Konkuk University izakaya bar for a weekday soju night with mixed skewers: Huto

Weekday evening! I clocked out fast and ran straight to Konkuk University Station (Kondae)! It felt like forever since I'd last been to Kondae! I think I used to come here now and then back in my university days! The place I'm introducing today is Huto (후토), an izakaya bar in Kondae.

It was a great spot for a glass of soju with tasty mixed skewers and aged sashimi! The atmosphere was cozy, and there was even the view from the second floor! Here's my honest record of Huto, a Kondae bar-snack favorite that left me satisfied.

Huto basics: near Konkuk University Station

Come out of Exit 2 at Konkuk University Station, walk straight along the main road, and it was easy to find! Not a factory-style izakaya~ but a Kondae bar-snack spot where you get handmade dishes prepared right in the shop. That's Huto.

• Name: Huto (후토)
• Address: 98 Dongil-ro 24-gil, 2F, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, South Korea (서울 광진구 동일로24길 98 2층)
• Hours: Mon–Fri 17:00–02:00, Sat 16:00–02:00, Sun 16:00–01:00

Second-floor izakaya atmosphere and seating

The shop is on the second floor! It felt like being on a trip to Japan! The sun hadn't set yet, but lights were already glowing prettily all around the room.

We arrived around 5:30! It looked like we were the first customers! As time passed, people kept coming in, and by the time we left it was full.

From tables where you sit face to face to counter (dachi) seats where you sit side by side and chat quietly! There was also an 8-person table, great for group get-togethers or work dinners in Kondae.

Besides the space you see from the entrance, there's a separate room at the back too! With its quiet, cozy mood for a drink, Huto looked just right as a Kondae date spot or a place for a blind date.

The staff were all men! The young staff were genuinely friendly! Whether it was the drinks we ordered or anything extra we asked for, they brought it right away.

The handmade anju (bar snack) menu

Not a factory-style izakaya! Hearing I could get handmade anju (bar snacks) had me a little excited!! Today's recommendations and seasonal menu were the assorted sashimi and the mixed skewer set. Beyond that: avocado with grilled pollock roe, whole squid jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup), charcoal-grilled salted mero (Patagonian toothfish), charcoal-grilled mackerel, charcoal-grilled large Spanish mackerel, and Tongyeong fried anago (sea eel)!!

There was a wide range of dishes that all looked delicious!! It's so well known as a Konkuk University Station bar-snack favorite that even though it's an izakaya, we came here as our first stop of the night! So we ordered generously.

Skewers, sashimi, cooked dishes, grilled dishes, soups, fried dishes, even simple meals! You could order all sorts of things to your taste, and the anju prices weren't much of a burden, which made Huto a nice place to order a variety.

Assorted sashimi and the 6-piece mixed skewer set

We went with the 6-piece mixed skewer set and the assorted sashimi set! For soju, each to their own taste: Chum-Churum! and Chamisul Fresh.

As a complimentary starter they gave us edamame! Beans I love! Great for a glass or two before the main anju arrived! And the owner thoughtfully brought one Chum-Churum shot glass and one Chamisul shot glass to match.

Assorted sashimi

The assorted sashimi let us enjoy a variety of aged fish. Sweet shrimp, salmon, octopus, abalone, flounder, mullet, bluefin tuna belly, and sea bream: all kinds of fish and all kinds of cuts.

They also brought lemon, radish sprouts, rakkyo (pickled scallion) and pickled ginger! The biggest plus was being able to enjoy so many kinds of gorgeous, appetizing aged sashimi.

The fish was cut on the thick side, so the chewy texture really coated the mouth! And the sweetness that grew the more you chewed was so appealing.

A bewitching anju that makes the soju go down smooth! Assorted aged sashimi! They put shaved ice underneath so it stayed fresh and cold! We enjoyed it start to finish. And unlike the live-fish sashimi at a regular raw fish restaurant!! Because it's aged, it had a deep umami and soft texture you don't get from live fish!! Thumbs went straight up.

6-piece mixed skewer set

Fresh ingredients prepped right in the shop! Grilled with care over good oak charcoal: that's this mixed skewer set. Chicken thigh, chicken tail, asparagus wrapped in pork belly, tteok (rice cake) wrapped in pork belly, pork jowl, and gizzard! With so many different cuts and ingredients, there was a whole range of textures.

They seemed to have brushed on a little teriyaki sauce while grilling! The seasoning was just right! And the rich charcoal aroma made it all the more delicious.

They were served on raw cabbage! So we got to enjoy the crunchy cabbage too! My favorite of the skewers was the tteok-wrapped pork belly! Pork belly with chewy garaetteok (cylindrical rice cake)!! Thinly sliced pork belly plus the sweet teriyaki seasoning!! So totally my style that I kept reaching for it.

Verdict on a weekday-evening drink

Huto, the Kondae izakaya, was a great place for a glass of soju with delicious handmade anju. The food and the atmosphere were satisfying! And since it's close to Konkuk University Station, it's easy to get to and easy to head home from.

Especially because it's on the second floor rather than in a basement! You could look outside! Cozy space and moody lighting!! It was just right for a quiet chat over soju. Catching up on this and that with my department head, whom I hadn't seen in ages! A good place for a drink with tasty anju! And with the friendly staff, Huto even lifted my mood.