Yamaya Yeouido Lunch Review 2026: Mentaiko Chicken Karaage Set

Yamaya Yeouido branch offers a delicious Japanese meal set

where you can enjoy **mentaiko** (spicy pollock roe)

as an **unlimited** side dish!

Since my company is in Yeouido, this is a popular spot I often visit

for both lunch and dinner.

Their lunch menu, in particular, offers fantastic value for money :)

Today, I'm excited to share my review

of the **lunch menu** with my colleagues.

Yeouido Lunch Spot

Yamaya Location

The Yamaya Yeouido branch

is located in the **iM Securities Arcade Annex**.

It can be a little confusing on your first visit,

but it’s not in the main iM Securities building.

Instead, you'll find it in a smaller building

closer to Yeouido Station!

Since places like Paul Bassett,

Mahogany Coffee,

and Yamaya are all here, first-timers should

simply look for the **Paul Bassett sign**.

Yamaya Yeouido Parking

Parking is available in the iM Securities main building,

and if you register your car number,

you get **2 hours of free parking** initially.

(After that, ~$1 per 10 minutes)

As you walk past the Paul Bassett sign,

you'll see Mahogany Coffee and

the **Yamaya sign on the 2nd floor**.

Once you've spotted this sign,

simply head up the stairs!

Yamaya offers a **special lunch menu**

that's exclusively available on weekday lunchtimes.

Limited to weekday lunches,

it's only available for order

from **11:00 AM to 2:30 PM**.

So, if you're searching for an amazing lunch spot in Yeouido,

you absolutely have to check it out :)

(Keep in mind, there *is* a lunch menu on weekends and holidays,

but it's a bit pricier and the dishes are slightly different.)

Yamaya Yeouido Reservations

If you head there for weekday lunch,

there are always **at least 2-3 groups**

waiting, so I highly recommend getting there

as early as possible to put your name down for a table.

At the entrance of Yamaya Yeouido,

there's a cozy waiting area. And, true to its reputation

as a renowned Yeouido lunch spot famous for mentaiko,

they also sell a delightful variety

of mentaiko products!

We put our name down around 12 PM that day,

and after a pleasant **10-minute wait**, we were finally

seated!

Yamaya Yeouido Lunch Menu

There are a total of 8 lunch menu options,

with prices ranging from

~$12 ~ ~$18 (for the Motsunabe set meal).

You can also order lunch side dishes,

but the lunch set meals are quite generous in portion,

so I recommend trying your main dish first

and then ordering more if you're still hungry!

These basic side dishes, like

mentaiko (pollock roe) and pickled mustard greens,

are absolutely delicious and make you want to eat more rice... they're truly 'rice thieves'! ✨

I've tried almost all of the lunch menu items,

Yamaya's signature dishes, like the

Motsunabe set meal and the

Beef Intestine with Miso Sauce Stir-fry set meal, are both fantastic, but

sometimes eating offal dishes for lunch

can feel a little heavy.

That's why

I usually save Motsunabe for dinner

and prefer a lighter and cleaner option

for lunch.

On this particular day, we all

were craving fried chicken,

so we ordered three servings of the

Mentaiko-flavored Fried Chicken Set Meal!

While Yamaya is famous for its Motsunabe,

their chicken dishes are also incredibly delicious!

With a delicate hint of mentaiko flavor,

this Japanese-style fried chicken has a wonderfully savory taste. 😋

Taking some mentaiko and pickled mustard greens,

and placing them on your plate,

then eating them with rice, vegetables, and fried chicken –

it's truly the best combination!😌

How to Enjoy Yamaya's Lunch to the Fullest

There's a guide at each table titled 'How to Enjoy Yamaya's Lunch to the Fullest,'

and I highly recommend trying it exactly as described! lol

1. After eating about half of your rice,

pour in the umadashi (broth).

2. Sprinkle with the green onions and sesame seeds from the small dish.

3. Top with mentaiko and pickled mustard greens and enjoy!

By the way, since the Motsunabe set meal is a soup dish,

the umadashi broth isn't provided separately for it.

Eating it this way,

you can even enjoy a perfect finish with Mentaiko Ochazuke! 😉

Another satisfying lunch

in Yeouido completed today!

As it's a fantastic Japanese restaurant,

they also offer various sakes by the glass,

but it's a little regrettable since you can't have alcohol with lunch! 🤣

It's one of my favorite restaurants in Yeouido,

so I visit not just for lunch,

but often for dinner too.

While the weekday lunch menu undoubtedly offers the best value,

the evening atmosphere is also wonderful for a relaxed dinner paired with drinks, so keep that in mind!

Yamaya, a Must-Visit Lunch Spot in Yeouido

Wellness Archive Rating

An unlimited supply of mentaiko side dishes, culminating in a perfect Ochazuke finish – a truly exceptional weekday lunch course.

Before the trip (Expectation): ★★★★

During the trip (Experience): ★★★★

After the trip (Memory): ★★★★

*What is the Wellness Archive Index?