Samseong-dong izakaya private room for a company dinner: Yoran

Today I'm sharing an honest review of Yoran, a Gangnam izakaya where every dish on the menu is a great fit for a cozy get-together or a company dinner.

Yoran's location, hours, and parking

Yoran is open Monday through Saturday, 17:00–02:00, and closed on Sundays. It's located at 467 Bongeunsa-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, ground floor, less than 3 minutes on foot from Exit 1 of Samseong-jungang Station.

• Reservations and group bookings available
• Pet-friendly
• Corkage allowed (fee applies)
• Free parking available
• Restroom and wifi available

Parking is available but the space is tight — only 1-2 cars can fit, so it's best to call ahead before you go. It's also very easy to reach by public transit, which makes it a good choice for company dinners. I made a reservation and visited around 8:30pm on a weekday.

The sign is visible right as you walk into the ground floor of the building, so it was easy to find.

Inside Yoran: atmosphere and seating

As soon as I stepped inside, a cherry blossom tree gave the space a bright feel. Overall the interior has a woody look with the vibe of a Japanese izakaya.

The space has a variety of seating — counter seats for solo drinking, a 20-person group table, and private rooms — making it perfect for a gathering or company dinner. It can hold up to 50 people, so keep that in mind when planning a work dinner. The counter seats aren't an open kitchen setup connected to the cooking area; they're genuinely closed off, great for solo drinkers who lean introverted.

I used a private room! It was cozy, and the chairs were soft and comfortable, making conversation easy.

What I ordered and the prices

• Sashimi platter for two – ₩54,000
• Homemade chicken gara-age – ₩20,000
• Suntory highball – ₩9,000
• Kirin draft beer – ₩11,000

On the staff's recommendation that the sashimi delivered fresh that day, I ordered sashimi, plus chicken gara-age (Japanese-style fried chicken) since my friend loves fried food.

There were so many fried options — octopus, squid, shrimp, croquettes — that I had a hard time choosing before settling on the chicken gara-age. I don't usually see this many fried options at other places, so having a wide selection was a nice surprise. The seasonal sashimi platter changes depending on what's in season, and you can order it for 2 or 3 people depending on your group size. There's also a solo-sized sashimi option for anyone drinking alone.

Highball and draft beer

The highball and beer came out first. The draft beer was freshly poured and refreshingly cold in a way that stood out. You could tell the highball was made with clean, careful handling at the bar. The draft beer glass was big, so it was easy to just keep drinking.

Side dishes with the sashimi

Ordering sashimi comes with side dishes: pickled shallots, pickled ginger radish, kidney beans, and house-fried shrimp chips. The shrimp chips were crunchy and addictive — I finished them off before the sashimi even arrived.

Sashimi platter for two – ₩54,000

Here's the sashimi platter. The fish selection can change with the season, but you get to try 8 or more different kinds. On the day I visited, it included flounder, salmon, shrimp, steamed abalone, mackerel, octopus, and more. The slices were all cut thick, which gave a satisfying chew. Mixing plenty of wasabi into the soy sauce and eating a piece at a time made the drinks go down smoothly (^^)

Homemade chicken gara-age – ₩20,000

Here's the homemade chicken gara-age. It's made only with chicken thigh, so there were no chewy bits and it was easy to eat. The frying was done in clean oil, freshly fried, so it was crispy with a subtle hint of curry flavor, and I finished the whole plate without getting tired of it.

It comes with two sauces — a sweet-and-spicy one and a sweet-and-tangy one — both of which paired well with the gara-age. The portion of salad was generous too, with a good mix of different vegetables.

Overall thoughts on Yoran

Yoran felt clean and hygienic inside, with a variety of private rooms that make it great for a company dinner or small gathering. With such a wide range of izakaya dishes on the menu, there's something everyone can enjoy. Above all, the owner was so kind that the whole visit left me with a good impression.