Hoegi izakaya open till 3am: mochi tofu, yuzu highball — Hamaru Hoegi

A review of Hamaru Hoegi, a great izakaya for a drink on Gyeonghuidae-ro near Hoegi Station.

Where is Hamaru Hoegi, and what does it look like from outside?

Hamaru Hoegi sits along the road heading up from Hoegi Station toward Kyung Hee University. The exterior has that Japanese izakaya feel that catches your eye as you pass by, and there are outdoor patio-style seats out front too, which looked like a nice option on a nice-weather day.

There are plenty of bars near Hoegi Station, but Hamaru's menu ranges from yakitori to hot-plate dishes, making it a good place for dinner and drinks together.

Inside Hamaru Hoegi: the bar counter seats

Stepping inside Hamaru Hoegi, you get that comfortable feel unique to Japanese izakayas. There are table seats and bar seats, so it's good for a group of friends and also works fine for a relaxed date over drinks.

It's not overly formal — more of a relaxed place to enjoy food and drinks — so it seems like a solid choice for a second round in Hoegi. We had table seats available too, but we liked the Japanese atmosphere so we sat at the bar counter!

Hamaru Hoegi menu — what we ordered

Hamaru has a wide range of Japanese-style dishes to go with drinks, from yakitori to okonomiyaki, yakisoba, and motsunabe (offal hot pot). There were so many good-looking options it was hard to choose... in the end we ordered

• ✔️ Okonomiyaki with extra cheese
• ✔️ Five kinds of yakitori
• ✔️ Handmade mochi tofu

that's what we went with.

Seafood okonomiyaki with extra cheese

First up, the okonomiyaki! We added cheese to the handmade-batter seafood okonomiyaki, and the cheese definitely brought in a savory richness that made it delicious. Topped with sauce, mayo, and bonito flakes, it had a familiar flavor that worked well as a drinking snack, and the batter wasn't too thick or dry, so it was easy to eat without feeling heavy. If you like cheese, I'd recommend adding it.

Five kinds of yakitori with a charcoal aroma

Next, the five kinds of yakitori! Being able to try several types of skewers at once was great since there were two of us. Grilled over charcoal, they had a subtle smoky aroma, and each skewer had a slightly different texture and flavor, so it was fun picking through them one by one. The salty tare sauce paired well with drinks too — if you're at an izakaya, I'd recommend ordering at least one round of yakitori.

Handmade mochi tofu, made in small batches daily

Then the mochi tofu we ordered as a side. Chewy yet soft in texture, it was nice to have in between bites of skewers or hot-plate dishes, and mixing in something like this instead of just heavy snacks the whole time made for a good combination. They said it's a dish made in small batches only once a day, so if you like mochi tofu and it's on the menu, it's worth trying.

The yuzu highball

We also ordered a yuzu highball, and the distinctive tangy-sweet yuzu flavor went well with the food. 🍋 It paired nicely with salty dishes like yakitori and okonomiyaki, and was also good for just casually enjoying a drink.

How did the food taste overall?

Overall, Hamaru felt like the kind of place where instead of focusing on one dish, you order several small plates and share bites of each! The okonomiyaki was savory and filling with the added cheese, and the combo of char and tare sauce on the yakitori was great 🤤

Verdict: is Hamaru Hoegi good for late-night drinks near Hoegi Station?

This is a solid izakaya if you're looking for a place to drink with friends in Hoegi, or want a casual drink with dinner near Kyung Hee University. Worth noting especially that it's open until 3am on Fridays and Saturdays, so it's good for keeping the night going late 🙆🏻‍♀️