# Hongdae izakaya for sukiyaki and garlic butter rice: Gusa Yeonnam

- By Jieun Rha (https://superchart.com/en/@seorae-slow-plate/)
- Written Sep 19, 2026
- Local places › Restaurants › Mapo, Seoul
- Sponsored: This visit was sponsored by the business.
- English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@seorae-slow-plate/gusa-yeonnam-sukiyaki-garlic-butter-rice/
- Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@seorae-slow-plate/gusa-yeonnam-sukiyaki-garlic-butter-rice/index.md)

## In short

Gusa Yeonnam is a teppan (griddle) izakaya in Yeonnam-dong, Seoul, on the basement level of Yeontral Tower near Hongik University Station. Three friends ordered sukiyaki, yakisoba, okonomiyaki and garlic butter fried rice and ate until they were stuffed; the yakisoba seasoning was a little mild, but the sukiyaki broth and the garlic butter fried rice kept the spoons moving. Gusa Yeonnam is a good pick in Yeonnam-dong when you want a filling meal in a relaxed setting.

## Good to know

- **Location**: 6 Donggyo-ro 30-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul — Yeontral Tower, basement level 1
- **Hours**: Daily 12:00–01:00
- **Parking**: No on-site parking; use nearby paid lots
- **Seating**: Mostly tables for four, with generous space between tables
- **What we ordered**: Sukiyaki, yakisoba, okonomiyaki, garlic butter fried rice

*as written by the visitor on Sep 19, 2026*

## Where is Gusa Yeonnam in Yeonnam-dong?

![Exterior of Gusa Yeonnam izakaya in Yeonnam-dong](https://img.superchart.com/images/gusa-yeonnam-sukiyaki-garlic-butter-rice/gusa-yeonnam-sukiyaki-garlic-butter-rice-01-1vchn-900.webp)

Gusa Yeonnam is a teppan izakaya on the basement floor of Yeontral Tower, tucked in a Yeonnam-dong alley close to Hongik University Station. My friends and I finally set a date for a Hongdae outing haha. After going back and forth on where to go, we heard there was a place in Yeonnam-dong with great vibes and tasty teppan dishes, so we headed over.

Since it's inside a Yeonnam-dong alley, there's no parking here. I'd recommend parking nearby and walking over.

- Hours: Daily 12:00–01:00
- Parking info: Use nearby paid parking lots

## Inside Gusa Yeonnam: atmosphere and seating

![Entrance leading down to the basement at Gusa Yeonnam](https://img.superchart.com/images/gusa-yeonnam-sukiyaki-garlic-butter-rice/gusa-yeonnam-sukiyaki-garlic-butter-rice-02-a28mg-900.webp)

From the moment you step down toward Gusa Yeonnam's entrance, there's a cute, charming vibe. Once inside, the lighting felt cozy, like walking into an actual izakaya in Japan.

![Interior of Gusa Yeonnam with tables mostly set up for four](https://img.superchart.com/images/gusa-yeonnam-sukiyaki-garlic-butter-rice/gusa-yeonnam-sukiyaki-garlic-butter-rice-03-1ot5u-m-900.webp)

The tables inside were spacious, mostly set up for 4 people. The spacing between tables wasn't cramped at all, so it was really comfortable to sit side by side with my friends and chat away the time.

## What's on the menu at Gusa Yeonnam?

![Gusa Yeonnam menu board listing teppan and soup dishes](https://img.superchart.com/images/gusa-yeonnam-sukiyaki-garlic-butter-rice/gusa-yeonnam-sukiyaki-garlic-butter-rice-04-6vq24-900.webp)

Gusa Yeonnam had a huge lineup of teppan dishes! Everything from beef teppan to grilled and stir-fried beef intestines, butter-grilled scallops, and more. On top of the teppan menu, they also sell warming soup dishes, so it seemed like a great spot for anyone looking for good drinking food.

Especially since the vibe is so comfortable and the menu range is so wide, I felt like this would be a place I could bring a whole group for a Yeonnam-dong company dinner without any worry about the menu haha.

## Sukiyaki: enough for three to share

![The first dish served at Gusa Yeonnam, sukiyaki](https://img.superchart.com/images/gusa-yeonnam-sukiyaki-garlic-butter-rice/gusa-yeonnam-sukiyaki-garlic-butter-rice-05-1vlyj-1200.webp)

The first thing to arrive at Gusa Yeonnam was the sukiyaki, and the deep, rich broth flavor was truly excellent. After letting it bubble away and then fishing out the tender meat and vegetables, it felt like the warmth spread all the way through me. We simmered it up and ate the meat with the vegetables inside haha.

![Sukiyaki pot bubbling away](https://img.superchart.com/images/gusa-yeonnam-sukiyaki-garlic-butter-rice/gusa-yeonnam-sukiyaki-garlic-butter-rice-06-1ayjz-900.webp)

![Meat and vegetables scooped out of the sukiyaki pot](https://img.superchart.com/images/gusa-yeonnam-sukiyaki-garlic-butter-rice/gusa-yeonnam-sukiyaki-garlic-butter-rice-07-16d00-900.webp)

The meat had no unpleasant smell at all and there was way more than I expected, so the three of us could enjoy it generously, and the broth was so refreshing that my spoon kept going back in. The seasoning was just right, so we ate it all up happily haha. There was no egg served on the side.

## How was the yakisoba?

![Soy-seasoned yakisoba with seafood](https://img.superchart.com/images/gusa-yeonnam-sukiyaki-garlic-butter-rice/gusa-yeonnam-sukiyaki-garlic-butter-rice-08-z90oj-900.webp)

Gusa Yeonnam's yakisoba (stir-fried noodles) had chewy noodles in a sweet soy-based sauce that kept pulling my chopsticks back. There was plenty of seafood mixed in too, which made for fun chewy bites. The seasoning was a little mild for my taste, but the overall balance of flavors was good, so we cleaned the plate!!

## Okonomiyaki, loaded with sauce

Next up was the okonomiyaki (savory pancake) I'd been looking forward to, and it came out freshly cooked and hot off the teppan, which made it even better. Since I'm normally a huge sauce lover, having the sauce generously slathered on top was exactly my type haha. Crispy outside, moist inside — it was genuinely delicious.

![Teppan okonomiyaki loaded with sauce](https://img.superchart.com/images/gusa-yeonnam-sukiyaki-garlic-butter-rice/gusa-yeonnam-sukiyaki-garlic-butter-rice-09-17w31-900.webp)

I'm a total sauce person, so having it piled on so generously was just so good haha.

## Finishing with garlic butter fried rice

![Garlic butter fried rice with garlic aroma rising](https://img.superchart.com/images/gusa-yeonnam-sukiyaki-garlic-butter-rice/gusa-yeonnam-sukiyaki-garlic-butter-rice-10-rkp3x-900.webp)

We ordered the garlic butter fried rice to fill up on carbs, and the moment we lifted the lid, a mild garlic aroma spread out along with a savory, toasty smell. One bite and the savoriness filled my whole mouth, so the spoon really didn't stop moving. Everyone in the group agreed it was delicious and we all cleaned the plate — it was that satisfying.

This is a great spot for a hearty meal while on a date in Yeonnam-dong. The portions overall were generous, so even split three ways, we ended up completely stuffed. It works well as a solid dinner spot like we used it, but it's also definitely worth recommending as a Hongdae bar for a light drink alongside good food.

If you're enjoying a rare date in Yeonnam-dong and want to fill up on a hearty meal in a place with great atmosphere, this is somewhere worth stopping by.

## Where it is

- Gusa Yeonnam (구사 연남)
- 6 Donggyo-ro 30-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
- 서울특별시 마포구 동교로30길 6 연트럴타워 지하1층
- 37.5605202, 126.9245795
- Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EA%B5%AC%EC%82%AC%20%EC%97%B0%EB%82%A8/@37.5605202,126.9245795,17z

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Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@seorae-slow-plate/gusa-yeonnam-sukiyaki-garlic-butter-rice/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt