Yeongdeungpo izakaya chicken skewers and udon add-on: Nani Byeolgwan

This time I went back to a Korean izakaya I hadn't visited in a while — Nani Byeolgwan, a Yeongdeungpo izakaya. Izakayas always get me excited with their particular vibe and tasty side dishes, and just searching for Nani Byeolgwan already got my expectations way up. Having been there myself now, I can say this is an izakaya you should absolutely visit if you're around Yeongdeungpo. This is Nani Byeolgwan Yeongdeungpo Branch.

Finding Nani Byeolgwan Yeongdeungpo: the storefront and first impressions

Nani Byeolgwan Yeongdeungpo Branch sits right on Munnae-ro, so it's easy to spot while walking by — you just know it's the place. The exterior alone had a lot of atmosphere. It was so pretty that my expectations were already bubbling up before I even walked in.

Seating at Nani Byeolgwan: 1F bar and tables, 2F room-style seats

The 1st floor of Nani Byeolgwan is set up bar-style, so it was great for sitting side by side and enjoying an izakaya night. It looked like a good spot for quite a few people to sit and enjoy together.

Further inside there were also table-style seats, so you could sit face-to-face and enjoy the izakaya that way too. I got seated further in, and even though it was a bit darker than expected, the photos didn't come out dark at all — so it was actually great for taking pictures.

From the 1st floor you could see the stairs up to the 2nd floor, which made me curious. Going up, I found the 2nd floor had a private room-style setup, and it was also bookable through Naver Reservations. The 2nd floor had a kind of free, relaxed vibe that gave it its own charm. I noticed quite a few regulars seemed to specifically want the 2nd floor.

Chamisul soju and the cabbage salad self-bar

For drinks at Nani Byeolgwan I went with soju — looking at the menu, it felt like everything was built for soju pairings, so I decided to go with that. For reference, they didn't have Cheongha or Byeolbit Cheongha. I ordered Chamisul soju, and the starter side dish that came out was cabbage salad. The sauce was so good I kept eating it. The cabbage salad was refillable at the self-bar, so I kept going back for more.

Nagasaki seafood nabe with a 3,000 won udon noodle add-on

What we ordered that day at Nani Byeolgwan was the "Nagasaki seafood nabe (hot pot)" and Chamisul soju. At an izakaya I always agonize over what to order, and this time we'd already decided on soju, so I chose accordingly. I tried the seafood nabe first, and the broth was richer and deeper than expected — I really liked it. It had that refreshing yet deep seafood umami, and it kept making me crave more of the hot broth as the weather turns cooler in fall.

You could also add udon noodles, so I added them in while eating and let them simmer in the broth — the noodles soaked up the broth beautifully and it was delicious, plus the portion was pretty filling. The udon add-on was ₩3,000. Cheap, and a generous amount of noodles too.

Are the chicken skewers smoky enough for soju?

The "chicken skewers" we ordered along with the udon add-on made me crave soju the very first bite. My friend agreed they were amazing too — one bite of skewer, one sip of soju, over and over. The chicken skewers were salty with a big hit of umami, and the strong charcoal-grill smokiness really came through, hitting the appetite right where it needed to.

The chicken skewers were thicker than I expected — delicious on their own, but even better paired with a glass of soju. Filling up on the warm Nagasaki seafood nabe, getting nicely full with the added udon, and then finishing with chicken skewers and soju made for a really satisfying lineup of side dishes. Having such a great, enjoyable time at a good izakaya put me in the best mood. This was my first time discovering Nani Byeolgwan, and I think it'll be the first place that comes to mind whenever I head to Yeongdeungpo from now on.

Nani Byeolgwan menu, hours and how to book

Here's the Nani Byeolgwan menu for reference — if you're nearby, definitely make time to visit at least once. I noticed most of the customers around us had ordered some kind of skewer, and after trying it myself, I understood why. Next time I'm in Yeongdeungpo, this izakaya is going straight on my must-visit list. That chicken skewer flavor really stuck with me. 100% would go back.

• Name: Nani Byeolgwan Yeongdeungpo Branch
• Location: 183 Munnae-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: Mon–Sat 18:00–02:00, last order 01:00 the next day
• Closed Sundays (also closed on national holidays)