Teppan bar in Yeonnam-dong for counter-seat okonomiyaki: Gusa Yeonnam

Went out again with a friend who's back to hunting pop-ups, this time to Gusa Yeonnam, an izakaya that's kind of a hidden gem even among Yeonnam-dong's hot spots~ It's a 5-minute walk from Hongik University Station Exit 3, tucked into a Yeonnam-dong alley, and the quiet vibe inside the alley is actually part of the charm 😙

Where is Gusa Yeonnam, and what does the entrance look like?

Gusa Yeonnam is on the basement floor of Yeontral Tower, so the sign visible from the street isn't very big. Here's the outside!.!

The exterior sign is small and simple, so I almost walked right past it 🥹 The entrance leading down to the basement is clean, and once it's dark the soft lighting turns it into a great date spot! It really matches that particular Yeonnam-dong alley feel 😚

You can also eat at the outdoor tables, so on a nice day, drinking outside would give off that outdoor pub feeling too, which sounds great!

Inside Gusa Yeonnam: watching the griddle from the dachi counter

Inside Gusa Yeonnam, the layout lets you watch the teppan cooking process right in front of you from the dachi (counter) seats. Here's the interior!.!

The inside is cozier and more put-together than I expected, and from the dachi seats you get a front-row, vivid view of the teppan cooking happening right in front of you! The sizzling sound of the teppan drifts softly through the space, and the sound plus the smell of the food get your appetite going before you've even eaten haha

Overall it's a dark-toned interior mixed with warm lighting, giving off a casual yet upscale izakaya vibe. The tables are spaced comfortably too, so it's easy to talk and a nice setup for lingering over drinks! The staff were friendly and attentive, so it was a pleasant meal all around 😁

Gusa Yeonnam's menu and the three dishes ordered

Here's the menu!.! True to a teppan-cooking specialty spot, it's built around teppan dishes~.~ From good-value set menus to okonomiyaki, yakisoba, udon and other noodle dishes, plus nabe hot pots, it's packed full!

This time we ordered

• Gusa okonomiyaki (₩16,000)
• Teppan mala xiangguo (₩28,000)
• Classic yakisoba (₩15,000)

!.!

Gusa okonomiyaki, 16,000 won: crisp edges, soft centre, rich cheese

First up for review is the Gusa okonomiyaki!.! The first thing that caught my eye was how thick the batter was and how crispy it was grilled!.!

Cutting into it on the teppan, the outside is crispy and the inside is moist — really good texture — and it's topped generously with sauce and mayo, giving it a savory yet sweet umami kick right away~.~

There seemed to be a bit of cheese mixed in, and that rich, dense texture was exactly my type — every bite had seafood toppings you could subtly bite into, which added to the texture 🤩 It wasn't greasy but had a clean flavor, so it was easy to eat as a main without feeling heavy, and the portion was just right for two people to share 🤭

Teppan mala xiangguo, 28,000 won: about as spicy as Shin Ramyun

Next was the teppan mala xiangguo!.! True to its name, it's a spicy mala xiangguo stir-fried down on the teppan in its own juices. The distinctive numbing sensation of mala and the aroma of the spices hit your nose first, but the spice level isn't as strong as I expected — it lingers softly~.~

Bean sprouts, mushrooms, onions and other vegetables plus meat are all evenly mixed in, and as the teppan's heat evaporates some of the moisture, the reduced broth and savory oiliness come together well~.~

One bite and the spiciness is followed by a sweet, savory flavor, and it does a great job of resetting your palate when eating alongside other richer dishes!.! It's spicy enough, but people who like spicy food could probably ask for it even spicier, and it's not so spicy that you can't handle it (about like Shin Ramyun?!), so even people who are weak to spice could give it a try!.! I also liked that the teppan stays warm the whole time so it never gets cold before you finish 😄

Classic yakisoba, 15,000 won: thick, springy noodles

Last was the classic yakisoba!.! The noodles were really chewy and had absorbed the sauce well, which was the highlight — they're thicker and chewier than typical yakisoba noodles, so there's a real bite to it 😁

Cabbage, onion, pork and shrimp are the basic ingredients, and the sauce coats the noodles evenly, giving a nice balance of sweet and salty! Since it's stir-fried right on the teppan and served immediately, the noodles don't get soggy and keep that savory aroma all the way through~.~

Topping it with bonito flakes, dried seaweed powder, or pickled red ginger to your taste makes it even richer, and alternating with the teppan mala xiangguo felt like it reset your palate each time~.~ The portion was generous too, plenty for a main 😆

Which of the three dishes at Gusa Yeonnam is worth ordering?

All three dishes made the most of what teppan cooking does well — temperature, aroma, texture — and in particular, the fluffiness of the okonomiyaki, the tingling umami of the mala xiangguo, and the chewiness of the yakisoba complemented each other so the meal never felt boring, a perfectly rounded-out lineup 🎉

Overall, if you're looking for a teppan izakaya in Yeonnam-dong with a good vibe and good food, give Gusa Yeonnam a try 👍 It's decent value for money overall and the atmosphere is great, so I'd recommend it for both dates and hangouts with friends ☺️

Gusa Yeonnam hours, location and parking

• Address: 6 Donggyo-ro 30-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea, B1 Yeontral Tower, Gusa Yeonnam
• Hours: 12:00–24:00 (daily), last order 23:00
• Break time: 15:00–17:00 (no break time on weekends)
• 5-minute walk from Hongik University Station Exit 3
• No parking available