Roji Oden, Dangsan: Busan Fish-Cake Hot Pot, Yakitori and Draft Beer by the Window

This visit was sponsored by Roji Oden. As always, all opinions are my own.

I was looking for a bar with a nice atmosphere near Dangsan Station and walked into Roji Oden. Fish-cake broth with a cold draft beer is an unbeatable combination, and the window seats were so comfortable I did not want to leave.

Name	Roji Oden, Dangsan (로지오뎅 당산직영점)
Address	Units 105–106, 1F, Dangsan Station Harrington Tower, 205 Dangsan-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul 서울 영등포구 당산로 205 당산역해링턴타워 1층 105·106호
Getting there	Right in front of Dangsan Station (Lines 2 & 9) · an easy walk from Yanghwa Hangang Park and Seonyudo Park
Hours	Mon–Fri 11:30–02:00 (break 14:00–17:00) Sat–Sun 17:00–02:00 · last order 01:00
Price	Busan mixed oden ₩23,000 · truffle jjapaghetti ₩8,000 · draft beer from ₩3,900
Good to know	Parking · reservations · groups welcome · free Wi-Fi
Disclosure	Sponsored visit

Right at Dangsan Station

You see it as soon as you come out of Dangsan Station, on the 1st floor of Harrington Tower. At night the glowing sign stands out even more. The sign reads ろじおでん in Japanese — roji means “alley.” The idea is a place that feels like the little alley bar you drop into at the end of the day.

Window counter seats with a view

There are several kinds of seating. Along the big windows runs a long counter (dachi seats), lit by bamboo lampshades, where you can watch the street as you eat. Each seat has its own oden pot. Further inside there are regular tables and tatami-style seating, so it works for drinking alone, a date or a noisy group of friends.

Tip for a first date: sitting side by side at the counter is much less awkward than sitting face to face.

Busan mixed oden (₩23,000)

The main event. A pot of assorted fish cakes arrives on skewers, topped with green onion and red chili. It stays hot the whole time, so you can take it slow. Mustard and yuzu sauce are on the side for dipping.

The broth is clean, not salty or harsh, but deep — the kind that makes you reach for a glass of soju. I kept going back for more.

What surprised me most was the fish-cake quality: fish-shaped ones, thin folded ones, ones stuffed with rice cake. This is a different league from ordinary fish-cake soup.

Yakitori, grilled to order

Yakitori is grilled right after you order, glazed with a tare sauce aged for 12 years, and has a real smoky flavor. We had a set of two ginkgo skewers and a set of two chicken-and-green-onion skewers. The ginkgo was clean and simple; the chicken was very tender and juicy.

Truffle jjapaghetti (₩8,000)

I could not resist. Korean black-bean instant noodles with truffle, topped with two halves of a soft-boiled egg. The truffle aroma is noticeable but not overpowering, and it balances perfectly with the oden broth. A generous portion for the price.

Drinks

We tried two draft beers: Kirin Ichiban Shibori for ₩6,000 and Terra for ₩3,900 — both ice cold. They also have sake and highballs. Look out for the Studio Ghibli posters on the walls.

Zoapik’s verdict

– Right at Dangsan Station — great after a walk in Yanghwa Hangang Park or Seonyudo Park – Busan mixed oden (₩23,000) — top-quality fish cakes, clean and deep broth – Truffle jjapaghetti (₩8,000) — fragrant but not heavy, good portion – Yakitori grilled to order with 12-year aged tare – Draft beer from ₩3,900 (Terra) and ₩6,000 (Kirin) – Counter, tables and tatami seats — solo, dates or groups – Window counter seats have a lovely atmosphere – Heads-up: weekday break time 14:00–17:00; last order 01:00

A stroll in Seonyudo Park, then oden broth and a draft beer at the window counter — that is a perfect Seoul evening. I will be back for the beef tendon oden and karaage.