of place. Highly recommend it to anyone looking for a place with great atmosphere, or anyone wanting to escape the heat with a cold drink!