Sinnonhyeon izakaya mala oden hotpot and mentaiko butter: Odeng Osaek

Today I'm bringing you a review of Odeng Osaek, a great spot for a second round near Gangnam Station! I'd already eaten dinner earlier that night so I was pretty full, but it felt like a shame to just call it a night — I wanted a light drink haha. This place had a real Japanese izakaya vibe going on, with everything from oden to all kinds of snacks and drinks. Let me show you around!

Where is Odeng Osaek Gangnam Station Branch, and its hours and parking

• 📍 Location: 42 Seochodae-ro 73-gil, 1F 105-106, Seocho-gu, Seoul
• 🕐 Hours: Daily 16:00–02:00 (last order 01:00)
• 🚗 Parking: Paid, ₩6,000/hour, max ₩30,000

The storefront and where to park

As soon as I got there, a little cherry blossom tree and a giant cat decoration greeted me haha. The exterior already had that Japanese pub feel, so it caught my eye even from the street! Parking is paid — ₩6,000 an hour, max ₩30,000 (since we were drinking, we didn't bring the car anyway, haha).

And when I visited, they were running an event where Cass draft beer is ₩2,900 if you come before 19:00 on Sunday through Thursday! ₩2,900 for a draft beer in Gangnam... I really love beer lol. I'll have to come earlier next time and get in on that 🍺

Inside Odeng Osaek: atmosphere and seating

Once inside, the whole place really had that Japanese izakaya feel! There were counter-style seats by the window, and table seating further inside, so it looked like a good spot whether you're drinking solo or coming with friends or a partner. Overall the mood was cozy but still great for having a drink :)

Odeng Osaek menu: oden, kushikatsu and curry glass noodles

Looking over the menu, true to the name, there was a wide variety of oden dishes!! And not just oden — they also had all kinds of Japanese-style snacks like okonomiyaki, kushikatsu (fried skewers), and grilled kirimochi (rice cake). They even had curry glass noodles, which I've seen a lot in mukbang videos lately! We went with the mala oden hotpot and grilled mentaiko butter that day :)

The drink selection was pretty varied too! Beer, sake, sawa, highballs — all kinds of options, great for pairing whatever drink you like with your snacks.

The complimentary snack: tuna crackers

After ordering and waiting a bit, the complimentary snack came out first — crackers and tuna! I genuinely love putting tuna on crackers lol. Having that as the free starter was perfect for nibbling on with a beer haha.

Mala oden hotpot: a broth with a real mala kick

After a short wait, the mala oden hotpot arrived. The mala aroma hit right away! Inside were four pieces of oden along with puzhu (bean curd skin), Chinese glass noodles, yubu (fried tofu) pockets, and other ingredients, all generously packed in haha.

I tried the broth first, and the mala flavor was stronger than I expected! It wasn't just a faint hint of mala — you get hit with that numbing, spicy flavor right away. Perfect for when you've already eaten dinner and want a spicy broth to go with more drinks, just like me haha.

Grilled mentaiko butter with cucumber and spicy chili mayo

The grilled mentaiko (marinated pollock roe) butter came out next. Since this was a second-round snack on a full stomach, this portion was just right! Two pieces of mentaiko came with cucumber and mayonnaise on the side.

There was chopped chili on top of the mayonnaise, so eating it together with the mentaiko added a spicy kick that cut through the richness — really tasty haha. Eating the cucumber with the mentaiko kept it light and not too heavy, so it was a great second-round snack!

Adding mul-tteok and braised radish

While eating the mala oden hotpot, I felt like adding something in. So I ordered a side of mul-tteok (chewy rice cake)! It had a chewy, soft, springy texture, and once it soaked up the mala broth it got even tastier haha.

And then I spotted braised radish on the menu! I usually love braised dishes, so I ordered this too. The radish was braised nicely and salty, tasty even on its own, and adding the chili that came with it made it spicier, which I liked. Salty and spicy — a perfect drinking snack!

Verdict: is Odeng Osaek a good second-round bar near Gangnam Station?

💛 Final verdict 💛 I liked that there was such a variety of light snacks to enjoy, from the oden hotpot to grilled mentaiko butter, mul-tteok, and braised radish! It was especially good for people like us who filled up on food first and wanted a simple drink for round two haha. With the Japanese vibe and the wide drink selection, it was a solid choice for a second round near Gangnam Station! Next time I want to come here first and definitely try the curry glass noodles haha.