Octavarium Live Hall

Sangsu <Men Takamusho>. The chef is said to have come from Menya Musashi, and that style is clearly present. This level of reproduction earns the right to use the name. There is one menu item: tsukemen. The dipping broth is thick, and the noodles taste excellent. I was satisfied enough to tolerate a modest wait in the future. It is welcome to have a dedicated tsukemen shop.

Sangsu <The Pizza>. Places close to concert venues are, oddly enough, easy to overlook, so it took me this long to visit. It turned out to be quite good. Being a halal restaurant is an interesting point as well. Anything on the menu seems likely to clear a solid baseline. Worth stopping by before or after a show, and it stays open generously late, until 2 a.m.

Sangsu <Giseungjeon Dak>. I came here after seeing that they serve nothing but chicken dishes, ranging from chicken kalguksu to chicken gomtang, chicken feet, and seasoned chicken. I was very satisfied with the unpretentious, tender, simple, and clean flavors. The fact that it's open 24 hours is also a plus. You think the only thing to eat in the Hongdae area after 10 PM is spicy bar snacks? Not at all.

Hongdae <Gilsang Lamb Skewers>. It may not feel irreplaceable, but the existence of a restaurant this accessible that reliably serves one familiar, satisfying dish after another is extremely valuable. Everyone in the group was highly satisfied overall. Another dependable place has been added to the list.

Hapjeong <Big Kebab>. Located where anyone passing nearby would recognize it. The lamb is tender and the sauce fits well. Despite being in the club district, surprisingly short on simple food, it is appropriately good enough to choose without regret. Skip the potatoes and order a larger kebab.

Hongik Univ. <Darak Two>. A very old restaurant specializing in chicken *gomtang*. The chicken kalguksu uses the same broth. Taste it before dissolving the *dadaegi*; it is already complete enough to make leaving it untouched seem plausible. The picked chicken is tender, and the noodles are cooked well, making the bowl easy to eat. Quite good.

Hongik Univ. Station <Qmen>. A new ramen shop serving only shoyu ramen. Even the basic bowl is generous and properly supplied with chashu. The fundamentals are solid in every respect. The soup is a double of chicken and katsuobushi. There is no noodle-doneness option yet and the default is soft, but the owner will cook them a little less if asked.

Hongdae <Kamiya>. Okonomikatsu. The menu is broad. A crisply fried, moderately thick Jeju black-pork cutlet is covered with okonomiyaki sauce and bonito flakes. The portion is generous, yet the price remains below KRW 10,000. In a district where stores change every six months, a place thriving for fifteen years has its reasons.

Hongdae <Sneakers Burger Club>. I rarely praise this strongly, but for so-called “American flavor,” I genuinely cannot think of anywhere in Seoul that surpasses it. Bun, patty, cheese, jalapeño, grilled onion—every element is delicious. The potatoes are excellent too; dip them in mayonnaise.

Hongdae <Sogeum Noodle House>. Cold tsukemen, 270 g of noodles. This is Yuzu Ramen's flagship store. Tsukemen usually pairs cold noodles with warm dipping broth, but here the broth is cold too. A shoyu-and-yuzu base with a little chili oil adds a sour-spicy kick. The menma, chashu, and noodles are all excellent, making for a very pleasant bowl.