Pre-show yakitori dinner near Mapo Arts Center: Yakitori Shomong

Is Yakitori Shomong good for dinner before a Mapo Arts Center show?

Yakitori Shomong is a yakitori izakaya (Japanese-style pub) on the Gyeongui Line Forest Park trail between Gongdeok Station and Daeheung Station, so it's a handy spot for dinner before a show at Mapo Arts Center. I've been dropping by Mapo Arts Center surprisingly often lately. It has long staged ballet now and then, but this year there are even more varied performances, so I've already been several times.

This day too, I was looking for somewhere to eat near the theater before the show, and the Gyeongui Line Forest Park izakaya Yakitori Shomong popped up on my radar. It sits between Gongdeok Station and Daeheung Station, so it's easy to reach from the stations, and easy to walk over to Mapo Arts Center afterward.

Yakitori Shomong parking, corkage and opening hours

Yakitori Shomong has no parking spaces, so if you come by car you'll need to find parking in a nearby building. Corkage has been free with a course, but I hear it will be ₩20,000 per bottle from May 2026.

• Hours: Mon–Fri 17:00–23:00, Sat–Sun 12:00–23:00
• Last order: 21:55
• Address: 291-5 Dongmak-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul (1st floor)
• Getting there: 5 minutes from Gongdeok Station Exit 1 (Line 5, Line 6, Gyeongui-Jungang Line, AREX) or Daeheung Station Exit 3 (Line 6)
• Reservations: Naver

Weekday evening at Yakitori Shomong: do you need a reservation?

I walked in right at the weekday opening time of 5 p.m., but by around 6 the tables were full and a line formed outside, so I'd recommend booking ahead at Yakitori Shomong. I reserved right away through Naver Map before going. I had time to spare that day, so I went at opening, and after that the waiting line started.

Window seats and the interior

The window seat at Yakitori Shomong has a wonderfully open view of the Gyeongui Line Forest Park. That's where we were shown. The weather was nice and cool, so the outdoor terrace seats looked great too. The mood is just right for a romantic date, too.

Inside, the tables are wide and well spaced, so nobody bothers anybody else. Lovely.

This is the basic table setting.

You scan a QR code with the device at each seat and order from there.

Yakitori Shomong menu: what to order

The main attraction, yakitori (grilled chicken skewers), is served as an omakase (chef's choice) where you pick 3, 6 or 9 skewers. We ordered two 6-course sets with abalone pot rice and salted caramel ice cream for ₩81,600.

The menu is big, so I only captured the main meal items. Skewers alone felt like not enough, and the set menus with a range of sides and dessert were better value. I was tempted by the 9 skewers but compromised on 6, and every side dish was calling my name, but I settled on the abalone pot rice.

Otoshi: beans in miso sauce

The otoshi (the small starter served by default) at Yakitori Shomong is beans tossed in miso sauce. Normally I really hate beans... but I was curious and tried one, and huh...?! It's good! Maybe it's how well they go with the miso sauce, but I kept reaching for them like a side dish.

The 6-skewer yakitori omakase lineup

First: chicken tenderloin with plum wasabi

The first of the 6 skewers at Yakitori Shomong was chicken tenderloin topped with plum wasabi.

The tender, soft texture was so good.

Second: chicken thigh with truffle salt

The second skewer was chicken thigh sprinkled with truffle salt.

Crispy outside and tender inside, so good! This is the taste that makes you think, "So this is why people eat yakitori."

Third: signature tsukune with soy-sauce egg yolk dip

Third was the signature tsukune of Yakitori Shomong, served with a soy-sauce egg yolk sauce. Tsukune is a Japanese chicken meatball: minced chicken shaped into a long piece and grilled. It's not easy to find elsewhere, which made it even tastier.

Fourth: chicken heart

From the fourth skewer on, I'm told the lineup can change from day to day, as omakase does. For us, it was chicken heart.

That distinctive texture is so good. I think it makes my top 2 of the day!

Fifth: breast cartilage

The fifth skewer was breast cartilage, with that crunchy cartilage texture to enjoy.

Sixth: pelvic meat

The last, sixth skewer was pelvic meat.

The pelvic meat had crispy skin and a soft inside, exactly my taste. Along with the heart, it was my top 2 of the day! The salt seasoning on the yakitori at Yakitori Shomong is wonderfully judged overall, so the flavor shines without any other sauce.

How long does the abalone pot rice take, and how was it?

The abalone pot rice at Yakitori Shomong arrives while you're working through the skewers, and since it's pot rice, it reportedly takes 15 to 20 minutes.

Wow, three whole abalone in there, such generosity... 🥹 The rich abalone innards sauce with a waft of sesame oil made it even tastier.

Dessert: salted caramel ice cream

The set at Yakitori Shomong finishes with salted caramel ice cream.

Sweet vanilla ice cream and rich caramel sauce meeting crushed crackers is a top-tier combo. Dessert made it a perfect finish. A lovely dinner with all kinds of yakitori skewers 🩷

Drink prices at Yakitori Shomong are reasonable, so a drink would have been nice, but since I came before a show I only ate, which is a pity. Next time I come back, I definitely want a drink with it 🍻