Hapjeong bar with outdoor yakitori and highballs: Soottori

I stopped by Soottori Hapjeong because I wanted to enjoy delicious yakitori and highballs in Hapjeong!

An izakaya near Hapjeong Station with an open-air tent-bar vibe

It was fairly close to Hapjeong Station, so it was easy to find. With its nice atmosphere, it felt like a great place to meet up in Hapjeong for a drink. There are seats outside with an open-air tent-bar vibe, too, so I think you could really soak up the atmosphere on a nice day.

It was fairly close to Hapjeong Station, so it was easy to find. With its nice atmosphere, it felt like a great place to meet up in Hapjeong for a drink. There are seats outside with an open-air tent-bar vibe, too, so I think you could really soak up the atmosphere on a nice day.

I love this kind of open-air tent-bar vibe, and it was fun that Soottori Hapjeong had such different moods indoors and outdoors. The interior was decorated in a cute, playful way rather than feeling like a typical izakaya, so it was fun just looking around.

Hidden Soottori characters and a comfortable interior

The little Soottori characters hidden around the place were so cute, too. There were characters unique to Soottori all around, just like the restaurant name, so I found myself looking for them one by one while waiting for the food. Those small details made the space even cuter and more memorable.

The lighting was soft, creating a warm, comfortable mood rather than anything too bright or overwhelming. Sitting at the table and looking around, I spotted little props and characters, which gave me something to enjoy while waiting. Overall, the interior was neat without feeling stiff, making it a nice space for a comfortable visit with friends or for setting the mood on a date.

Yakitori assortment, tebasaki, and highballs

The menu had plenty of options, and I especially liked that there were set menus.

After sitting down, I ordered the 7-piece yakitori assortment + dessert set, black pepper tebasaki (Japanese-style chicken wings), and a green apple highball. First up was the 7-piece yakitori assortment!

It was a good set to order when it is hard to decide among the menu items, since you can try several kinds of yakitori (Japanese charcoal-grilled skewers) at once. The skewers arrived grilled over charcoal, and even the subtle charcoal aroma whetted my appetite. Each skewer had a slightly different texture and flavor, making them fun to try one by one. They were nicely browned outside and moist inside, with all the appeal of charcoal-grilled chicken skewers. Their savory, nutty flavor also went very well as drinking food.

I also had the black pepper tebasaki alongside it. The black pepper flavor on the chicken wings gave it a different feel from the yakitori. The peppery aroma gently popped through with a salty flavor, so it was great with the highball. I also liked the pleasantly chewy texture that chicken wings have.

For drinks that day, I chose the green apple highball! It had a sweet, refreshing apple note that went well with the charcoal-grilled yakitori. Taking a sip after a skewer made my palate feel refreshed, so it was a great yakitori-and-highball pairing.

Personally, adding the tebasaki and a highball made the meal feel much more abundant than having yakitori alone.

I finished with peach yogurt sherbet. Ending with a sweet dessert after the drinks and skewers was such a pleasant way to wrap up the meal.

Reservations for busy times and final thoughts

For busy time slots, I recommend reserving ahead on Catchtable!

Overall, Soottori Hapjeong was a fun place for both its atmosphere and food: it is close to Hapjeong Station, has seating with an open-air tent-bar feel, a cute interior, and adorable Soottori characters. I think it would suit anyone looking to have yakitori and a casual drink in Hapjeong. The open-air-style seats would probably be even more atmospheric on a nice day, so I would like to try them next time.

If you also love the combination of charcoal-grilled skewers and highballs, try the 7-piece yakitori assortment, black pepper tebasaki, and green apple highball together. Add the dessert at the end for a clean finish!