Yeongdeungpo izakaya clam sake stew, ₩90,000 for two: Nani Byeolgwan

On a Thursday evening, I visited Nani Byeolgwan, a Yeongdeungpo izakaya, with my boyfriend! He'd wanted to go for a while, so this time we made a reservation and went. Long story short — the food was delicious, but honestly what I loved most about this Yeongdeungpo izakaya was the atmosphere.

Where is Nani Byeolgwan Yeongdeungpo Branch, and can you reserve?

Nani Byeolgwan is about 573m from Exit 5 of Yeongdeungpo Station. It's within walking distance from the station and the route isn't complicated, so even as a first-time visitor I found it easily.

We visited around 7pm on a Thursday, and since we'd booked ahead we were seated right away. If you want a private room, they let you reserve in advance through Naver Reservations.

Low lighting and retro interior at Nani Byeolgwan

Walking in, the lighting is a little low overall. Not too dark though — just the right level for drinking and talking.

It had this retro vibe mixed with a distinct Japanese izakaya feel that I personally really liked. There are two-person tables and counter (dachi) seats too, and the overall space wasn't cramped — just the right size.

What made it especially good for a date was that the mood was lively but not so chaotic that talking felt uncomfortable. My boyfriend and I could slowly chat while drinking — haha! The staff were friendly too, so overall it was a comfortable visit.

Lemon cream shrimp, 23,000 won

Of everything we ordered that day, my favorite was the lemon cream shrimp. Price: ₩23,000!

I usually like cream shrimp anyway, but here the fried shrimp was crispy and the sauce was sweet, so I kept reaching for more..! The batter wasn't soggy at all — the crunch was there. The sweet cream sauce with shrimp also paired really well as a highball snack.

It photographs really nicely too, so naturally the first thing we did when it arrived was take pictures. Of everything we ordered at Nani Byeolgwan that day, lemon cream shrimp was #1 for me. If I come back, this is what I'll order again.

Clam sake stew, 27,000 won

We also ordered the clam sake stew, priced at ₩27,000. It went well alongside a bolder-flavored dish like the cream shrimp, and worked well as a drinking snack too.

When the food first arrived, the portion didn't look huge, but as we ate it turned out to be more generous than expected. Ordering both the cream shrimp and clam sake stew for two was plenty to go with drinks. Both dishes were delicious with nothing to complain about.

About 90,000 won for two, highballs included

We also ordered two highballs that day. Looking at the menu, Nani Byeolgwan has quite a wide variety of drinks available.

It seems like it would suit anything from a casual one-highball date to a night where you want to order lots of dishes and really drink properly. With food and highballs included, our total came to about ₩90,000 for two. It's not the cheapest izakaya around, but considering the location near Yeongdeungpo Station, the atmosphere, and the food quality, it didn't feel overpriced to me — haha.

Worth revisiting as a Yeongdeungpo date izakaya

The food at Nani Byeolgwan was great this time, but what really stuck with me was the atmosphere of the space. The food photographs well, and instead of a loud, rowdy drinking-spot vibe, it was a great place for two people to sit and talk. If you're looking for a nice-atmosphere izakaya or date spot near Yeongdeungpo Station, it's worth a visit. I liked the vibe so much that next time I'm having drinks with my boyfriend in Yeongdeungpo, I'll be going back!