Hongdae izakaya set for two: Hiroshima okonomiyaki and steak at Hoyo

This post is about a Hongdae restaurant, the izakaya Hoyo Hongdae, that I visited for dinner with a friend after hanging out in Hongdae! Bottom line — the staff were super friendly, the food was delicious, and we even got to watch a fire show, so I left really satisfied haha.

Hoyo Hongdae hours and location

Hoyo Hongdae is a teppanyaki izakaya on Wow-san-ro 21-gil in Mapo-gu, Seoul. The restrooms are separated for men and women!

Hoyo Hongdae menu and the price of the HOYO Set for Two

(Swipe right to see the menu!) We ordered the HOYO Set for Two (₩45,000) haha. The menu had a huge range — okonomiyaki, steak, yakisoba, tonpeiyaki, fried dishes, gyukatsu, kushikatsu, all the way to soups and cold food!

Hoyo Hongdae is also famous for its highballs, and I really wanted to try one, but I couldn't drink because we had to go do a room escape after eating, ㅠㅠ.

What Hoyo Hongdae's interior and seating are like

Hongdae's go-to izakaya Hoyo can have a wait during weekend peak hours, so I'd recommend booking ahead through Naver! The entrance is on the right when you're facing the storefront haha.

The bar counter seats

Right when you walk in, there's a bar table! Hall space 1 is to the left of the bar table, and hall space 2 is to the right (not the shop's official names — I just made these up to make things easier to explain).

If you sit at the bar table, you can watch the fire show right in front of you! Even the way the staff seated us was thoughtful and kind — it moved me, ㅠㅠ.

The AC was blasting so it was cool inside, but right in front of the fire it gets hot, so...

It's so hot today — would you like to sit in the hall area first, and if you want to see the fire show later, we can call you over to the bar table?

That's what they asked us! Since we visited on a Saturday afternoon and were sweating, I think they thoughtfully considered that haha.

Hall area 1, left of the bar

So we ended up eating in hall space 1 (the area left of the bar) haha. They told us we could sit at the bar table if we wanted, but once I saw the heat of the flames later, sitting in the hall seems like the better call in summer! The staff cooking right in front of it must be so hot, but they never lost their smile — truly legendary service, wow.

Hall area 2, right of the bar

This is the space to the right of the bar! Hoyo Hongdae's interior turned out to be way bigger than I expected. When we ordered a cola at our table, the staff asked whether we wanted it right away or brought out together with the food when it was ready — that stuck with me. It's rare to find staff this detail-oriented and attentive even at hotel restaurants — truly impressive! It takes both kindness and real sense to pull off this level of considerate service.

How does the Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki taste?

Watching the okonomiyaki being made right at the bar table gave me confidence in the hygiene, and the chef's hands moved so fast it was genuinely amazing! You could tell every single one was made with real care — thank you, ㅠㅠ, true craftsmanship.

They say Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki is made by layering batter, vegetables, seafood, soba noodles, and meat on the griddle and grilling it all together! And wow, I think this is one of the top 3 okonomiyakis I've ever had (and I've been to over 10 shops just in Japan).

It was genuinely delicious. The combination of the cabbage-and-soba batter with the sweet-salty sauce was legendary — they grilled the outside perfectly crispy, and I was so satisfied!

Here's a cross-section shot of the okonomiyaki haha. If you go to Hongdae's go-to izakaya Hoyo, promise me you'll order the okonomiyaki (?).

Teppan steak and the tableside fire show

This is the teppan steak cooking process — wow, the fire show was no joke, and thanks to it the smoky char flavor was incredible too. Even before tasting it, it was already a feast for the eyes! Thanks to the fire show, this place would also make a great spot for a Hongdae date dinner haha.

When I first saw the meat looking slightly pink, I briefly worried it was undercooked, but after tasting it, it was so tender it melted in my mouth haha. Worry for nothing!

Because it's seared quickly over high heat, the juices inside stayed completely locked in, which was really great haha. Combined with that deep smoky char flavor — the best combo!

Next time, I'm definitely coming back to watch the fire show while drinking highballs with the teppan dishes! A lot of them! Hehehe.

The fried vegetables they gave us as a complimentary dish at the end! Crispy and well-matched with the seasoning — I happily ate them even though I was already full haha.

Who Hoyo Hongdae suits best

• Anyone looking for a date-night restaurant near Hongik University Station
• Anyone who wants a good meal while watching a fire show
• Anyone looking for a can't-go-wrong izakaya in Hongdae

Between the kind service, the spectacular fire show, the top-tier okonomiyaki, and the deeply smoky teppan cooking, Hoyo Hongdae delivered on every front! If you're heading to Hongdae for a date or a meal with friends, I'd definitely recommend giving it a visit!