Yeonnam-dong date bar for aged kimchi tuna rolls: Ijillirya Yeonnam

I recently went back to Ijillirya Yeonnam, a bar with a great atmosphere in Yeonnam-dong. Warm vibe, and the side dishes are such good value — it's one of my favorite bars in Yeonnam-dong, so I ended up visiting again!!

Where is Ijillirya Yeonnam, and what are its hours?

Ijillirya Yeonnam is at 262-8 Donggyo-ro, 1st floor, Mapo-gu, Seoul. Hours are Mon–Thu 17:00–01:00 (last order 00:00), Fri 17:00–02:00 (last order 01:00), Sat 16:00–02:00 (last order 01:00), and Sun 16:00–01:00 (last order 00:00). It has a 4.5★ rating on Kakao Map, plus a birthday perk, vegan menu, takeout discount, and reservations.

Do you need a reservation, or is there a wait?

You can get a coupon when you book through Naver N Reservation, so it's worth using when you visit! Nice little bonus coupons like that are the best :)

The storefront and the walk from Hongik Univ. Station

Ijillirya Yeonnam is 9 minutes from Hongik Univ. Station Exit 3! It's a nice place to stop by while strolling along Gyeongui Line Forest Park on a date.

Inside Ijillirya Yeonnam: outdoor, window and bar seats

Ijillirya Yeonnam, this cool bar in Hongdae's Yeonnam-dong, also has an outdoor terrace that's perfect for enjoying nice weather these days.

The inside of Ijillirya is hard to describe... it has such a warm feel, perfect for a drink and good food! The windows are big so it never feels stuffy, and there are maybe 3 tables? Plus the window seats and bar seats have great vibes, so there's a nice variety of ways to enjoy the space.

What's on the menu at Ijillirya Yeonnam?

Ijillirya Yeonnam has a lot of Korean food on the menu too, so there's a wide range of makgeolli and traditional liquors!

Free starter snacks and the welcome drink

Ijillirya Yeonnam brings out a seasoned side dish? and pretzel snacks as the basic anju, and on top of that they gave us a welcome drink that's nice for a light start! :)

Ta-da!! Our order came out — the spicy-numbing hotpot, aged kimchi tuna rolls, and the traditional liquor taste test!

Spicy tingly hotpot: a huge amount of meat

Whew... the visual on this spicy-numbing hotpot is insane...!! The pot is packed with all kinds of mushrooms, mussels, and a ton of meat! It looks like amazing value just from looking at it, and the visual practically begs you to drink.

I loved this so much last time that I ordered it again, and it's just as good every time!!! It has a spicy kick from what seems like a gochugaru (chili powder) base, plus a mala numbness that even people who can't handle mala well should be able to enjoy!!

The amount of meat is really insane, right...?!

Aged kimchi tuna rolls

The aged kimchi tuna rolls are another dish I ordered last time — such good value that this alone could fill you up. The tangy but clean-tasting aged kimchi (mukeunji) is packed full of tuna inside, so one bite gives you a savory hit followed by a wave of tanginess. It pairs so well with the spicy-numbing hotpot!

Traditional liquor taste test: why it works on a date

I also ordered the traditional liquor taste test! I actually ordered this last time too, but I wanted to tell you about it again so I ordered it once more lol. The price is really nice, and just this one item gives you something to chat about with whoever you're with — especially great for a date with a crush, so I recommend it! Order this one to test what you like, then order more of the traditional liquor you end up liking :)

I'm more into this kind of rich, thick makgeolli rather than the lighter traditional liquors, so I ordered makgeolli lol. Mixing makgeolli with cider (Sprite-like soda) makes it taste like Milkis, and it's genuinely delicious!

That was Ijillirya Yeonnam, a bar with a great atmosphere in Hongdae's Yeonnam-dong that's great to visit with friends or a crush.