Guro izakaya for sashimi and teppanyaki: Hoyo Gudi Branch

Hoyo Gudi Branch, an izakaya near Guro Digital Complex Station

If you’re looking for an izakaya with a nice atmosphere in Gudi, this is a place worth visiting at least once. A younger friend of mine suggested we have a quick drink after work, so we looked for somewhere near their office and ended up at Hoyo Gudi Branch (호요 구디점).

There are quite a few izakayas around Guro Digital Complex, and while deciding where to go, Hoyo’s menu looked good. It also seemed like we could enjoy everything from sashimi to teppanyaki dishes, so we gave it a try.

Hoyo Gudi Branch is at 301-dong, 206-ho, 452 Dorimcheon-ro, Guro-gu, Seoul. It is 100 m from Exit 3 of Guro Digital Complex Station, so it is very easy to get to—great for a light after-work drink or a get-together with friends. Parking is available free for two hours, too, so visitors arriving by car can use it comfortably.

A Guro Digital Complex izakaya with a lovely atmosphere

Hoyo, a Gudi izakaya worth trying

Soft lighting and bar-counter seating

Once inside, the soft lighting gave the space a cozy yet neat Japanese izakaya feel. There is bar-counter seating as well, making it a nice spot for a solo after-work drink, or for dinner and drinks with friends or coworkers.

The warm feel made the atmosphere even nicer in the evening, and the tables were spaced just right, so my younger sibling and I could talk comfortably over drinks.

Hoyo is an izakaya where you can enjoy a range of Japanese-style bar snacks. From clean, simple sashimi to okonomiyaki cooked deliciously on a griddle, the menu is varied enough that even a group can order to suit everyone’s tastes. Every dish in the photos looked great and there were so many perfect drinking snacks, so we debated what to choose before settling on some signature items :)

Signature snacks chosen on the table tablet

Once seated, you can order easily on the tablet provided at the table. The menu ranges from clean, easy-to-enjoy sashimi to okonomiyaki cooked on a griddle, so it works well for groups with different preferences. There were so many snacks that pair perfectly with drinks that we debated what to order before choosing some signature dishes.

For drinks, we ordered a Jim Beam highball and Kirin beer. Highballs come in different flavors, and I went for the ginger ale Jim Beam highball! It was clean and light, pairing well with sashimi as well as richer snacks like okonomiyaki :)

This time, we ordered assorted sashimi and Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki!

Hoyo’s assorted sashimi: what came with it and how it tasted

The assorted sashimi (₩39,000) arrived as a generously filled platter! With several kinds of sashimi to enjoy at once, it is a satisfying choice for anyone who loves raw fish.

It was a generous, varied selection of seasonal seafood: shrimp, red sea bream, tuna, salmon, abalone with geu-woo sauce, ankimo (monkfish liver), and cuttlefish. It was fun picking through the different pieces. A fresh slice of sashimi followed by a cool sip of beer or highball—pure happiness.

Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki served hot

The Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki (₩17,000) is one of the Hoyo dishes you should not miss!! Served hot on a griddle, this okonomiyaki looked mouthwatering at first glance.

It came generously topped with sauce and piled high with katsuobushi (bonito flakes), giving it that unmistakable Japanese-izakaya feeling. Hot griddle dishes really are best eaten the moment they arrive :) The soft texture worked so well with the sweet-savory sauce, while the bonito flakes added lots of flavor.

Chatting about this and that with my younger sibling over delicious snacks and drinks, I got to forget the fatigue that had built up during the day for a while and had such a nice time!

If you are looking for an izakaya with a nice atmosphere around Guro Digital Complex, or somewhere to drop in for drinks with tasty snacks, this could be a good choice :) Next time, I’d like to try some other griddle dishes and more of the varied snacks!