Izakaya in Garak-dong, Songpa with open-window yajang vibes: Haru

As the weather's been warming up lately, I've been hunting for good yajang (open-air drinking) spots. Songpa has plenty of them, but I wanted somewhere I could actually talk without shouting over the noise. Looking for an izakaya with a varied menu and a relaxed vibe that still gave off that outdoor-drinking feel, I ended up at Haru.

They also run a decent lunch menu that looked great for office workers nearby. This time, though, I ordered the two-person set plus extra side dishes and drank until I was pleasantly full — here's my honest review.

Location, parking, and corkage at Haru Garak Main Branch

It's within five minutes on foot from Exits 3 and 4 of Garak Market Station, so access was pretty convenient. There's parking available at the building behind the restaurant, so driving there wasn't a worry either. Corkage is also allowed, which makes it a good option if you want to bring your own good bottle to share with friends, or even for small gatherings like a wedding invitation meetup.

Exterior, interior mood, and yes — there's a lunch menu too

Sitting in the Garak-dong food alley, the izakaya is surrounded by gopchang (grilled intestines) and meat restaurants, making it a great spot for a second round of drinks after dinner.

And even though it's an izakaya, lunch is served too — from 11am to 14pm. There was a decent range from à la carte dishes like handmade cold soba, pork cutlet, sashimi rice bowl, sushi, egg roe rice, and curry, to full lunch sets. Prices were all in the ₩10,000s, so it looked like a fine lunch option for office workers in the area.

The weather was nice, so they had the windows wide open, and the breeze drifting in gave it that yajang feel even while sitting indoors. It was the perfect atmosphere for a beer on a cool evening.

Every seat had a partition separating it from the next table, which meant we could talk a bit more privately.

There's a group table that seats about 10, as well as two-person seats good for a date, so it seemed like a nice place to chat quietly over drinks.

Choosing between the Ha Set and the Rue Set

They walked us through the izakaya menu, and since we were hungry and wanted to eat well, the set menus naturally caught our eye. There were two options — Ha Set and Rue Set — but since we came a bit late and sashimi was sold out, we went with the Rue Set. If you're planning to order three or more side dishes anyway, going with a set seems like the smarter move.

There was also a wide range of à la carte dishes — grilled Chilean sea bass, grilled Spanish mackerel, grilled pollack roe, grilled sea bream head, clams steamed in sake, cartilage, okonomiyaki, yakisoba — good options if the set isn't enough, or for a light second or third round of drinks.

Looking at the drink menu with Dassai and various other sakes lined up, it almost felt like I was on a trip to Japan. There were some nicely upscale options for a good date or for treating someone.

From sake by the glass and tokkuri (sake flask) sets to soju, draft beer, and highballs, there's plenty of choice to match with whatever side dish you're having.

Tasting through the Rue Set, dish by dish

The basic side dish was konjac and green peas — a common izakaya staple, but the sweetly seasoned konjac was a real standout. It whetted our appetite and we kept reaching for it, ending up refilling it twice.

Assorted skewers, ₩38,000

Ten kinds came out in total — chicken heart, chicken skin, duck, bacon-wrapped skewers, chicken skewers, grilled chicken wing rice cake, and more. Each skewer had a proper charcoal aroma, so if you love that smoky flavor, this lineup will satisfy you. When I asked, they said the owner threads every single skewer by hand.

Nagasaki jjamppong tang, ₩19,000

It came in a large bowl with a generous portion, packed with bean sprouts and seafood.

The broth was spicy yet clean, making it easy to keep spooning up between drinks. With the umami from the seafood added in, the soup felt rich and refreshing at the same time.

That spicy broth paired so well with soju that the drinks just kept flowing.

Grilled rockfish, ₩16,000

Ordered à la carte, the grilled rockfish comes with two pieces, but the set includes just one. Since we were planning to eat other dishes alongside it too, I liked that the set portioned it out this way for a taste. Grilled over charcoal, it had a subtle smoky aroma on the outside while the flesh stayed chewy and clean — it seems like they're generally skilled at charcoal-grilled dishes across the board.

Chicken karaage, ₩20,000

Since everything so far had been solid, I got curious about the other sides and added the chicken karaage too. The coating wasn't thick, more thin and crispy, so it didn't feel greasy, and the meat inside was soft and juicy — a nice textural match with that crunchy crust.

How was it as a date spot in Garak-dong?

The two of us ordered four side dishes and drank until we were full. With such a varied menu and separated seating, it was a great fit for a day when you want a quiet drink. Especially on nice-weather days, the open windows give you that yajang feeling — so if you're looking for a date spot or a casual drinking spot in Garak-dong, Izakaya Haru Garak Main Branch is worth a visit.