Father-daughter premium sashimi room at Tomo, a Gwanak izakaya

There are so many hot-spot bars in Sharosu-gil, but sometimes you just want somewhere quiet, you know? While looking for a private room bar near Seoul National University Station where we could talk without shouting, I found this place — an izakaya spread across the 2nd and 3rd floors called Tomo, near Seoul National University Station. It turned out to be a cozy, intimate spot to spend time in, so let me walk you through the visit.

Tomo's hours and house rules

• Hours: Sun–Thu 17:00–02:00 / Fri–Sat 17:00–03:00 (open until 3am on weekdays before public holidays too)
• Wine pairing, reservations, takeout, and delivery available
• Wi-Fi, separate men's/women's restrooms, waiting area available
• Group bookings and full venue rental available (inquire for reservations of 50+)
• Rooms fit 2–15 people, couple seating available, group seating for 7–15
• Pets welcome — no advance booking needed, pet pads and water bowls provided
• One drink required per person — order an ade if going non-alcoholic
• Corkage available (paid/free), no parking
• Local currency (mobile/card), Zero Pay, and easy pay accepted

An izakaya greeting you with tiny sushi models

I went in the evening and the 'Tomo' sign was glowing against the cozy night lights. At the entrance, there's a row of tiny sushi models lined up on white plates — a small detail that really sets the izakaya mood, so it was fun to look around even before going in. Excited to have a private hangout with just us, I headed inside.

Individual private rooms perfect for conversation

We were shown to the 3rd floor, and this cozy space was waiting for us. Each room has a different painting on its sliding door so you never get confused, and the soft lighting sets a nice mood — everything was already set up so we could just settle in and drink comfortably.

I was in room 12, and while I was in there it felt like my own personal room — that's the real charm of a private room bar, isn't it, your whole body and mind just relax.

From sashimi to pasta — a lineup that rivals a buffet

Each room has its own kiosk, so ordering was easy.

Food

True to an izakaya, the star dish is premium sashimi! Tomo's signature dishes include 12-kind premium sashimi, amaebi (sweet shrimp), special AA-grade sea urchin, aged kimchi bacon pasta, sweet shrimp sashimi (with the heads served fried), salmon straw tataki, and soy-sauce shrimp rice.

Drinks

There's an all-you-can-drink highball menu, which was tempting. I'd already eaten a lot before coming, so I couldn't dive in — if this had been our first stop of the night, I definitely would have gone for it. There are lots of set combinations that let you mix sashimi and dishes to your taste, so choosing was fun too. Last time I visited Tomo with a close friend, we had the beef tataki and it was great too. So I was torn — should I order that again or try something new...

Clean basic side dishes and the tako wasabi from Naver reservation

While we were still deciding on the menu, the basic side dishes arrived. The relatively clean-tasting green peas and cabbage were great for light snacking.

Next came the tako wasabi service dish. If you visit via a Naver reservation, you get a free side dish — a choice between tako wasabi and clam butter steaming.

I meant to save it for after ordering drinks and just try one bite, but one bite in, the umami hit and I couldn't stop. Layering onion and radish sprouts on gim (seaweed sheet) with the tako wasabi on top was seriously appetite-stirring. I realized I was about to eat the whole thing, so I quickly ordered a drink. There was a reason they give you a free dish that makes you want to drink…

Premium sashimi for two and amaebi feast

• Premium sashimi for two ₩48,000
• Amaebi (sweet shrimp) ₩24,000
• Saero soju ₩6,000
• Zero Pepsi ₩3,000
• Total ₩81,000

After much deliberation, this is what we ordered.

My dad ordered Saero soju, and I got zero-sugar Pepsi.

The premium sashimi for two and amaebi set. I had this prejudice that bar snacks would be lower quality, but it came out more neatly arranged than a lot of Japanese restaurants I've been to — I was surprised. Just looking at it made me go 'wow.'

It came packed with a variety of seasonal sashimi as well as sweet shrimp that melted in the mouth and even fried shrimp heads — a really full set.

My dad, who loves raw fish, really dug in. He said it was genuinely delicious.

We also made salmon wraps with gamtae (seaweed sheets).

Piling both sashimi and sweet shrimp onto gamtae and wrapping it all up — a little indulgence.

Making a heart shape out of the sweet shrimp. I just did it for fun, but it turned out cuter than expected. We ended up eating the heart shrimp too, though...

The blue highball from the receipt review event

Just as I felt slightly sad for the meal to end there, I noticed on the wall an ad for the 1,200ml mega highball along with a notice that a Naver receipt review earns you a free takoyaki or red/blue highball.

I'm not one to pass that up. I took part right away and got the blue lemon highball.

A single cute bear muddler completely changed the vibe. I drank a lot of blue lemon ade as a kid, so I sipped this refreshing, tangy-sweet drink while reminiscing. It's sweet and tart enough that it would pair with almost any dish. Turns out Tomo is a highball spot too — I'm already tempted to come back and go for the all-you-can-drink highball option next time...

Great soundproofing in the private rooms — overall verdict

In our own private room, we got to properly enjoy everything from the clean basic side dishes to fresh assorted sashimi to the great event perks. I was worried a room might not be well soundproofed, but it was so quiet I felt like we'd rented the whole floor. The atmosphere, service, and food were all excellent — this is a Seoul National University Station bar, a Sharosu-gil izakaya, I'd love to visit again.

• Anyone who wants a cozy drink date in a private space
• Anyone who enjoys fresh sashimi and a variety of Japanese-style dishes
• Anyone who likes to make the most of solid events and free side dishes

I'm recommending it to all of you — do visit if you get the chance!