Hongdae izakaya with open window seats and labeled skewers: Soottori

Soottori in Hapjeong: a yellow storefront you can spot from down the street

After finishing round one in Hapjeong, we wandered around wondering where to go for round two, and ended up at Soottori. It's right between Sangsu and Hapjeong stations!

And honestly haha, this place has serious presence even from a distance. Yellow exterior, red accents, a Japanese-style sign — it basically commands the whole block just from the outside, haha.

It stands out so much on its own, lol. Especially at night when the lights turn on, it gives off the vibe of a yakitori spot tucked in some alley in Japan — visually, it's hard to just walk past.

Even while we sat there, a lot of people passing by would peek inside or glance at the menu board out front before moving on. I get why they look. I would've looked too, haha.

Inside Soottori: tiled tables and the overall mood

Once you step inside, the mood is just as strong as the exterior.

Wood tones, red lighting, a retro tile floor, and even the tables are tiled — I loved these tile tables so much. It's the kind of detail that just makes you want to take photos, haha.

Where to sit: the open window seats

Soottori Hongdae Hapjeong has table seats and bar seats, but where we sat was the window-side spot that connects indoors and outdoors!

With the window wide open, it felt like being both outside and inside at once — I genuinely loved this seat so much♡

Perfect match for the cooler weather right now. Cool breeze coming in, people-watching outside, a drink with skewers — the whole vibe just delivered, lol. If you're looking for a Hongdae or Hapjeong date spot, this seat is worth fighting for, haha.

The 7-piece yakitori set, with a name tag on every skewer

Since we'd already had round one, we ordered the 7-piece yakitori set.

When the yakitori came out, I liked that each skewer had a tiny tag naming the cut next to it. When you order a bunch of chicken skewers, honestly you end up going "wait, what was this one again?" haha, but with the tags you know exactly which cut it is right away. You also get to try a good variety of cuts.

And partway through, we added a scallion skewer!

Sauces by kiosk recommendation, plus sansho and shichimi

The kiosk actually recommends which sauce pairs well with each cut.

On the table there's soy sauce, sansho pepper, shichimi, and more set out, so you can mix and match to taste.

I really liked this kind of detail, haha. Overall the skewers had a nice charcoal aroma, and each cut had a different texture, so it was fun eating through them one by one. The portion per skewer was also generous! Fattier cuts like chicken skin especially had a chewy, rich flavor, and alternating with leaner cuts worked out well.

The letdown: the plain side dishes at Soottori

But... as we kept eating, I started feeling a little greasy, so I ordered an extra scallion skewer, haha. The grilled scallion was sweet with a nice char, good to eat in between... but personally, this was the one thing I found lacking here. I wish there'd been at least one more palate-cleansing side, like pickled radish or jalapeño.

There is spicy sauce, soy sauce, and cabbage! I tried hard to refresh my palate with the cabbage and scallion skewer, but for me that alone wasn't quite enough, haha. If there'd been just one more thing like that, I might've eaten a few more skewers 🤣 (I'm a die-hard Korean-food type who doesn't handle greasy food that well, lol)

Is Soottori worth a second round in Hapjeong or Hongdae?

Sitting by the window with a cool breeze coming in, sipping a drink with skewers, it genuinely felt a little like drinking somewhere on a trip in Japan. Honestly for round two, the food matters, but the atmosphere matters a lot too. On that front, Soottori totally passes. Especially in a season like now with nice night air, the open window seat is genuinely appealing.

Looking just at the food, I personally found it a little disappointing that there wasn't a more refreshing side dish, but the vibe was truly excellent!!! The yellow exterior grabs your eye first, then the retro interior grabs you again once you're inside, and sitting at the window seat lifts your mood even more, haha.

I think this would suit anyone looking for a laid-back round-two spot for skewers and drinks in Hapjeong, or a good-vibe izakaya for a Hongdae or Hapjeong date. More than anything, I really, really loved the seat I sat in♡

If I go again on a nice-weather day, I'll definitely be aiming for that same seat again, haha.