Izakaya in Sejong for tuna, sweet shrimp and uni: Honma

Whenever I have dinner plans in Sejong, I find myself wondering where to have something delicious with a drink. This time, I wanted a drink with tasty bar food in an atmosphere a little different from usual, so I visited Izakaya Honma (이자카야 혼마) in Dodam-dong. When you think of an izakaya, a Japanese-style bar, skewers, nabe hot pot, and sashimi usually come to mind, but Honma has a varied menu, so I thought it would also be fun to choose different dishes with a group. More than just a quick dinner, it was one of those days when I wanted to put several delicious dishes in front of me, chat slowly, and have a drink. I found this izakaya with a nice atmosphere, and the food and drinking atmosphere were even more satisfying than I expected, so I had a really lovely time.

An izakaya for dinner plans in Dodam-dong

Dodam-dong seems like a great neighborhood in Sejong for making plans with friends or a partner, since it has such a variety of restaurants and cafés. In the evening especially, there are plenty of places not only for dinner but also for a drink, making it a good area for after-work plans or weekend dinner gatherings. I headed to Dodam-dong around dinner time that day, already looking forward to relaxed drinks with delicious bar food.

These days, I prefer places where the food itself is delicious, so I can take care of both dinner and drinks rather than simply going somewhere to drink. Honma was exactly that kind of izakaya. It works for a filling meal, but it is also a good place to order a range of dishes and enjoy them with drinks, so I thought it would suit plenty of occasions. If you are looking for a good restaurant and bar in Dodam-dong, Honma is worth adding to your list.

The calm, cozy atmosphere at Izakaya Honma

From the moment I walked in, I could feel the distinct izakaya atmosphere, different from an ordinary restaurant. Rather than being excessively loud or hectic just because it is a bar, it felt like a place where you could comfortably enjoy food and drinks while talking. Food matters when I choose a bar, but the atmosphere matters a great deal too. I prefer having a drink somewhere a little calm and cozy rather than somewhere overly bright and restaurant-like. Honma really suited that preference.

It had an atmosphere that was nice for chatting comfortably with friends, as well as for dinner on a date with a partner. One advantage of an izakaya is being able to order dishes one at a time and drink slowly. Instead of finishing a meal all at once, you can have a bite of bar food, talk, take a drink, and try another dish, spending your time at an easy pace.

A platter of tuna, sweet shrimp, and uni

The dish I was looking forward to most at Honma that day was the platter featuring tuna, sweet shrimp, and uni, sea urchin roe. If you love seafood, doesn’t that combination make you excited just looking at it? Haha. The clean flavor of tuna, the sweet and tender texture of sweet shrimp, and uni’s nutty, rich flavor came together beautifully as drinking food.

As soon as the food arrived, I wanted to take proper photos of it first. When you order sashimi or seafood at an izakaya, the plating is often beautiful, which makes taking photos fun too. With tuna, sweet shrimp, and uni all on one platter, the whole table instantly felt more lively. The varied colors looked quite pretty in photos as well. I loved the presentation so much that it almost felt a shame to eat it right away.

Tuna with a clean, tender flavor

I tried the tuna first. Tuna is a relatively familiar kind of sashimi, but I think it has a different charm when eaten with drinks. Its tender bite and mild flavor made it easy to have between the other dishes. When you are drinking and having bar food, strongly seasoned dishes can feel a little heavy if you keep eating them, so clean-tasting sashimi like this is great for alternating between bites. I had a piece of tuna, a drink, then tried some other seafood, and time passed so quickly as I enjoyed everything slowly. Sashimi dishes like this really are essential at an izakaya.

Sweet shrimp and nutty uni together

The combination I especially enjoyed was the sweet shrimp and uni. As its name suggests, sweet shrimp has an appealing subtle sweetness, and its tender texture made it delicious even on its own. It was also fun to slowly taste each piece and compare the flavors.

Adding uni brought in a nutty, rich flavor that made everything feel even more abundant. I think anyone who enjoys seafood’s distinctive flavor would really love this combination. Personally, I think freshness is important with uni, and the pairing with sweet shrimp was very satisfying that day. The sweetness of the shrimp and the nuttiness of the uni worked so well together as drinking food.

Why it suited dates and friend gatherings in Dodam-dong

After visiting that day, I thought it would be lovely to come here with a partner too. Izakayas often have more atmosphere than an ordinary bar, making them great for dinner dates. Being able to talk over delicious food and drinks is another plus. On a date especially, I think taking your time over several different dishes makes more of a memory than quickly finishing one menu item and leaving. Sharing a piece of tuna, trying sweet shrimp, adding uni, and talking about which tastes best would naturally give you more to talk about. If you are planning a special date in Dodam-dong, I think an izakaya like Honma is a good choice.

It also seemed well suited to gatherings with friends, not just couples. With several people, you can order a variety of dishes and share them. Order one sashimi dish, add another bar-food dish, and let everyone choose drinks to their own taste, and you can take care of both dinner and drinks at once. When you meet friends you have not seen in a while, you can lose track of time while talking over drinks. At times like that, I prefer a space where you can sit comfortably and talk rather than a bar that is too cramped or hectic. In that sense, Honma seemed like a good option for a gathering with friends or a small drinking party.