Hongdae seafood restaurant, Hallasan soju and clam ramen: Hawaii Clam

While mulling over dinner options in Hongdae, I wanted something a bit different from the usual, so I checked out this Hongdae grilled clam spot, also known as a Sangsu favorite — "Hawaii Clam Hongdae Branch" ❗️🤗

Hongdae has plenty of great restaurants and even more bars, but after bouncing around here and there, I started craving warm, chewy grilled clams ❤️ Grilled clams, seafood, and unlimited ramen refills too‼️👍 It's a place you can enjoy a hearty meal, great for dinner with friends, and it also fits the vibe of drinking at an outdoor pojangmacha (street tent bar) in Hongdae ❤️

Where is Hawaii Clam Hongdae Branch, and what is the mood like?

Hawaii Clam Hongdae Branch is located on B1 of the Taegyeong Building, 19-8 Wausan-ro 21-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, right near the Hongdae main strip, so it's a great spot for before or after shopping or hanging out in Hongdae 🥰 Since it's open from evening until late night, it's also good for late drinking sessions or dinner plans in Hongdae 👍

Hawaii Clam Hongdae Branch is technically B1 but also sits at ground level, with entrances on both sides, giving it an outdoor-tent-bar feel — perfect atmosphere for eating grilled clams in fall ☺️

With fresh seafood caught that same day, you can eat truly fresh seafood right in Hongdae 🥰

Inside the basement grill room

The interior is clean and tidy, somewhere between a pojangmacha and outdoor-tent vibe — a neat place to enjoy grilled clams ☺️

The interior design is also clean, with cute little touches scattered around 🥰

They also have a wide variety of drinks and beverages ready

It seemed like a lot of celebrities have visited too ☺️ Even on a weekday evening it was packed, so I imagine there could be a wait on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays

What comes in the 53,800 won grilled clam platter for two?

The signature menu at Hawaii Clam Hongdae Branch is, of course, "grilled clams" 🤗 The signature grilled clams and clam hot pot are both priced at ₩53,800 for two people ❤️ Since it's ordered per two people, it's an easy, low-pressure choice when you're out with a friend or a partner.

You get to eat plump, bouncy clam meat fresh off the grill, so if you like clams, this menu will satisfy you. More than anything, it's different from the meat or fried chicken you'd usually eat in Hongdae, so it's great for a night when you want something a little different for dinner.

The charm of grilled clams is really the fun of grilling them yourself at the table ❤️ You get a cool mussel broth on the house, which pairs nicely with the hot, tasty grilled clams 😃

Grilled clams with Hallasan soju

We ordered Hallasan soju to go with the grilled clams — high proof but rich and really crisp, so it went so well with the clams. Personally, I really recommend pairing Hallasan with grilled clams‼️❤️

Even the time spent waiting for the clams to cook was enjoyable, and I was so happy just thinking about eating ❤️

Scallops, cheese-topped red scallops, tteokbokki and corn cheese

The fresh scallops also came out neat and clean, plated well enough to eat sashimi-style

The cheese-topped scallops were savory and light, really delicious 😃👍

The tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) was also sweet and chewy and delicious, and dipping the sausage into the sauce was amazing 🥰 The cheese-topped tomato spaghetti and corn cheese unexpectedly went really well with the grilled clams, which was a nice new combo to discover ❤️

As the clams cook one by one and start to open up, you can't help but focus even more on the food 🥰

The squid was chewy too, and eating it alongside the clams instead of just clams alone made everything taste even better ❤️

The portion was seriously huge — the grilled clams alone were enough to fill you up quite a bit

🍜 Unlimited refill ramen in mussel broth to finish

Hawaii Clam Hongdae Branch offers unlimited ramen refills, which was great for cooking up a finishing bowl after the grilled clams. It wouldn't feel complete to eat grilled clams without ramen ❗️🥰

After the clams, having warm broth and noodles together is the perfect way to wrap up the meal, right⁉️ Seafood and ramen is such a naturally good combo, great with a drink, and since the ramen is unlimited, you can fill up fully 🥰 Especially compared to ending the meal with just grilled clams, finishing with ramen makes it feel like a proper, complete meal ❤️

Adding a bit of water to the mussel broth and cooking ramen in it was so crisp and refreshing, and it just made the drinks go down smoothly ❤️ It felt like tasting the West Sea right in the middle of Hongdae ❤️

Is Hawaii Clam Hongdae Branch good for a date or a drinking night?

💕 I'd recommend it as a Hongdae date and drinking spot too 🤗 If you're tired of always going for pasta, meat, or cafés on dates in Hongdae, trying something a little different like grilled clams could be a nice change 🥰 There's the fun of grilling clams yourselves at the table, and it's an easy menu to naturally chat over while eating, so it works well for friend gatherings, dates, and drinking sessions alike ❤️

If you're looking for a Sangsu favorite, a Hongdae favorite, Hongdae grilled clams, or a Hongdae seafood spot, I'd definitely recommend checking out Hawaii Clam Hongdae Branch‼️👍

Final verdict on Hawaii Clam Hongdae Branch

📝 If you're looking for a different kind of dinner in Hongdae, why not try grilled clams at Hawaii Clam Hongdae Branch⁉️ With a hearty grilled clam platter, a warm broth dish, and unlimited refill ramen to finish, it's a great place to eat well and chat over good food ❤️ On a day you're craving grilled clams in Hongdae, tonight's dinner is decided — "Hawaii Clam Hongdae Branch"❗️❗️🦪🔥