Hongdae bar with open-window late-night vibes: Ijillirya Yeonnam

I went out in Hongdae and had some delicious bar food and drinks, haha.

An exterior and seating that create an outdoor-drinking vibe

It is set up so you can get that outdoor-drinking feeling in Hongdae. You can sit by the windows too!!! I think it would be perfect to visit around this time of year, when you really want that outdoor-bar atmosphere.

It would be nice for a date with your boyfriend, or for chatting away with friends, right? There are about two tables outside too, so you can drink outdoors.

September through October seems like the perfect time for outdoor drinking!! Not enjoying it now is a crime.... haha.

A reserved bar seat and the atmosphere by the windows

I reserved a bar seat in advance. The owner had marked it as reserved for me. Hehe, I felt kind of proud... I guess I really am a planner....!!!

The windows open completely wide! The sense of openness is sooo good~ Isn’t the lighting pretty too? Since it is yellow lighting, I think it would become even more atmospheric after dark. The wood-toned interior plus the yellow lights made it feel cozy and warm.

There was even a bag hook beside the table? So I hung up my bag, haha. It is pretty awkward when there is nowhere to put your bag, so I loved having it. I am touched by these little thoughtful details. (Though I guess places all do this these days, since the standard has gone up...?)

Indoor seating and a very kind owner

There were more seats inside than I expected. I arrived around 5? Or maybe 5:30, so there were not many people, but by around 6 the place was almost full. It looked like they had pushed tables together for a group reservation. Probably?? The chairs were cushy too, so your butt should not hurt, haha.

My friend was running a little late, so I was zoning out while looking at the view outside, and the owner poured me some bamboo liquor?

The owner was so kind that it put me in a good mood. It suddenly reminded me of when I worked part-time at a Japanese restaurant... haha. I get the feeling that owners of Japanese restaurants are almost all kind?

Complimentary snacks and a traditional liquor order

Pretzel? snacks and white kimchi? came as complimentary snacks. Great little things to pick at when your mouth feels bored. I tried the bamboo liquor after my friend arrived, and it went down smoothly with a fragrant aroma. It was light and clean-tasting? I am not much of a drinker, so I did not order more alcohol.. (The kind of person who goes to a bar for the food.)

There was a desktop? by the wall where you could order, so I ordered yukhoe (Korean beef tartare) before my friend arrived, haha. They have lots of traditional Korean liquors. There are premium traditional liquors too? It is quite fun just looking through the drink selection.

While waiting, I took photos and zoned out. Then my friend arrived, we ordered more food, and had a wonderfully lively catch-up after all that missed chatting.

This was our first stop, so we ordered only three things to eat lightly(?). I wanted to have a proper pig-out party, but my stomach cannot keep up anymore.

Yukhoe eaten in all sorts of combinations

The yukhoe at the very top of the main-menu list!! I thought it might come just smothered in gochujang (Korean red chili paste), but there were white-kimchi rolls alongside it. Yukhoe with radish, yukhoe with wasabi, yukhoe with perilla leaf. You can eat the yukhoe in lots of different combinations. The fun of assembling it? Or putting together your own combination.

Personally, rather than the plain yukhoe, I liked the white-kimchi yukhoe wrap? with white kimchi, tuna, and yukhoe together more. Hehe.

I thought that if they made the white-kimchi yukhoe wrap(?) into an add-on menu item, people would order it extra. (Am I thinking too much from the restaurant’s perspective?) Anyway, as a customer, if that menu item existed, I think I would have ordered more. But...? This was our first stop, so I had to eat in moderation! Haha.

Boiled octopus with yuzu sauce

This is boiled octopus with yuzu sauce. It had a refreshing flavor, and I thought women in their 40s and 50s would like it. The boiled octopus goes down surprisingly easily with the dressed cabbage. It is also pretty good dipped in gochujang!

I ate it comfortably(?) telling myself, “It is octopus protein, so I will not gain weight!”.... haha. But seriously, as you get older, the weight really does not come off easily. I do not want to get older... I want to die while I am still pretty.

The white-kimchi tuna rolls I absolutely wanted to order

The white kimchi + tuna rolls at the upper left of the octopus dish were seriously impossible to make taste bad.

You absolutely have to order this!! I want to eat it again, hehe....

The owner was so kind and the atmosphere was so good that I thought it would be a nice place to come with someone you like.

After enjoying the outdoor-drinking vibe in Hongdae and catching a little breeze, we moved on to the next place!