Yakitori omakase and Kansai oden at Hamaru Hoegi izakaya in Seoul

Is Hamaru Hoegi, an izakaya near Hoegi Station, as good as it looks?

With izakayas, a pretty interior often stops right there. Great for photos, but the food ends up mediocre and the drinks overpriced.

So when I heard people talking about how pretty Hamaru Hoegi looked, I went in a little skeptical, honestly. Turned out I worried for nothing. The moment I opened the menu there was a huge variety of yakitori, and since everything is prepared and sold fresh the same day, popular skewers sell out early in the evening — that's how fast this place turns over.

Since everything's grilled over binchotan charcoal, the moment a skewer hits the table you get this rush of smoky charcoal scent — that impressed me too. That's the day I confirmed this Hoegi bar has both looks and taste.

Where Hamaru Hoegi is and when it opens

• Address: 11 Kyunghee-daero 1-gil, 1F, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: Sun–Thu 17:00–2:00, Fri–Sat 17:00–3:00
• Reservations: Available, group bookings possible

I found Hamaru Hoegi while looking for somewhere to drink near Hoegi with a friend I hadn't seen in a while.

Walking up from Hoegi Station toward Kyung Hee University, the Japanese-lettered sign stood right out among the other storefronts, so it wasn't hard to find. The second we opened the door, both of us blurted out, "this place is seriously pretty" ✨

The 8-skewer yakitori omakase: what actually arrives

Hamaru Hoegi's yakitori omakase comes as a random selection. Eight skewers arrive one after another,

and even though we didn't know what was coming, the staff explained each one kindly as they served it. We added a few extras on top — the grilled heart skewer hit first with a springy, chewy texture,

and it wasn't tough at all — the more you chewed, the nuttier it got, which felt like the most classic bar snack of the night. The tsukune (minced chicken meatball skewer) was moist and finely ground, so biting in released juices first, followed by a gentle sweetness.

The mushroom skewer was browned on the outside and packed with juice inside — the more you chewed, the deeper the mushroom aroma and umami got 🍄

Butter-grilled mentaiko: salty, rich and balanced

The dish that personally surprised me most at Hamaru Hoegi was the butter-grilled mentaiko (marinated pollock roe). The roe is laid out along its grain and grilled in butter — you can actually see the eggs popping the moment you split it open with chopsticks.

The nutty scent of butter hits your nose before the saltiness, and the distinctive umami of the roe follows right after. The aroma is strongest while it's hot, so I'd recommend grabbing it the second it lands on the table.

Kansai oden soup: the broth to end the night on

After going heavy on the snacks, we ordered Kansai-style oden at the end, partly to help with the next-day hangover. The broth is clear, not milky — the first spoonful seems bland, but after you swallow, a gentle umami from kelp and bonito lingers.

The radish, fried tofu and fish cake hold onto the broth for a long time, so warm soup seeps out with every bite. Eating it between the spicier skewers felt like a reset for the palate — a great way to close out a night of drinking.

Sake bottles and figure cabinets: a different view from every seat

Most other reviews just say "Japanese-style interior" and move on, but that's the point I lingered on the longest. Sake bottles cover the walls, there are retro posters, and figure cabinets are lined up shelf by shelf — the backdrop changes depending on where you sit, and I took over twenty shots just from my own seat.

This felt like a much better Hoegi bar for friends to hang out, take photos and chat than for couples or solo drinking. If you want to catch up with a friend, snap some photos, and actually eat well while you drink, I'd recommend this Hoegi izakaya, Hamaru. If you want a quiet vibe it might feel a bit loud, but for a rowdy, chatty night out, there's nowhere quite like it 😊