Your Ultimate Guide to Yakitori: Where to Find the Best Omakase and BBQ Delights in Korea

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Top Yakitori Spots

• A refined yakitori omakase in Yeonnam-dong: ‘Yakitori Muk’
• Yakitori with a charming vibe in Busan: ‘Busanjeong’
• ‘Yayoi’ in Daegu — where the ingredients shine
• Itaewon institution with 17 years of skewers: ‘Yakitori Gou’ (Itaewon Main)
• Gangnam pick favored by Shinsegae vice chairman Jeong Yong-jin: ‘Yakitori Pano’

As temperatures climb, you might feel sluggish and lose your appetite. Heavy meals start to feel like too much. Why not grab a cold beer and enjoy light, grilled skewers with friends instead? Yakitori—Japanese skewers of bite-sized chicken, pork, beef, or offal seasoned with salt or sauce and grilled—is clean, simple, and perfect for warm nights. Here are five yakitori spots that make a hot summer evening feel effortless.

Refined yakitori omakase in Yeonnam-dong: ‘Yakitori Muk’

Yakitori Muk in Seoul hand-prepares domestic native chickens daily and grills them over binchotan charcoal. The restaurant serves omakase only in two seatings, so reservations are required. They thoughtfully curate drinks to pair with the skewers and ask parties to order either one bottle per group or one drink per person. The smoky, cozy interior lets you watch the chef grill each skewer. Because the menu shifts with the day’s ingredients, every bite is fresh—properly cooked, juicy, and free of any off-flavors. Multiple sauces are offered so you can mix and match to your liking.

See ‘Yakitori Muk’ on Siksin for details▶

• ✔Location

1F Right, 165-1 Seongmisan-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul

• ✔Hours

Daily 5:00 PM–11:00 PM (Last order 10:00 PM) / Closures announced on Instagram

• ✔Price

Yakitori Muk omakase 35,000–45,000 KRW ($26.25–$33.75)

Yakitori with a charming vibe in Busan: ‘Busanjeong’

Busanjeong is a cozy izakaya that’s ideal for drinks with friends. Specializing in yakitori, they offer set menus of 13 or 16 skewers and let you add individual pieces a la carte. Expect everything from specialty chicken cuts to wings and crispy skin, with both seasoned and salt-grilled options. The salt-grilled skewers are clean and light, while the sauced skewers are balanced and savory. Additional menu items—like not-too-salty grilled pollack roe and tsukune (meatball skewers with a tteokgalbi-like texture)—make it a perfect spot to linger over drinks.

See ‘Busanjeong’ on Siksin for details▶

✔Location

13-1 Sinam-ro, Busanjin-gu, Busan

• ✔Hours

Mon–Sat 6:00 PM–10:00 PM / Closed every Sunday

• ✔Price

13-skewer set 41,500 KRW ($31.13) / 16-skewer set 50,500 KRW ($37.88)

‘Yayoi’ in Daegu — where the ingredients shine

Yayoi in Daegu highlights the natural flavors of domestic chicken by grilling over binchotan charcoal. The menu goes beyond yakitori—expect sashimi, Japanese oden, and grilled fish as well. Their yakitori selection includes handmade tsukune, thigh, breast cartilage, neck, gizzard, skin, tenderloin, gingko-and-leek skewers, and more. Choose between salt or soy-based sauce. Each skewer is juicy and tender, with a delicious charred aroma.

See ‘Yayoi’ on Siksin for details▶

• ✔Location

1F, 376-7 Deul-an-ro, Suseong-gu, Daegu

• ✔Hours

Mon–Sat 6:00 PM–2:00 AM (Last order 1:00 AM) / Closed every Sunday

• ✔Price

Assorted skewers (6 types) 28,000 KRW ($21.00)

Itaewon institution with 17 years of skewers: ‘Yakitori Gou’ (Itaewon Main)

Yakitori Gou in Itaewon works with fresh meat delivered daily and prepares each skewer with care. While many items are crowd favorites, the grilled beef omasum skewer stands out. Marinated in a special tare, the beef’s rich fat and savory seasoning create a uniquely addictive bite. Each skewer soaks up the grill’s smoky flavor and is cooked to a texture that suits its cut—crispy where it should be, tender where it should be.

See ‘Gou’ (Itaewon Main) on Siksin for details

B1, 45 Itaewon-ro 27ga-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

• ✔Hours

Sun–Thu 5:00 PM–1:00 AM (Last order 11:45 PM) / Fri–Sat 5:00 PM–2:00 AM (Last order 1:15 AM)

• ✔Price

Hatsu 3,300 KRW ($2.48), Hatsu-moto 4,300 KRW ($3.23), Gou hormone 5,300 KRW ($3.98)

Gangnam pick favored by Shinsegae vice chairman Jeong Yong-jin: ‘Yakitori Pano’

Yakitori Pano in Gangnam serves an omakase that uses many parts of a single chicken. Reservations are phone-only, so it can be hard to secure a spot—but the intimate, Japan-like atmosphere and excellent value make it worth the effort. The 15-course sequence moves from light starters like tomato and cucumber through heart, neck, thigh, and other skewers, finishing with a satisfying final dish.

See ‘Yakitori Pano’ on Siksin for details▶

1F, 13-5 Seolleung-ro 157-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul

Tue–Fri 6:00 PM–11:45 PM (Last order 10:45 PM) / Sun 6:00 PM–10:00 PM (Last order 9:00 PM) / Closed every Monday

• ✔Price

Pano course (omakase) 85,000 KRW ($63.75)