Yongridan-gil bar with big windows: 5-a-day mackerel sushi, Hatpiendo

When you're hunting for a bar in Yongridan-gil, some places pull you in for the food and others for the vibe. Hatpiendo had me curious before I even walked in — there was the mackerel bong-sushi (고등어봉초밥, mackerel rolled sushi) limited to just 5 orders a day, and once inside, floor-to-ceiling windows opened onto a wide evening sky.

Luckily, I got to try that 5-a-day dish too. I won't spoil everything up front — let's just say this was an evening that went pretty smoothly from the bong-sushi all the way to the dongpo pork.

How to find the Hatpiendo entrance: 2F stairs beside the convenience store

Hatpiendo sits on the 2nd floor of a building on Hangang-daero 54-gil, so it's worth paying attention to the entrance on your first visit. There are stairs up to the 2nd floor next to a convenience store, marked with an orange banner and arrow to follow.

The name was fun too. It's said to be inspired by a 1970s Japanese folk rock band's name, carrying the meaning of a good ending and a good close to the day. Once inside, that description lined up pretty well with the atmosphere.

Windows wide open at Hatpiendo, with the sunset setting the mood

The first thing that caught my eye at Hatpiendo was the floor-to-ceiling windows. The sky and surrounding buildings stretched out beyond the glass with almost no sense of enclosure, and since it was that time of evening, blue dusk light and sunset came pouring in together, making the mood even better.

The round lighting fixtures weren't overly bright either, more soft and warm, which matched the relaxed evening feel typical of an izakaya.

Since it was a fall evening, they had the windows left wide open, while the AC was running on full power. Windows flung open for the view, AC on full blast — they're pretty serious about that open, airy feeling. (It wasn't a particularly hot day, though, haha.)

At the bar, rows of whisky and other bottles lined up, giving the space itself something to look at. We started off ordering a Kirin draft beer for 8,900원 and a plum highball for 9,900원.

The Kirin draft hit exactly the note I like — the texture from the foam down to the finish was really smooth. A great way to start the night.

Mackerel bong-sushi, 27,000 won and just 5 a day: plain and wrapped in seaweed

And now, the first star dish of the night. The mackerel bong-sushi is 27,000원, and apparently they only sell 5 a day to keep the quality at its best. Since the quantity is limited, that's worth knowing before you visit if this dish is your main reason for going.

First, the seaweed (gim) came out.

This is good seaweed.

The seaweed wasn't just a side garnish, it was genuinely tasty. Paired with the thick, rich soy sauce that came alongside it, I immediately got a sense of how to eat the bong-sushi.

The mackerel wraps generously around the rice, with visible grill marks on the surface. Topped with scallions and sesame seeds, it had a substantial first impression.

They say they use top-grade wild-caught mackerel, and eating it, I especially liked how juicy the mackerel was.

It was plenty delicious just picked up and eaten on its own.

Next, I wrapped it in seaweed and dipped it lightly in the soy sauce. This combo was really good. The moist mackerel plus the crisp seaweed completely changed the texture even though it's the same piece of bong-sushi.

Plain first, then wrapped in seaweed. If you order the mackerel bong-sushi, I'd recommend trying it both ways in that order.

The Japanese-style dongpo pork, 24,000 won, was my favourite dish

If the bong-sushi played the role of signature dish, my personal favorite was fully claimed by the Japanese-style dongpo pork. It's priced at 24,000원.

A generous layer of sauce sat underneath thick cuts of meat topped with shredded scallions.

It came with egg and pickled red ginger on the side, so instead of just eating meat non-stop, I could mix things up along the way.

This was really my kind of dish. Sweet and salty, with a texture so soft it was basically like pudding.

I also love the slow-braised galbi (short ribs) I had at Chuseok, but by my own taste that day, this felt about twice as good.

Even if the bong-sushi is what draws your eye first at Hatpiendo, if you love a soft meat dish for drinking, the dongpo pork is worth putting on your list too.

Potato salad, 9,000 won: the fun of piling it onto biscuits

Last up, the potato salad for 9,000원.

It doesn't come as just a plain bowl of potato salad — biscuits are served alongside. I liked piling the salad on top of the biscuits much more than just eating it with a spoon.

The soft potato salad plus the crunchy biscuit made it good for slowly picking at as a drinking snack. Having a light dish like this alongside the more definitive mains like the mackerel bong-sushi kept the menu from feeling monotonous.

Why the name Hatpiendo, 'a good ending to the day', made sense

There wasn't just one single standout memory from Hatpiendo. The 5-a-day mackerel bong-sushi offered a different kind of fun eaten plain versus wrapped in seaweed,

and for my taste, the sweet-salty, really soft dongpo pork hit exactly the right note.

On top of that, with the evening sky pouring in through the big windows and the soft lighting, it felt less like a bar you eat and leave quickly and more like a place to slowly sip a drink and close out the day.

So if you're looking for a Yongridan-gil bar with one standout dish you really want to try, or picking a place based on the sunset and window view, Hatpiendo is worth considering. If the mackerel bong-sushi is your main goal, remember it's limited to 5 a day — pair it with the dongpo pork, and you'll get a pretty solid taste of what I loved about Hatpiendo that evening.