Private-room izakaya by Seoul Nat'l Univ.: corkage rules at Tomo

What is Tomo izakaya near Seoul National University Station like?

Tomo is a Sharosu-gil izakaya open every day from 5 PM to 2 AM. It's well known as a Seoul National University Station drinking spot, a Sharosu-gil favorite and an izakaya favorite, and with two floors (2F and 3F) it was really big.

Tomo is famous as a private-room bar where every seat is a room, so it's great for company dinners and group gatherings. It would also be perfect for a blind date or a date, and for serious conversations too.

How does it work when you book on Naver?

I visited Tomo with a Naver booking, and thankfully they had set up the room in advance, so it was easy and comfortable. Every room has a tablet, which made ordering easy too.

Tomo menu and drinks

The menu had a huge range of tasty-looking dishes: sashimi, jjamppong (spicy noodle soup), Nagasaki-style noodles, skewers, pasta, fried food, tteokbokki and more. With so much variety, choosing was really a colorful experience.

The drinks were varied too: soju, beer, highballs, distilled spirits, Iljum Jinro, sake and soft drinks. With so many kinds, you can order whatever suits your taste.

What are Tomo's corkage-free conditions?

Tomo is running a free corkage event, and if you ask in advance they even prepare glasses for you. Amazing service! Of course, basic liquor like soju and beer isn't allowed for corkage.

• Free corkage event running; glasses prepared if requested in advance
• Basic liquor such as soju and beer not allowed for corkage
• Outside food not allowed
• Cake: candles only, eating it is not allowed

Outside food isn't allowed, and for cake only candles are permitted (no eating it), so keep that in mind.

After ordering, the drink that day was so sweet and smooth that we started on it with the basic side dish first. We ordered seafood jjamppong tang, handmade okonomiyaki (savory Japanese pancake) and steamed clams in butter.

The food came out quickly. Every dish was good quality and the portions were generous, so it looked perfect for sharing with friends.

How does Tomo's seafood jjamppong tang taste?

Just from the look of it, you could tell the quality: big pieces of seafood like blue crab, squid and shrimp went in whole. There were quite a lot of noodles too.

Prices have gone up so much lately that it's hard to eat a variety of seafood, so I really liked that this dish lets you eat blue crab, shrimp and squid to your heart's content.

The big, plump squid was cut into easy bites, and it was chewy and springy, so you could really taste how fresh it was.

There were plenty of noodles just like real Chinese-restaurant jjamppong noodles, and the broth was spicy, sharp and refreshing, so it went perfectly with drinks.

Naver booking perk: steamed clams in butter

If you book through Naver, Tomo gives you steamed clams in butter as a free perk. I booked through Naver this time too, so I got them.

I wondered if a freebie is allowed to be this good. It was delicious and great with drinks. If you usually like steamed clams and the deep flavor of butter, a Naver booking is a must!

How was the handmade okonomiyaki?

I was craving something light I could pick up one piece at a time, so I ordered Tomo's handmade okonomiyaki. Personally, I liked the plating and the plate.

It was cut into perfect one-bite pieces, and it was very warm, probably because it had just been made.

It was soft and savory, a clean taste anyone can enjoy with no hit-or-miss, so I was very satisfied.

The food was so good we added a bottle of Hallasan

The side dishes were so good that I ordered one more bottle. Tomo has Hallasan (a Jeju soju), so I tried it, and how on earth do they store their liquor here?,, It's so sweet,,!

Honest overall review of Tomo

Tomo is a private-room bar with an upscale, secluded feel, so satisfaction was bound to be high. The food was tasty and the staff were so kind that I was satisfied overall: 100% I'll return!!! From company dinners to dates, I fully agree it's a top Seoul National University Station and Sharosu-gil spot.

Maybe because it specializes in seafood, this is how many shells were left after we finished,,!

The restroom is inside the venue, with mouthwash in there, and it was very clean and convenient.

If you're looking for a comfortable private-room izakaya with a wide menu of seafood, sashimi, fried food and skewers for group gatherings and company dinners, try Tomo near Seoul National University Station!

Writer's star ratings

• Price: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
• Friendliness: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• Taste: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️