Mapo yakitori bar 3-course highball pairing: Yakitori Shomong

When a cool breeze starts blowing in the evening, don't you automatically think of a refreshing highball and freshly grilled skewers? Haha. Today, I visited Yakitori Shomong Mapo Station Branch, a real Mapo Station gem where you can enjoy seriously good chicken skewers grilled over charcoal right in front of you as soon as you order!! 🍢🥂

Yakitori Shomong Mapo Station Branch visitor information

• Location: 1F, 26 Dohwa-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea (3-minute walk from Mapo Station Exit 3)
• Hours: 17:00–01:00 (Fri–Sat 17:00–02:00 / Sun 16:00–23:00)
• Main menu: yakitori courses (3, 6, or 9 skewers), plum highball, umeshu mango highball, ginger highball, and more
• Highlights: charcoal-grilled to order in an open-kitchen izakaya (Japanese-style pub) setting
• Free corkage with spending of ₩30,000 or more per person
• Restroom inside; no parking

From a second-round highball to a first-stop yakitori course

This place is perfect whether you pop in for a light drink as your second stop or come first and savor a carefully prepared yakitori course!! I totally recommend the counter seats, where you can watch the skewers grilling across the bar table, haha. And among the varied drink selection, definitely pair your food with one of the fruity-sweet house highballs!!

The open kitchen and warm atmosphere

The moment I walked in, I could feel the warm, atmospheric vibe! The open kitchen at the back of the restaurant especially caught my eye. Once an order came in, they took out fresh skewers and began cooking them straight away, haha. If there had been one or two of us, we would have sat at the counter, but there were three of us, so sadly... we took a table!

Watching the chef carefully grill skewers over the charcoal brazier right before my eyes was fun even before the food arrived, and my anticipation just kept rising, haha. It would be absolutely perfect for a Mapo date!

Menu and order

At least one course per person is required!

• Three-course yakitori: chicken tenderloin, negima (chicken thigh and scallion), tsukune (chicken meatball)
• Plum syrup highball
• Umeshu mango highball
• Ginger highball

Table setting and QR ordering

Each person had a cup, small plate, chopsticks, chili powder, and a shared plate for the skewers, plus a basic side of stir-fried gungchae (stem lettuce). We ordered by QR code from the table!

Three highball flavors

After settling into a window seat, highballs that would wipe away my thirst arrived before long! We chose the plum syrup, umeshu mango, and ginger highballs 🍹 The plum syrup highball was sweet with a deep plum aroma and had a wonderfully palate-cleansing quality. The umeshu mango highball blended mango sweetness with fragrant umeshu, so it went down so easilyㅠㅠ And the ginger highball, with its classic spicy kick and lively fizz, had the most perfect balance with rich grilled skewers, haha.

First of the three-course yakitori: chicken tenderloin

The first item in the three-course meal, carefully grilled as soon as we ordered, was chicken tenderloin! The grilling technique, cooking just the outside to preserve an incredibly tender texture, was truly an art, haha. Can't you see how moist it is even in the photo??? The moment I bit in, the chicken practically melted away; clean, juicy flavor filled my mouth, and I couldn't help but gasp. The subtle charcoal aroma and savory flavor were an amazing combination from the very first bite! They serve one kind right after grilling it, too, so you get to eat it at its absolute best!! The best!

Second of the three-course yakitori: negima

Next came negima, a yakitori classic and an unfailingly good pairing! Alternating pieces of springy, chewy, golden-grilled chicken thigh and sweetly grilled scallion were threaded onto the skewer!!! Cooked over high heat to lock in the juices, every bite bursts with savory thigh juices, while the scallion—full of smoky aroma—adds its sweet juices too. The synergy is incredible! It is nicely seasoned with a little saltiness, and taking a sip of cold ginger highball before a bite makes you think, yes, this is it!!

Finale of the three-course yakitori: tsukune

The course's grand finale was tsukune, beautifully formed from minced chicken!! The plump tsukune arrived golden, moist, and grilled alongside a bowl of poached egg and house tare sauce. I broke the yolk, dipped it generously into the sweet-salty sauce, and took a huge bite! Its charred exterior was crisp, while the inside was juicy, moist, and wonderfully soft. The umami intensified with every chew, so I finished every last bite while wishing it would not end, haha.

What I liked about the visit

• Charcoal yakitori grilled with care in the open kitchen as soon as you order
• A satisfying three-course meal that is easy to enjoy without feeling overwhelming
• A varied highball selection tailored to different tastes, including plum syrup, umeshu mango, and ginger
• A cozy, atmospheric izakaya mood made for dates
• Friendly service and easy access for a casual after-work drink

From the open-kitchen atmosphere of skewers going straight over the charcoal as soon as you order, to the meltingly tender chicken tenderloin, juice-filled negima, and tsukune, this Mapo Station izakaya was flawless in every way!! If you want proper yakitori and a cold highball near Mapo Station or Gongdeok, make sure to visit Yakitori Shomong Mapo Station Branch! 💕