Kushikatsu Kuma: Pyeongchon Station Kushikatsu Pub Review

Hi! Today I visited a kushikatsu spot near Pyeongchon Station. Kushikatsu Kuma seems incredibly popular these days. Last time I came, there were no seats and I couldn’t eat, but on this visit the outdoor seats were full again, and groups of four were waiting. Since there were just two of us, there was exactly one counter spot left, so we were able to sit down right away.

The location is a 2-minute walk from Pyeongchon Station Exit 2. It is close to the station, so it is easy to visit. I could not find listed business hours, but when I passed by before, it looked like it was open around 18:00. I heard it closes at 01:00, though it may close early if ingredients sell out.

For the basic snack, they serve cabbage with sauce. You dip the cabbage into the sauce, and it was unusual in a good way and tasty. We ordered one cold draft beer and one soju.

The menu also had assorted skewer sets, so we almost ordered one as-is, but then decided to choose only the items we wanted. *For single-item orders: 3 pieces for one person, 6 pieces for two people, and 9 pieces for three people are the minimum.

Shishito pepper, Cheongyang chili, beef, tonkatsu, shrimp, potato, cheese garlic tebasaki draft beer, soju

Maybe because we visited on a day when the place was full and there was a wait, the food took a little while to come out. Still, we had beer and cabbage, so it was manageable. The owner was so kind that even though it took some time, it still felt good to eat there. I ordered the tebasaki because reviews said it was a must-try, and it was the best tebasaki I have had so far. The seasoning was rich, nutty, salty, and seriously delicious.

Then the kushikatsu we ordered came out. As we tasted them one by one, every type was good. The owner told us when ordering that the Cheongyang chili was extremely spicy. I like spicy food, so I said it would be fine, but it really was very, very spicy. It was almost painful, so only order it if you are confident with spice. When I ate little bites between the richer fried pieces, it somehow worked pretty well.

The inside was plump and fully filled, so it was really tasty. The fried items with cheese were especially delicious. I came because this place is so popular lately, and now I understand why. When I want a simple drinking snack near Pyeongchon Station, there really is nowhere quite like Kushikatsu Kuma.

One good thing about the counter seats: you get a cute figurine view, so it genuinely feels a bit like being in Japan. The shop is rather small, so it is not exactly quiet. Maybe because of that, sitting at the counter actually made it easier to talk.

Near the end of the meal, they gave us an extra kushikatsu as a service item. I am not sure whether they did not tell us what it was, or whether I just did not hear, so we ate it while wondering what it could be. It turned out to be fried banana. The flavor was interesting, but it was not really my taste, so it went to my friend. The owner gave us this cute little service item, and was kind, kind, incredibly kind, which I really liked. Next time, I want to visit on a quieter weekday.