Sangam DMC izakaya for grilled freshwater eel and tsukune: Hanamato

Where is Hanamato Sangam DMC?

Hanamato Sangam DMC is an izakaya (Japanese pub) about a 5-minute walk from Digital Media City Station Exit 8. I visited the Sangam DMC branch of Hanamato with my potato Mija ❤️!

Hanamato Sangam DMC exterior

The Sangam DMC branch sits in an alley between houses in Sangam-dong, yet that Japanese izakaya look catches your eye from far away, haha. The warm orange sign, soft lighting and all the sake bottles as decoration make you feel like you've wandered into some Japanese back alley right from the front door!

What are the 1F and 2F seats like at Hanamato Sangam DMC?

Hanamato Sangam DMC is a big place split over two floors. Step inside and a spacious room opens up!

The 1st floor is centered on an open kitchen, so you see the chefs grilling skewers over charcoal and the smoky smell hits your nose right away, haha.

There are plenty of counter seats, which makes it a really comfortable setup for drinking alone 😄 Thanks to the dim lighting you don't have to worry about the neighboring tables and can focus on the food and drinks. It's cozy and has an exotic feel, like a local izakaya in Japan!

The 2nd floor has roomier tables and lots of sofa-style seats, so it seems comfortable for group gatherings, dates or a second round after a company dinner! The window side feels open and even gives a slight outdoor-terrace vibe!

Overall the wooden interior typical of a Japanese izakaya is well done and there are enough seats, so it seems great whether you come alone or with a group 😙 The restroom is inside the restaurant too, which is convenient!

Hanamato Sangam DMC menu and what we ordered

The menu at Hanamato Sangam DMC is really varied: yakitori (grilled skewers), oden (fish cake stew), fried dishes, nabe (hot pot), noodles, light snacks and meals! Everything is good value, and the cheap Sapporo draft beer is famous. The drinks are wide-ranging too, with beer, soju, highballs and sake, so you can pick to your taste 🤩

We ordered the items below plus various single skewers of yakitori!

• Charcoal yakitori best-5 set ₩13,000
• Premium grilled freshwater eel ₩12,000
• Popular mentaiko cheese potato ₩10,000

The shrimp roe chips that come as a complimentary side were secretly addictive too, perfect for picking at one by one before the food arrives!

You can't come to an izakaya and skip the sake and draft beer, right?

How does the charcoal yakitori best-5 set (₩13,000) taste?

As befits a signature item, the charcoal yakitori best-5 set at Hanamato Sangam DMC is grilled the moment you order, so the smoky flavor is deeply infused!

I loved that it's made up only of cuts nobody dislikes, like heart, thigh and wing. The outside is golden and crisp while the inside is juicy and tender!

The seasoning isn't heavy, so the plain savoriness of the meat comes through, and eating it with the cabbage that comes alongside cuts the richness perfectly 😊 The portion is easy to finish alone, so it should be a great snack for drinking solo!

Tsukune added as a single order

We added tsukune as a single order 😆 It's one of the must-orders on the Hanamato Sangam DMC yakitori menu: tsukune is a skewer of minced chicken shaped into a round patty and grilled over charcoal!

The outside is lightly crisp and the inside is really juicy, not dry but tender, and the nutty flavor of the meat spreads with every bite! The seasoning isn't strong either, so it keeps going down easily with drinks. If you like yakitori, definitely add it on top of the 5-skewer set ☺️

Is the premium grilled freshwater eel (₩12,000) fishy?

The premium grilled freshwater eel at Hanamato Sangam DMC has almost none of that fishy eel taste, and it's crisp outside and soft and moist inside 😣

It's grilled over charcoal so the smoky flavor is subtle, and the sweet and salty soy-based sauce soaks in well, so the savory depth was outstanding!

With every piece the soft texture and nutty flavor of the eel came through. If you like eel, I recommend trying it at least once!

Popular mentaiko cheese potato (₩10,000)

Last up was the popular mentaiko (spicy pollock roe) cheese potato at Hanamato Sangam DMC! It's piled with cheese, and the stretchy pull when you scoop a bite already passes the test!

The combination of salty roe, nutty potato and cheese is fantastic 🥰

When should you go to Hanamato Sangam DMC?

To sum up, I strongly recommend the Hanamato Sangam DMC branch when you want a quiet solo drink after work near Digital Media City Station, a light second round with friends, or an izakaya full of Japanese atmosphere! 😃 I'm definitely going back to try other dishes, haha.

Hanamato Sangam DMC visitor info

• Address: 16 Woldeukeopbuk-ro 44-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, 1F and 2F
• Hours: 17:00 to 3:00 am (Mon–Sat, closed Sundays), last order 2:00 am
• 5-minute walk from Digital Media City Station Exit 8
• Parking for 4 cars (ask the staff)