# Skewer assortment and tsukune at Yakitori Iyu, a Hongdae izakaya - By Gayeong (https://superchart.com/en/@seoul-corkboard/) - Written Sep 6, 2026 - Local places › Bars › Mapo, Seoul - Sponsored: This post was written after a sponsored visit to the store. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@seoul-corkboard/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@seoul-corkboard/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers/index.md) ## In short Yakitori Iyu is a charcoal skewer izakaya on a Jandari-ro side street in Hongdae, Seoul, where the owner grills every skewer by hand. The five-skewer assortment with tsukune (chicken meatball skewer) and fried radish was seasoned lightly, so the food paired well with a slow drink, and the bar seats suited both solo drinking and a two-person date. For anyone who wants a Hongdae izakaya for quiet conversation rather than a loud drinking spot, Yakitori Iyu fits. ## Good to know - **Location**: B1F, 20-13 Jandari-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul - **Getting there**: 576m from Hapjeong Station Exit 3, in the back alley behind Sangsangmadang, across from a hanok café - **Last order**: 23:00 - **What we ordered**: Five-skewer assortment, tsukune, fried radish - **Seating**: Bar seats and table seats *as written by the visitor on Sep 6, 2026* When I used to look for a bar in Hongdae, I'd always head straight for whichever place was packed with people. On dates, that sometimes backfired — too loud to talk — and at izakayas, ordering just a few side dishes could add up to more than expected. Yakitori Iyu felt a bit different this time. When you order skewers, the owner grills each one by hand, so the charcoal aroma comes through strongly while the seasoning stays light enough to enjoy alongside drinks. The bar seats especially work well for solo drinking, and the mood is good for a date too — worth keeping in mind if you're looking for yakitori in Hongdae. ## Where is Yakitori Iyu and what are its hours? - Address: 20-13 Jandari-ro, 1F, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea - 576m from Hapjeong Station Exit 3 - Last order at 23:00 ## Which Hongdae alley is Yakitori Iyu on? ![Exterior of Yakitori Iyu on a Hongdae side street](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers-01-ub25q-966.webp) Yakitori Iyu sits on a side street a bit removed from Hongdae's main drag, so it's worth checking the location carefully before heading over. The shop's own directions describe it as across from a hanok café in the back alley behind Sangsangmadang. ![The alley near the entrance of Yakitori Iyu](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers-02-1q55f-966.webp) ![Standing signboard with the signature menu at the entrance of Yakitori Iyu](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers-03-179hl-966.webp) At the entrance there's a big standing signboard showing the signature menu at a glance. Along with yakitori, dishes like yurinchi (crispy fried chicken with tangy sauce) and other chicken dishes made great drinking food, so picking a menu was already fun before even stepping inside. ![Signboard menu listing yurinchi and chicken dishes](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers-04-uyxwb-966.webp) ## Are the bar seats good for solo drinking or a date? Inside Yakitori Iyu, the bar seats really caught my eye. You know those days when you'd rather have a quiet drink alone than sit in a bar crowded with groups. ![Bar seats at Yakitori Iyu, good for solo drinking](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers-05-145hu-m-966.webp) It struck me as a solid spot for solo drinking in Hongdae on days like that. And for two people, like us, it's good for a date too. ![Seating inside Yakitori Iyu](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers-06-xvi8e-966.webp) ![Interior atmosphere good for two people](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers-07-bqf1l-m-966.webp) At past table-heavy izakayas, even visiting as a pair could get surprisingly loud around us. The yakitori style of eating one skewer at a time while drinking definitely felt calmer. ![The calm interior of Yakitori Iyu](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers-08-1ax90-m-966.webp) ![Bar counter and lighting at Yakitori Iyu](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers-09-wtbsz-966.webp) ## What we ordered: five-skewer assortment, tsukune and fried radish ![Menu at Yakitori Iyu](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers-10-v2g4f-966.webp) ![Menu page listing skewer types](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers-11-yd4zq-966.webp) ![Menu page listing side dishes and drinks](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers-12-f5y5b-966.webp) That day at Yakitori Iyu we ordered the five-skewer assortment, a fried radish dish, and tsukune (grilled ground chicken meatball skewers). The assortment looked great from the start — the owner grilled each one carefully, so the surface came out golden brown with a fairly deep charcoal aroma. ![A plate of the five-skewer assortment grilled over charcoal](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers-13-16qo6-1200.webp) What I liked was that the skewers weren't drowned in sauce. The seasoning stayed light rather than heavy, so each cut's flavor came through differently. I've had yakitori elsewhere where the sauce was so strong I got tired of it after a few pieces, but here it was easy to eat slowly alongside drinks. ![Yakitori grilled lightly seasoned by cut](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers-14-1shg3-966.webp) We also ordered the tsukune separately, and it had a different feel from the assortment, so I was glad we added it. We also had the fried radish dish, which isn't a typical izakaya side, so it paired well between skewers. ![Tsukune skewers ordered separately](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers-15-10l5u-966.webp) ![Fried radish side dish served alongside](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers-16-1i0r6-966.webp) ![Table set with skewers](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers-17-ziezs-966.webp) Rather than ordering a lot of everything at once, starting with the assortment and adding whatever caught my eye worked well for me personally. ![Yakitori spread enjoyed with drinks](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers-18-1ouf9-966.webp) ![A drink enjoyed at Yakitori Iyu](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers-19-ftpm8-966.webp) ## Honest verdict: who is Yakitori Iyu right for? Thinking back on the yakitori places I've tried in Hongdae, how well the skewers are grilled ends up mattering most to me. At Yakitori Iyu, the owner grills every skewer himself, so the outside came out golden with a proper charcoal aroma, and I liked that the seasoning leaned light rather than heavy. With the five-skewer assortment plus tsukune and fried radish, the menu didn't feel one-note either. Above all, this place feels better suited to people looking for a Hongdae izakaya where you can talk slowly over one skewer at a time, rather than a loud spot for just drinking. If you're alone, try a light solo drink at the bar seats; if you're with someone, it makes a good date spot for a drink with yakitori :) ## Where it is - Yakitori Iyu (야키토리 이유) - 20-13 Jandari-ro, B1F, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea - 서울특별시 마포구 잔다리로 20-13 지1층 - 37.551411, 126.9207184 - Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EC%95%BC%ED%82%A4%ED%86%A0%EB%A6%AC%20%EC%9D%B4%EC%9C%A0/@37.551411,126.9207184,17z --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@seoul-corkboard/hongdae-yakitori-iyu-bar-seat-skewers/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt