Late-night sashimi bar with open-air seats in Gunja, Seoul: Irow

Where is Irow, the izakaya near Gunja Station?

Irow is an izakaya 7 minutes on foot down an alley from Gunja Station exits 7 or 8. There are plenty of cozy hidden alleys around, but today's spot has a deep, calm vibe near Gunja Station — a delicious, buzzing izakaya that relocated from Seongsu.

With clean wood interiors and emotive lighting where you can feel the outside air, this is a Gunja open-air spot that's become the talk of Gwangjin-gu for cozy dates ❣️ Irow is already hip 😆

Irow's hours and how to book

Irow is open daily 17:00–02:00, with last order at 1am. Not many bars near Gunja Station stay open this late, so you can go from an evening drink straight through to a cozy night 🌙

During evening peak hours, this compact Gunja izakaya fills up fast with dates and groups, so I strongly recommend booking through Naver Reservation or being ready to wait 🎟️

What Irow looks like from the street

Walking into the alley in Gunja-dong, Gwangjin-gu, you spot Irow's tidy, softly orange-lit, hip exterior right away 👀 The floor-to-ceiling windows are pulled open to create exotic-feeling open-air seating, and the drinking atmosphere already has you looking forward to the izakaya inside 😍

Irow moved from Seongsu, and its name means comfort

Irow, meaning to comfort your day, closed its Seongsu location and expanded here, and the 2nd and 3rd branches are still in Ttukseom and Seongsu Station 👇🏻

By coincidence I'd already visited the 3rd branch 8 months ago and fell completely for the food, atmosphere and friendliness — a Seoul izakaya I loved 😘

Inside Irow: bar seats, private rooms and open-air tables

Step through the door and you're met with calm, warm interiors — from a cozy bar counter where you can watch the chef cook, to individual tables good for quiet conversation 🪑

Soft pin lighting mixed with calm background music makes it perfect for anniversaries, dates or group gatherings, alongside the varied drink lineup 👏🏻 🚻 The restrooms are separated for men and women, which is nice

What's on the menu at Irow

Irow's menu is built around chef-selected seasonal sashimi, yukhoe (Korean-style beef tartare), futomaki, poke bowls, a range of sashimi dishes, and fried, simmered and stir-fried items — a lineup of authentic and fusion Japanese dishes that are all easy to enjoy 👍🏻

To go with it all, there's a solid lineup of premium sake, Japanese shochu, highballs, liqueurs and delicious Japanese draft beer — a top-notch setup 🍺

The basic side dish is seasoned pickled radish, and you can really taste the savory depth of bonito flakes with a great crunchy texture 🤗

Irow's 39,000-won sashimi platter of aged fish

🐟 Sashimi Plate (₩39,000). The refined umami of seasonal aged sashimi and the chewy texture at just the right thickness come together in an orchestra of flavor — the visual winner, arranged like flowers on a wooden tray 🥇

Flounder, salmon, Spanish mackerel, tuna, sweet shrimp, octopus, rockfish, amberjack. Each seasonal cut sits neatly on the plate showing off its own freshness and color — an eye-catching sashimi spot

The flounder's clean flavor, aged just right and chewy on the teeth; the rich, nutty fattiness of salmon and tuna wrapping softly around your palate; and pieces with seared skin topped with sesame — each cut gets its own character 💯

A touch of fresh wasabi and the house soy sauce brings out the natural sweetness and aged aroma of the sashimi at their peak quality 😆

Final verdict on Irow

💡 Atmosphere at Irow

Set amid the quiet character of the Gunja alleys, this tidy izakaya blends warmth and lively energy with a sense of style. Between the open-air seating, private rooms, and the warmth the friendly staff bring, you get to relax the whole time as if you had your own private hideout for a drink

😋 Taste and portion size

The chewy texture and deep umami of properly chilled, seasonally aged sashimi, combined with plating that's clean without being excessive, captivates the eyes, tongue and nose all at once — a true aged sashimi spot 🍣 The generous portions and high freshness are great, and the different treatment for each fish fully delivers satisfaction 🥹

🧾Today's honest one-line review — chewy aged sashimi paired with a smooth pint of draft beer; if you're looking for a good-vibe izakaya near Gunja Station, it's Irow 😉