Teppanyaki bar in Hongdae with dachi seating and a fire show: Hoyo

I was looking for a solid teppanyaki spot near Hongik University Station and ended up at Hoyo. The exterior has that distinctive vintage vibe going on right from the start. Signs for the signature menu items stood neatly out front, and I could check the set menu lineup right from the entrance banner, which was handy.

Hoyo Hongdae basic info

• Type: Teppanyaki restaurant / Japanese dining
• Hours: Daily 5:00 PM–1:00 AM (until 2:00 AM Fri, Sat)
• Address: 132-1 Eoulmadang-ro, 1st floor, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea

The vibe and the dachi seats

Walking inside, the atmosphere really stood out. The long dachi (counter-style bar seating) stretched across the space,

and with the dim ambient lighting, it looked perfect for a date or a small get-together. Since it's an open kitchen setup, you can see the whole cooking process at a glance. The seating was neat and tidy too, which I appreciated.

Menu and prices

I went through the menu at this Hongdae favorite izakaya carefully. It has a huge range, from teppanyaki dishes to fried items, soups, and cold dishes. Here's a rundown of prices for the signature items.

We ordered the yakisoba with every topping added and no noodles(!), plus the beef mushroom chop steak. And to drink, a grapefruit highball and a grapefruit ade!

• Hoyo 2-person set: ₩56,000
• Beef mushroom chop steak: ₩23,000
• Yakisoba: ₩17,000
• Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki: ₩17,000
• Kyoto-style okonomiyaki: ₩17,000
• Garlic shrimp: ₩25,000
• Gyukatsu: ₩23,000
• Salmon sashimi: ₩25,000
• Jim Beam highball / ade: ₩7,000

The teppan cooking process and the fire show

Being the true Hongdae favorite izakaya it is, if you sit at the dachi counter you get a front-row view of the cooking.

They piled thick-cut beef, mushrooms, and onions onto the teppan and grilled it all up. The meat's texture looked fresh even just watching.

Halfway through, this Hongdae favorite izakaya put on a fire show, and it was genuinely spectacular. With the flames whooshing up, you could really feel the smoky char soaking into the meat. It was a treat for the eyes and got the appetite going all at once.

Beef mushroom chop steak and yakisoba

Here's the beef mushroom chop steak, fresh off the grill and served in the pan. Steam was still rising off it, with a deep, savory smell. It came topped with a generous pile of baby greens.

For dipping sauces, it came with wasabi, whole grain mustard, and salt.

I picked up a piece of meat, dabbed on a bit of wasabi, and tried it — the juices were incredible. There was a light smoky aroma and the texture was tender. The onions and mushrooms were cooked just right too, and their crunch paired nicely with the meat. The complimentary soft tofu salad side was good as well.

Next up was the yakisoba (stir-fried noodles). It came in a big bowl, generously loaded with noodles and seafood.

On top was a heap of bonito flakes, plus a soft fried egg, ginger, and green onion arranged prettily as garnish. There were several plump shrimp mixed in too, so it looked great from the start. And the shrimp came already peeled, which made it easy to eat!

I popped the yolk and mixed it all through the noodles. The savory soy-based sauce had soaked into the noodles nicely, and it went down easy.

The umami from the bonito flakes combined with the plump shrimp texture kept me reaching back for more. The noodles were nice and springy too, staying that way without going soggy right to the end.

Highball, ade, and wrapping up

We also drank the refreshing red-hued highball and an ade to cut through the richness. Both were super crisp with a bright fruity aroma, and they paired really well with the teppan dishes. Between the generous mains and the soft soft-tofu side, the table filled right up — just looking at it made me feel full.