Seongsu okonomiyaki date with bear candle and memo notes: Oshi Black

I was out on a date with my boyfriend in Seongsu and wanted something a bit different to eat, so we went to Oshi Black Seongsu. I already love Japanese dishes cooked right on the griddle, like okonomiyaki and yakisoba, but this place made me happy the whole meal — not just because of the food, but the atmosphere and service were fun too. It really had that free, playful Seongsu vibe running through it, so I think anyone looking for a Seongsu date spot would love it.

Where is Oshi Black Seongsu?

Oshi Black Seongsu is on the basement floor at 22-18 Seoulsup 4-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It sits in a Seongsu backstreet between Seoul Forest Station and Ttukseom Station.

A Japanese teppan restaurant hidden below Seoul Forest 4-gil

Oshi Black Seongsu serves all kinds of okonomiyaki and yakisoba and other Japanese teppan dishes. From Oshi Modan-yaki to Negi Okonomiyaki to Triple Cheese Okonomiyaki, the menu is varied enough that I had to pause and think about what to order on my first visit. That day we ordered the Oshi Modan-yaki and the yakisoba pork belly roll.

The restaurant is on the basement level, but there was something eye-catching right at the entrance. There's a chair shaped like a hand holding an okonomiyaki sitting out front — it was so quirky and cute I wanted to snap a photo before even going in, haha. True to its Seongsu location, it had that current, trendy feel everywhere.

The walls and the bathroom door were covered edge to edge with notes left behind by past customers. Reading through the little messages people left was surprisingly fun. It didn't feel like just a neatly decorated restaurant — it felt like a space built up piece by piece by the customers who visited, which made it more interesting.

The question memo notes waiting at every seat

We were seated at the bar table, and as soon as we sat down another fun detail caught my eye. There was a little memo card at the seat with a sentimental line written on it.

"Is there someone on your mind right now?" "What would you like to do together with that person?"

That was the kind of question printed on it, and it turned out to be a nice conversation topic to bring up with the person you're eating with. We naturally ended up chatting about all sorts of things because of it. It seemed like such a small thing, but it made the meal a little more fun. Dates can fall into a routine of good food then a café, but a small touch like this stuck with me — I think it would suit anyone looking for a Seoul Forest date or Seongsu date spot.

The bear candle Oshi Black Seongsu puts in your okonomiyaki

One of my favorite things about Oshi Black Seongsu was how attentive the staff were. They checked in on us during the meal — whether we were comfortable, whether we needed anything — with good timing, and it never felt intrusive, just natural.

Since we came as a couple, they even stuck a cute bear-shaped candle into our okonomiyaki. 🐻 That was totally unexpected, and it genuinely made me happy. We never mentioned it was a special occasion, so this little gesture stuck with me even more. It made me think this place would work well for a birthday or anniversary date too. It wasn't just eating and leaving — the whole experience of the meal itself was enjoyable, haha.

Watching the chefs cook from the bar table

Another perk of the bar table is that you can watch the teppan cooking happen right in front of you. Seeing the okonomiyaki being made up close meant I wasn't bored waiting at all. Watching the ingredients cook on the griddle and catching that delicious smell built up anticipation before the food even arrived.

There's something more fun about teppan cooking like this than just having the food handed to you — watching it get made adds to the experience. It would be great for hanging out and chatting with friends, and just as good for a couple watching together over a meal.

Oshi Modan-yaki, 20,000 won

Our first dish was the Oshi Modan-yaki at ₩20,000. It's apparently Oshi Black's signature bestseller — stir-fried yakisoba noodles piled high with various ingredients and grilled together. Having yakisoba tucked inside the okonomiyaki made it feel much heartier than a regular okonomiyaki.

The first bite hit with a sweet-salty seasoning, and the chewy noodles blended nicely with the vegetables for good texture too. More than anything, my boyfriend and I kept saying,

"This tastes way fancier than I expected."

haha. It felt like eating a familiar okonomiyaki-and-yakisoba combo, but grilling the ingredients together on the teppan gave it a richer flavor. The portion was just right to split between two, and pairing it with one more dish was perfect.

Yakisoba pork belly roll, 14,000 won

And the dish I personally liked even more! It's the yakisoba pork belly roll, ₩14,000. Apparently it's another Oshi Black signature, rolling yakisoba together with melty cheese, egg, and savory pork belly.

When I first saw it, I thought, "How do you even roll yakisoba into pork belly?" but once I tasted it, the combination worked really well. The rich, savory umami of the fatty pork belly gets an extra boost from the cheese, while the egg's mild, nutty flavor softens everything in between. And with the yakisoba mixed in, I got several flavors all at once in a single bite.

This was personally my favorite dish of the day. If I had to describe it, it's like a pork belly omelet with yakisoba stuffed inside, haha. I thought the pork belly and cheese might make it a bit greasy, but the yakisoba sauce balanced it out better than expected, and I kept reaching for more. My boyfriend and I split it and really enjoyed it.

How the teppan dishes paired with zero-sugar cola

Instead of alcohol that day, we ordered zero-sugar cola, and it paired well with the food. Since both the okonomiyaki and the pork belly roll had sauce, cheese, and pork belly going on, the carbonation made things feel clean between bites.

That said, the menu itself really is built to go with drinks, so next time I'd love to have a light draft beer alongside it. 🍺 This place seems great for enjoying teppan dishes with a beer not just in the evening but during the day too, so it's worth remembering if you're looking for a daytime drinking spot in Seongsu or near Seoul Forest. Anyone searching for good food and beer near Ttukseom Station would probably enjoy this style of teppan cooking too.

Is Oshi Black Seongsu a good date spot?

What I loved about eating at Oshi Black Seongsu that day wasn't just the taste of the food. From the cute photo spot to the wall covered in customer notes, the question memos at every seat, and the teppan cooking visible from the bar table, there were so many small things to notice throughout the meal.

Above all, the staff were kind and thoughtful, which let my boyfriend and I enjoy the meal comfortably. Having them stick in the bear candle made it feel like an extra special date. Both dishes we ordered were satisfying, but the yakisoba pork belly roll especially stuck with me.

I think this is a fun place not just for okonomiyaki lovers, but for anyone who wants to try a familiar dish with a bit of a twist. Seongsu has so many restaurants that it's hard to decide where to go sometimes, but that day we had great teppan food and a lot of good conversation at Oshi Black Seongsu, so it ended up being a pretty satisfying date. Next time I'd like to try other okonomiyaki options and have a draft beer alongside it. With its great atmosphere, kind service, and good food, this is a Seongsu okonomiyaki spot we'd want to visit again. If you're looking for Japanese teppan food near Seoul Forest, it's worth stopping by. 🍻