Seomyeon teppanyaki bar: monjayaki set at Cheolpaneun Pinggyego

When I want a beer with something a bit different in Seomyeon, a teppanyaki place is extra appealing because there's the fun of watching it get made. This time I went to a spot with a fun name from the start: Cheolpaneun Pinggyego (철판은 핑계고, roughly "the griddle is just an excuse"). It's a well-known teppanyaki spot right in the middle of Seomyeon, with a griddle at every table so you can watch the whole cooking process up close. Honestly, even if you go looking for a place like this, they're not that easy to find.

Where Cheolpaneun Pinggyego is in Seomyeon, and what the room feels like

Cheolpaneun Pinggyego has a clear "teppanyaki bar" sign visible from outside, so it wasn't hard to find. Once inside, the interior is bigger than expected. It's all wood-toned overall, giving it that comfortable bar feel, and there's a griddle set into every table. It's a good structure for grabbing dinner and a drink with friends, and comfortable for groups of 2 to 4.

A griddle in every table, with temperature control

When you sit down, the first thing that catches your eye is, of course, the griddle. There's a griddle right in the middle of the table with a spatula ready to go, so the vibe is clearly different from a regular bar where food just arrives. It also has adjustable temperature, which was great — the food doesn't cool down and stays warm the whole time.

What's in the monjayaki set: corn cheese and 2 Suntory drafts

This time I ordered the monjayaki set. It comes with monjayaki, corn cheese, and two glasses of Suntory draft beer. You really can't have teppanyaki without a cold draft beer, and getting a glass of Suntory with soft foam on top first made it feel like I'd properly arrived at a bar.

The monjayaki (a savory Japanese griddle batter dish) ingredients came out — a bowl piled full of cabbage, bonito flakes, and pollock roe. I don't eat monjayaki that often, so I was curious how this was going to come together on the griddle. But at this place, the process itself is half the fun.

Staff cook the monjayaki at your table

The ingredients go onto the hot griddle and a staff member starts quickly stir-frying them right there. Next to it, the corn cheese sizzles away, and the monjayaki gets a well made in the center that's filled with broth, gradually taking shape. This scene is even more satisfying on video than in photos.

Personally, when I'm looking for a good teppanyaki spot in Seomyeon, taste matters, but this kind of "fun of watching it get made right in front of you" is a pretty big plus too. Waiting for the food is never boring.

How the cheese-topped monjayaki and corn cheese taste

Once the monjayaki is cooked through and topped with cheese, the whole look changes. As the cheese slowly melts, the bottom against the griddle starts to get slightly crisp, and scraping up that part with the little spatula is part of the fun. The corn cheese, with corn and cheese cooked together, was also an easy, no-fuss pairing with beer.

Egg teppanyaki as a side dish

Then came the egg teppanyaki. Soft egg topped with mayonnaise, parsley, and bonito flakes — it looked pretty great in photos too. Cut into bite-sized pieces, it had a totally different texture from the monjayaki, so it was nice to order both and alternate between them.

Is Cheolpaneun Pinggyego a good bar pick in Seomyeon?

Monjayaki made right there on the griddle, savory corn cheese, egg teppanyaki, and cold Suntory draft — it worked well as both a meal and a solid bar snack lineup. If you're looking for a place where you can actually watch your food being cooked rather than just a plain bar, Cheolpaneun Pinggyego should suit you well. If you've got dinner plans with friends in Seomyeon or just want a beer with something a bit different, this is a Seomyeon teppanyaki spot worth stopping by at least once.