# Yakitori omakase and Kansai oden at Hamaru Hoegi izakaya in Seoul

- By Jua (https://superchart.com/en/@regular-seat/)
- Written Sep 20, 2026
- Local places › Bars › Dongdaemun, Seoul
- Sponsored: This post was written after a complimentary visit provided by the business.
- English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@regular-seat/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter/
- Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@regular-seat/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter/index.md)

## In short

Hamaru Hoegi is a binchotan-charcoal yakitori izakaya on Kyunghee-daero 1-gil, between Hoegi Station and Kyung Hee University in Dongdaemun, Seoul. Two friends ordered the 8-skewer yakitori omakase and added chicken heart, tsukune and button mushroom skewers, then finished with butter-grilled mentaiko (salted pollock roe) and Kansai-style oden soup. Hamaru Hoegi turned out to be more than a photogenic room: the food holds up too.

## Good to know

- **Address**: 11 Kyunghee-daero 1-gil, 1F, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul
- **Hours**: Sun–Thu 17:00–2:00, Fri–Sat 17:00–3:00
- **Reservations**: Accepted, including groups
- **What we ordered**: 8-skewer yakitori omakase, chicken heart, tsukune, button mushroom, butter-grilled mentaiko, Kansai oden
- **How it's cooked**: Grilled over binchotan charcoal; prepped each day and sold until it runs out

*as written by the visitor on Sep 20, 2026*

## 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.

![Interior atmosphere of Hamaru Hoegi izakaya](https://img.superchart.com/images/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter-01-1ln0x-900.webp)

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.

![Yakitori menu at Hamaru Hoegi](https://img.superchart.com/images/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter-02-gmqwd-m-900.webp)

![Menu page listing various yakitori skewers](https://img.superchart.com/images/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter-03-d7fvd-m-900.webp)

![Hamaru Hoegi menu and table setting](https://img.superchart.com/images/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter-04-hhri5-900.webp)

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.

![Japanese-lettered sign for Hamaru Hoegi on Kyunghee-daero 1-gil near Hoegi Station](https://img.superchart.com/images/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter-05-qojnm-900.webp)

![Exterior entrance of Hamaru Hoegi](https://img.superchart.com/images/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter-06-126fz-900.webp)

![Street in front of Hamaru Hoegi in the evening](https://img.superchart.com/images/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter-07-46x9d-900.webp)

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" ✨

![Izakaya interior decorated with sake bottles and retro posters](https://img.superchart.com/images/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter-08-1rlcu-900.webp)

## The 8-skewer yakitori omakase: what actually arrives

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

![Plate of the 8-skewer yakitori omakase](https://img.superchart.com/images/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter-09-9x9pn-900.webp)

![Yakitori skewers served one after another](https://img.superchart.com/images/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter-10-1ljd6-900.webp)

![Close-up of yakitori grilled over binchotan charcoal](https://img.superchart.com/images/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter-11-eebve-900.webp)

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,

![Extra order of grilled heart skewer](https://img.superchart.com/images/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter-12-1y9im-900.webp)

![Plate of heart skewers with rising charcoal aroma](https://img.superchart.com/images/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter-13-1ah37-900.webp)

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.

![Juicy tsukune skewer](https://img.superchart.com/images/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter-14-wk8z8-1200.webp)

![Yakitori served alongside the tsukune](https://img.superchart.com/images/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter-15-1g2dw-900.webp)

![Browned mushroom skewer](https://img.superchart.com/images/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter-16-iatpl-900.webp)

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.

![Butter-grilled mentaiko](https://img.superchart.com/images/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter-17-11b09-900.webp)

![Cross-section of butter-grilled mentaiko split with chopsticks](https://img.superchart.com/images/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter-18-tsjbn-900.webp)

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.

![Clear-broth Kansai oden](https://img.superchart.com/images/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter-19-19kgl-900.webp)

![Oden with radish, fried tofu and fish cake](https://img.superchart.com/images/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter-20-1yxt2-900.webp)

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.

![Full table spread of snacks and drinks](https://img.superchart.com/images/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter-21-1cuni-900.webp)

![Seating area with figure cabinets in the background](https://img.superchart.com/images/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter/hoegi-izakaya-yakitori-omakase-mentaiko-butter-22-i8ljs-900.webp)

## 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 😊

## Where it is

- Hamaru Hoegi (하마루 회기점)
- 11 Kyunghee-daero 1-gil, 1F, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea
- 서울특별시 동대문구 경희대로1길 11 1층
- 37.5916791, 127.0514826
- Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%ED%95%98%EB%A7%88%EB%A3%A8%20%ED%9A%8C%EA%B8%B0%EC%A0%90/@37.5916791,127.0514826,17z

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