Hongdae izakaya for kushikatsu and charcoal skewers: Soottori

While looking for a second-round spot after a first round in Hongdae, I found this cute, cozy izakaya and had to try the kushikatsu (fried skewers) and all sorts of skewers, so I went to "Soottori" in Hongdae 🤗

Where is Soottori Hongdae Hapjeong? Between Hongdae and Hapjeong

Soottori Hongdae Hapjeong sits at 18 Dokmak-ro 9-gil, 1F, Mapo-gu, Seoul — a great spot right between Hongdae and Hapjeong. It was just the right walking distance for a second round after finishing up drinks in Hongdae.

Visiting in the evening, the area was pretty busy, and there was a great atmosphere for grabbing drinks with friends in Hongdae 🤗

Hamster posters and dim lighting: good for dates and friends

Walking into Soottori Hongdae Hapjeong, it had that Japanese izakaya feel, and from the outdoor tables onward, the cute hamster posters were exactly my taste ❤️ The little sentimental decor pieces and lighting scattered around made the cozy atmosphere even better ☺️

Rather than a bright, clean restaurant vibe, it's a bit dim and cozy, so it was great for an evening visit — perfect for a date, and exactly what you'd want if you're looking for a good-atmosphere spot with friends 🥰 It's comfortable for chatting and drinking with friends, works fine for a light dinner with drinks, feels right for a Hongdae date, and would also make a good meeting spot for a group of friends ❤️

Kiosk ordering and the complimentary cabbage plate

Ordering at Soottori Hongdae Hapjeong was done via kiosk right at the table, and there was a really wide variety of menu items — lots of individual skewer types and yakitori options you could order one by one 🤗

The bottle opener was so cute I had to snap a photo of it 😃

Cabbage with sweet soy sauce came out as the basic side dish, along with a sesame oil sauce and a spicy sauce.

Slushy draft beer and the fresh grapefruit highball

Kushikatsu and skewers definitely call for drinks 🍺 We ordered a draft beer served in a chilled, frosty mug 👍

I ordered the "draft beer" and the friend with me got the "fresh grapefruit highball," and we planned to pair them with kushikatsu, skirt steak, chicken skin skewer, heart, and dango ‼️🥰

The draft beer in the frosty mug and the grapefruit highball with a mini Screwbar popsicle stuck in it were a fun, unique touch and so easy to drink 🤗 Each skewer disappears faster than you'd think, so it's worth ordering a variety of different kinds ‼️ The chicken skewer had a clean flavor that paired well with the charcoal aroma, and it was on the sweeter side, so I'd recommend it to anyone who likes a sweeter skewer.

The charcoal aroma at Soottori Hongdae Hapjeong

True to the name Soottori (charcoal grill), the charcoal aroma really was the highlight of the food.

If you especially love skewers, I'd recommend ordering several different kinds to share ‼️ Since they're sold individually, it felt much better to try a bit of everything rather than sticking to just one kind — good for sampling a variety ☺️

Kushikatsu: quail egg, sausage, cheese, lotus root and chicken

The "kushikatsu" came out with quail egg, sausage, cheese, lotus root, and chicken versions — crispy, clean-tasting, and easy to enjoy as a light drinking snack.

The sausage was plump and the cheese in the cheese kushikatsu was really rich and stretchy — a delicious cheese kushikatsu.

Chicken skin skewer (torikawa)

The "chicken skin skewer," called torikawa, has a charmingly savory flavor — crispy with a sweet edge, and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes a sweeter drinking snack.

Skirt steak skewer and chicken heart skewer

The "skirt steak skewer" and "heart skewer" were tender with a mild, easygoing flavor, and the heart had a sweet taste too, making it a nice light drinking snack ❤️

Dango for something sweet

We ordered "dango" since my friend loves sweets and dango in general. Rather than the typical Japanese-style dango, this felt more like a Korean-style rice cake (garaetteok) drizzled with honey ☺️

Finishing with a Jim Beam highball and peach yogurt sherbet

My friend wanted one more refreshing drink, so she ordered a "Jim Beam highball" — light with a sweet pear flavor. She said the grapefruit highball was truly delicious though, so highly, highly recommend the grapefruit highball ‼️

For the last dessert, we got the "peach yogurt sherbet" — sweet yogurt piled high with peaches, and eating it alongside the light, clean cheese balls made for the perfect finish ❗️😃 Light drinks, light snacks, and a sweet yogurt sherbet at the end made for such a great time in a great atmosphere.

When Soottori Hongdae Hapjeong is worth a visit

• When you're craving yakitori
• When you love charcoal-grilled skewers
• When you're looking for an izakaya with great atmosphere
• When you need a spot for drinks with friends
• When you're looking for a date spot in Hongdae

Next time I visit, I'd love to try the other skewer menu items and yakitori I didn't get to this time 🍢 If you're ever craving yakitori in Hongdae, I highly recommend having a cute, fun time at Soottori!‼️🤗