Open 2nd-floor seating instead of streetside tables: Sangkai Izakaya

It's still hot out these days, so I went looking for somewhere to have a cool drink and ended up at Sangkai Izakaya Bangi Branch in Bangi-dong! It's right inside the Bangi-dong food alley, so it's great for going straight from dinner into drinks, and it's a decent walk from Jamsil or Songni-dan-gil too if you're already out that way.

If you're looking for a streetside yajang (outdoor drinking spot) in Bangi-dong but don't want people constantly walking past you, try Sangkai's 2nd floor!! It's even more open and breezy than a streetside spot, and the vibe is honestly amazing haha!

The halibut sashimi and yurinchi (crispy fried chicken with tangy sauce) I enjoyed

Sangkai Izakaya Bangi: the 2nd–3rd floor space and atmosphere

Sangkai Bangi Branch is a fairly large Bangi-dong bar that takes up the 2nd and 3rd floors of the building. Walking in, the wood-tone interior blends with soft lighting for an overall clean, upscale feel!

When I visited, the outer doors were wide open, but the inside was surprisingly cool. It kept that open, airy feel while still having solid air conditioning, so I could drink comfortably without feeling stuffy. It's on the 2nd floor, but it really delivers that streetside yajang mood.

The spacing between seats was relatively generous, and there were various separate spaces apart from the regular table seating, so it seemed good for dates as well as friend gatherings, group meetups, or company dinners. It felt less like a casual bar for a quick drink and more like a premium izakaya where you enjoy the atmosphere and the food together.

Sangkai Bangi menu and prices

Ordering was easy through the tablet set up at each table. There was a huge variety of menu items — from sashimi to skewers, fried dishes, soups, and meal items — so after a lot of deliberating I went with the halibut sashimi and the Sangkai yurinchi.

• Halibut sashimi ₩48,000
• Sangkai yurinchi ₩18,500

We ordered a fresh bottle of soju and drank it nice and cold alongside the food. Ordering sashimi together with fried food meant we could alternate between something light and something crispy, and I loved that combination.

+basic side dishes and soy-vinegar sauce

How was the halibut sashimi?

First, the halibut sashimi — each slice was a good thickness and looked fresh just from the plating. When I took a bite, I could really feel that chewy yet light texture that's characteristic of halibut, and it paired cleanly with a little dab of wasabi.

I didn't get tired of the sashimi even eating it on its own, but eating it with the vegetables that came alongside felt like it reset my palate in between bites, which I liked. Take a fresh sip of soju, then a piece of halibut sashimi — that combo really gets the drinks flowing lol.

Sangkai yurinchi — was the coating crispy?

Next up, the Sangkai yurinchi! Honestly, yurinchi sometimes gets soggy fast if the coating soaks in the sauce too long, but Sangkai's version was crispy on the outside and juicy inside — really good!

The tangy-sweet, slightly spicy sauce cut through the richness of the fried chicken, and eating it with the vegetables that came with it made it easy to finish without feeling heavy. If the halibut sashimi is the light, clean dish, the yurinchi is the one that really wakes up your appetite — I was glad we ordered both together!!

Since the menu is so varied, it works well as a first-stop spot for a full meal with drinks, or as a late-night second stop for sashimi and light bites. Especially since the space is spacious and the atmosphere upscale, it's well suited for anyone who wants to drink a bit more comfortably even within the noisy Bangi-dong food alley.

Info for Sangkai Bangi, a bar in the Bangi-dong food alley