Chicken nanban and Stanley-cup draft beer at Gisul, an Ansan izakaya

These days the evenings are getting cooler, and I wanted a change of pace — just a simple drink with my husband somewhere with a good atmosphere.

After some back and forth on where to go, we ended up at Gisul (기술), a Gojan-dong bar in Ansan that's been getting a lot of buzz for its side dishes — I'd been wanting to try it for a while.

The exterior was clean-looking with its own kind of charm, and true to the sign calling it a handmade-dish izakaya, it built up my expectations before we even walked in about what kind of signature dishes might be waiting inside.

What does Gisul look like inside? A giant cherry blossom tree at the center

Walking into Gisul, the first thing that caught my eye was the huge cherry blossom tree installation right in the middle of the room. With the blossoms in full bloom and the soft, cozy lighting, the whole place had a gorgeous, romantic, and warm feel to it.

The walls were covered with heartfelt quotes and posters for the signature menu items, which was fun to look around at. The table spacing and seating layout weren't cramped at all — really comfortable, and a great setup for chatting with my husband.

For anyone looking for a good-atmosphere bar in Ansan or an Ansan date spot, this is a place you can visit without any pressure and just enjoy the vibe.

There was disposable mouthwash set up at one side of the sink area, which was nice to have after eating or in the middle of drinking.

Gisul's complimentary snack and draft beer served in a Stanley insulated cup

At Gisul, once you sit down, you get an assorted crackers snack served in a cute little container as a complimentary starter.

When we ordered cold beer, I was impressed that they brought it out along with a Stanley insulated cup.

Thanks to that, a light frost formed as we drank, and the beer stayed cold and refreshing the whole way through instead of going lukewarm.

Hongjjamppong at Gisul: spicy, hearty seafood noodle soup

The first main dish to arrive was hongjjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup), our soup-based order. It came piled high with bean sprouts, bok choy, and shredded green onion — a really generous-looking bowl.

The broth was spicy with a nice hint of wok-fire flavor, and overall clean-tasting. Instead of being aggressively hot, it had a savory depth that came through from the ingredients, which made it a great pairing for drinks.

The amount of vegetables and other ingredients was generous too, so we finished it very satisfied.

Chicken nanban at Gisul: tender, spicy and savory

Next up was chicken nanban — softly fried chicken over fresh salad greens, topped with a special sauce. It came neatly plated with cherry tomatoes, chopped green onion, and a savory-spicy garnish.

The batter wasn't hard or overly crispy — it had a soft bite together with the meat, which I liked. The special sauce on top was spicy with a nutty savoriness that paired perfectly with the chicken.

Eating it together with the crunchy salad greens kept it clean and not greasy at all.

Hygiene at Gisul, down to the draft beer line cleaning date

On one wall, there was a notice reading 'Store Committed to Draft Beer Cleanliness,' along with the date of the most recent draft beer line cleaning, updated daily — which felt very trustworthy.

Seeing that kind of ongoing attention to hygiene and quality for the best-tasting beer made us feel even more at ease enjoying our drinks.

Delicious handmade dishes, a heartfelt atmosphere, and even small hygiene details — nothing was missing at Gisul, this Gojan-dong bar in Ansan. You could feel the care in every side dish, the kind of place where the drinks just keep going. Whenever I think of a cold beer with tasty food to go with it, this is a 200% return-visit spot, so I think we'll be back again soon.