Clam soju stew with pasta noodles at Nani Byeolgwan, Yeongdeungpo

Getting from Yeongdeungpo Station to Nani Byeolgwan Yeongdeungpo Branch

My husband and I had a reason to be in Yeongdeungpo again after a while, and while we were deciding what to eat for dinner, the chance came up to visit a famous Yeongdeungpo izakaya at a discounted price (with some sponsored support), so I'm writing this review!

We took public transit, got off at Yeongdeungpo Station, and walked to the restaurant. The store's info said it's about 10 minutes from the station, but it felt like less than that to us! Since it's right across from Times Square, it's about a 3-minute walk from there. (We checked this ourselves crossing the crosswalk from Times Square to the restaurant, haha.) If you're driving, there's a paid public parking lot within 2 minutes of the restaurant you could use.

Hours and reservations

Nani Byeolgwan Yeongdeungpo Branch is closed on Sundays, so it doesn't operate that day. But on every other day except public holidays and Sundays, it runs from 6pm to 2am, with last order at 1am, haha. I booked a table for two ahead of time through Naver Reservation, and I'd recommend reserving in advance if you're visiting at a time when it's likely to be busy!

We came out of Exit 3 at Yeongdeungpo Station, walked straight along, crossed the crosswalk near Times Square, and headed to the restaurant, haha. (It's really close to Times Square!) It seemed like the perfect spot for people finishing work in the Yeongdeungpo area to stop by before heading home.

A warm, home-like exterior and interior

When you arrive, you'll see Nani Byeolgwan's exterior with a sign lit in this warm tone. It gave off more of a cozy, home-like feeling than the typical flashy izakaya look you find around the city, and personally I really loved that, haha.

Once inside, you find the same warm lighting filling the interior that you saw outside. Since we had a reservation, the staff kindly showed us to our seat right away as soon as we mentioned it. (Both the owner and staff were so friendly!) On our way to our table, I noticed there were also a lot of bar-style seats surrounding the kitchen. I thought those bar seats would be great for anyone coming for a light solo drink or wanting a unique experience while drinking with friends, haha.

Our two-top seat

We were shown to a two-person table. There was a basket under each chair for bags or belongings, which was so convenient. (I love this kind of thoughtful touch, TT.) Behind us was a display case decorated with books and liquor bottles, and with the lighting it had a dreamy, soft feel that kept catching my eye throughout the meal. It really showed how much thought went into the interior, haha.

How to order and what we picked

The staff told us to check the menu via the QR code on the wall and press the bell to order, so we tried it. The menu was laid out so cleanly and clearly that it was easy to browse, and it felt like the lineup was designed to draw your eye to exactly what you'd want to eat. With drinks on the menu too, it really seemed like the perfect place for office workers to unwind and have a cozy time after work. We ordered clam soju stew with added pasta noodles, chicken skewers, pork belly scallion skewers, and two draft beers!

The complimentary side dish and draft beer

First, the complimentary side dish and two glasses of draft beer arrived! I honestly didn't expect the basic side dish to be this good and was a bit surprised. It seemed to be cabbage dressed with sesame oil, pepper, and some sauce (I don't know the exact recipe, TT, I really want to know), but it was so delicious that I felt like I could finish my whole beer on that alone, haha.

How the clam soju stew and skewers tasted

Finally, the main dishes arrived: clam soju stew, chicken skewers, and pork belly scallion skewers. I'd been wondering just how many clams would actually be in the stew, and I was caught off guard when they came piled up almost like a mountain, haha. I really think you have to add the pasta noodles to the clam soju stew, because that broth with pasta noodles was truly the ultimate combination, haha. The clams were so fresh and delicious, and the broth was refreshing and savory — it was so good!

Both skewers were delicious too, but I personally thought the pork belly scallion skewer was amazing. Maybe it's because I love the flavor of garlic, onion, and scallion, but the scallion tucked inside the pork belly was so nutty and paired so well with the meat, haha. Overall, honestly all three dishes were so good that I wanted to try every other item on the menu one by one, haha.

I don't usually bother posting photos of an empty plate, but this one I had to take... it was so delicious we finished every last drop of the broth, haha.

There's a group room too

Just as a reference for anyone coming in a group, I took this photo, haha. On my way back from the restroom, I noticed another space and went to check what it was — turns out they've set up a group room so groups of customers can enjoy themselves comfortably. I thought this would be great for company dinners or after-parties with a group. They also take group seating reservations separately through Naver Reservation, so keep that in mind if you plan to use it!

Final thoughts

The two of us finished our meal and left without a single thing left over, haha. I was so happy to have visited Yeongdeungpo Station on a date and discovered such a delicious spot. Being able to enjoy this great izakaya at a discounted price (with some sponsored support) was wonderful, and the food quality was so good that it made me genuinely happy, TT. Personally, this is a place I definitely want to visit again!