Private-booth bar in Hongdae, Seoul: kushino nabe at Kushino Kitchen

I first came here right after starting university and was shocked by how good it was…!! Kushino Kitchen, a Hongdae favorite✨

Years have passed and it's still standing strong, still here… that's real staying power 👏

Location and hours

Kushino Kitchen is on the basement floor at 218-1 Donggyo-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, near Hongik University Station. It's open daily from 16:00 to 00:30.

Private booths perfect for a date

Kushino Kitchen has that small Japanese izakaya feel. The seats come with partitions, so it's great for a cozy couple's date haha

Doesn't it have the vibe? Kind of feels like you're on a trip🎵

This was our table! It was a weekday evening and we waited about 10 minutes, but it was worth it 🤍 there's clearly a reason it's popular enough to have a wait.

Menu and ordering tips

What we ordered at Kushino Kitchen: kushino nabe, lemon cream karaage, orange highball, and green grape highball.

If you come to Kushino Kitchen, ordering the kushino nabe is a must! The nabe (hot pot) already comes with noodles, so add more if you want extra⭐️ The skewer dishes are all great too, and since they're available individually, it's nice to keep adding them as you go.

Lemon cream karaage, my boyfriend's favorite side dish

The karaage (fried chicken) and highball came out first! Look at that orange tower… the visual is overwhelming🍊🍊🍊🍊🍊

My boyfriend raved about the lemon cream karaage~ the sweet, fragrant lemon cream and crispy karaage went so well together — writing this is making me crave it again… so good ㅠㅠ🤤

It's perfect for couples like us who love bold, punchy flavors. Even with a generous amount of sauce, the batter stayed crispy and never went soggy — great texture!

Orange highball vs. green grape highball

You absolutely must order a highball at Kushino Kitchen✨ The food here tastes great and looks gorgeous too, so it's fun to photograph — the lighting is great.

• 🍊 The orange highball is sweet, smooth, and refreshing
• 🍇 The green grape highball has lots of shine muscat and a tangy-sweet taste

Bottom line: both are really good. Orange is more my style.

Kushino nabe, the must-order dish with extra noodles

And now, the star of the show — kushino nabe…!! It had been so long, I really missed it ㅠㅠ packed full of skewers, mussels, cabbage, and noodles❤️ The broth is tomato-sauce based and so good that we added a second helping of pasta noodles. The best!!

Every single skewer was delicious, right? And so many mussels. I want to keep this Hongdae izakaya to myself, but I'll definitely be back — Kushino Kitchen🫶🏻

There's even a fire show to watch, which is a fun bonus. 🤩

In summary

✔️ Kushino Kitchen is a Hongdae bar with a great atmosphere and private booths, perfect for a date! With a wide range of highballs and every side dish delicious, it's a spot that'll fully satisfy anyone who loves demolishing anju (drinking snacks) haha If you're looking for a Hongdae izakaya or a Hongdae date bar, I recommend Kushino Kitchen!