Saetgang izakaya ingredient display and ice for soju: Robadayakki

While looking for a good-vibe izakaya in Yeouido, I ended up visiting Robadayakki Sodam Yeouido Branch. As the name suggests, it's a robatayaki-style bar, and stepping inside really felt like walking into a Japanese izakaya.

Where is Robadayakki Sodam Yeouido and when is it open?

• 📌 1st floor, units 113·114·115, 17 Yeouidaebang-ro 65-gil, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul
• 🏢 Seorin Building
• 🚇 About 5-minute walk from Saetgang Station Exit 1
• 🚇 Also walkable from Yeouido Station
• ⏰ Daily 17:00–01:30
• ⏰ Last order 00:30
• 🚗 Parking available

It's located between Yeouido Station and Saetgang Station, so it's a decent spot for a drink after work.

Once you're inside the building, there's a convenience store visible, and if you keep going further in, you'll find Robadayakki Sodam.

At first I thought 'is it really in here?' but once I went further in, the store was right there, so it wasn't hard to find.

Stepping inside Robadayakki Sodam feels like walking into Japan

The moment I opened the door, the whole atmosphere changed! The lighting was soft overall and there was a lot of wood in the interior, giving off a warm, cozy izakaya feel.

I took a lot of photos of the robatayaki concept especially, because there were rows of fish and skewers laid out right at the front, so you could see at a glance what was available even before ordering.

Having the ingredients that would actually be grilled laid out right in front of you gave it a real feel of walking into a local izakaya while traveling in Japan haha

Inside the store, prepared fish were neatly displayed in a fridge. Having the different types of prepped ingredients right there made it fun to browse what to order, and I could naturally picture the ordered dish going straight to the grill. With skewers and fish laid out on one side too, the distinct robatayaki atmosphere came through even more. It also felt like stepping into a local izakaya while traveling in Japan, so it was great for photos too!

What exactly is robatayaki?

What is robatayaki?

Quick note here! Robatayaki (炉端焼き) is a Japanese-style charcoal or hearth grilling method. The distinctive feature is that ingredients like fish, seafood, and skewers are grilled directly around the counter where guests sit, so there's the fun of watching the cooking happen right in front of you. That's why Robadayakki Sodam Yeouido Branch has counter seats set up.

Sitting at the counter seats, you can watch the staff grill skewers and fish right in front of you, which seemed like it would be fun to watch.

I actually took a lot of photos of the skewers being grilled that day lol

Counter seats, partitioned tables and a private room at Robadayakki Sodam

The seating at Robadayakki Sodam Yeouido Branch wasn't just one type but came in a variety of forms. There were counter seats where you can watch the cooking up close, and also regular table seats, each with partitions, which gave a more private feel than expected.

And further inside there was also a private room-type space, which seemed good for gatherings or work dinners where you want to talk more quietly. The space was well separated overall, so even with several people around, it felt less cramped next to neighboring tables.

The restroom was also clearly marked within the building, making it easy to find.

Starting with Kirin draft beer at 7,000 won

As soon as we sat down, we ordered a cold Kirin draft beer first. The price was ₩7,000! 💰

Since we were at an izakaya with such a strong Japanese vibe, of course we had to start with a draft beer lol. We picked our menu while drinking it cold.

The menu was more varied than expected, and there were several set menus prepared too. Some set menus came with a discount, so if you want to try a variety of dishes, going with a set menu seems like a good option.

A fried egg as the complimentary starter

While waiting after ordering, a fried egg came out as the basic side dish. It was oddly nice to get a fried egg as a complimentary side dish at a bar haha. It was also good for a light bite while having a beer.

The mixed skewer platter at Robadayakki Sodam

The main dish we ordered that day was skewers! There was a wide variety of skewer types, so it was fun picking through them one by one, and best of all, we got to watch the skewers being grilled right in front of us. Watching them turn golden brown as soon as we ordered made the waiting time fly by. Personally, I feel like picking a little bit of several different skewers suits this kind of izakaya better than loading up on just one dish. 🍢

Thick grilled pollack roe (myeongnan)

And the grilled cod roe we ordered as an extra! The cod roe came out thicker and plumper than expected, which I loved. It was slightly golden on the outside from grilling and moist inside, making it a perfect drinking snack. The distinctly salty flavor of the cod roe went great with beer, and later on it was also great eaten together with soju.

You can ask for a basket of ice for your soju

When we needed ice for the soju, we asked for it separately, and instead of just handing over the ice, they brought it out in a basket. If you like soju, it's worth knowing you can request ice separately like this to keep your drink cold.

There is a review event, too

There was also a review event running at the time of our visit. Participating in the review event reportedly got you a vanilla cheese ice cream. Getting a sweet dessert at the end after drinking is a nice bonus, so it's worth keeping an eye out for events like this.

※ The details or offerings of review events may change depending on when you visit.

Final verdict on this Yeouido izakaya near Saetgang Station

Overall, Robadayakki Sodam was a great place to enjoy the distinct atmosphere of a Japanese izakaya while eating skewers and grilled fish with drinks. In particular, being able to see the fish and skewers laid out in the store as well as watch them being grilled directly gave it a different kind of fun compared to a typical izakaya.

At the counter seats, you can watch the cooking up close, and with partitioned tables and a private room also available, it seemed like a good spot for anything from dates to friend gatherings to work dinners. It's a good place to visit in Yeouido if you're looking for a Japanese-feeling izakaya, or just want skewers and a draft beer 🍺

Watching the skewers and fish being grilled right at the counter seats was especially fun, so next time I'd like to sit there and eat 😝 That was my review of Robadayakki Sodam Yeouido Branch, where I got a real taste of Japanese vibes in Yeouido 🇯🇵🍢