Guro izakaya 11-skewer platter and grilled sea bass: Robatayaki Sodam

If you're looking for an atmospheric bar near Guro Digital Complex Station, let me introduce Robatayaki Sodam Guro Digital Complex Branch, a place I've visited on and off for a while now.

Actually this isn't my first visit — it's my Nth. I've come here a few times before for skewers, so I decided to stop by again after a while.

The place really has that Japanese izakaya vibe, with a wide variety of skewers and grilled fish on the menu. This time I ordered the mixed skewer platter and grilled sea bass. Both were delicious with no gamey or fishy taste, and the atmosphere was great too — still a Guro bar I'd want to visit again.

One-line summary — a Guro izakaya where the mixed skewers, grilled sea bass, and atmosphere all hit the mark

Where is Robatayaki Sodam Guro Digital Complex Branch?

• 📍 97-3 Digital-ro 32-gil, 2nd floor, Guro-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• 🚇 Walkable from Guro Digital Complex Station
• ⏰ Daily 17:00–01:30
• 🚗 Nearby paid parking lots recommended
• ✔️ Reservations available
• ✔️ Groups welcome
• ✔️ Separate men's/women's restrooms
• ✔️ Counter seats and room-style seating

Since it's within walking distance of Guro Digital Complex Station, it's a convenient spot for a drink after work.

It's tucked inside an alley, so if it's your first visit, it's easier to use a map app to find it — coming by public transit is a bit more convenient than driving. This place is worth checking out if you're looking for bars near Guro Digital Complex Station or a Guro izakaya where a group can gather.

Japanese tavern mood and the counter seats

One reason I keep coming back to Robatayaki Sodam is the atmosphere.

Walking in from the entrance, you'll find posters, lanterns, and little props reminiscent of a Japanese tavern scattered throughout, plus warm lighting that makes the mood really nice.

In particular, skewers and various ingredients are displayed right in front of the counter seats, giving it that distinct robatayaki feel.

We sat at the counter that day. Watching the skewers and fish being grilled right in front of us made waiting for the food part of the fun.

Being able to watch how your order is prepared really adds to that hands-on robatayaki feeling.

The counter seats seemed good for solo drinking or a couple, while the separated space further inside looked useful for gatherings or if you're looking for a Guro bar that can seat a group.

The free starter: two fried eggs on a hot plate

Once we sat down, fried eggs came out as the basic side dish. Two fried eggs arrived on a sizzling hot plate — simple, but a nice thing to eat one of before diving into drinks. I liked that even the basic side dish came out warm.

11-type mixed skewer platter, 13 pieces for 24,000 won

The first thing we ordered that day was the 11-type mixed skewer set (13 pieces) for ₩24,000.

You get to try a bunch of different skewers at once — chicken, vegetables, shrimp, and more — a great option when you don't want to agonize over picking each item individually.

With so many types, there was fun in picking through them one by one, and overall they were clean with no gamey taste at all, pairing well as drinking food.

If you're visiting as two and want to try a little of everything, ordering the mixed set is the easy way to go.

Grilled Chilean sea bass, 29,000 won: soft flesh, no fishy taste

We also ordered the grilled Chilean sea bass for ₩29,000. Sea bass can turn out fishy if it's not grilled well, but this one had no fishy taste at all and was delicious.

The outside was grilled to a nice golden brown while the flesh inside stayed soft, making it easy to alternate bites with the skewers. It came with lemon, wasabi, and pickled ginger on the side, so you could season it to taste. Personally, ordering a grilled fish dish alongside the mixed skewers made for an even better combination than skewers alone.

A Guro bar built for a cold beer

A meal like this obviously calls for a beer, so we had a cold one.

Warm skewers and sea bass paired with cold beer made it the perfect combo for dinner and drinks after work. Overall, it leans more toward a Japanese izakaya vibe than a loud, bustling pocha (street tent bar), so it should suit anyone looking for a dinner spot or bar in Guro.

Promotions running at the time of the visit

When I visited, Robatayaki Sodam also had several event notices posted inside the store.

There was a 3.33-second time attack event — succeed and you'd get a ₩33,300 discount, according to the signage. To participate, you could follow their Instagram and tag their account in a story upload, or write a Naver photo receipt review.

There was also a separate Naver receipt review event: writing a review with a photo of a main menu item would get you a vanilla cheese ice cream.

There was also an event notice on Naver Place where watching a video and hitting like would get one drink per table. Note that events can change or end depending on timing, so it's worth checking with the store or Naver Place again when you visit.

Is Robatayaki Sodam worth a visit?

Robatayaki Sodam isn't my first visit — I've been here a few times before, so it's a familiar Guro bar to me. The mixed skewers let me try several types at once, great as drinking food, and the grilled sea bass was soft with no gamey taste — both satisfying.

Above all, I loved the genuine Japanese-izakaya atmosphere, and sitting at the counter meant I could watch the skewers and fish being grilled right in front of me, which made waiting fun. The separated space further inside also looked good for anything from a date to a group gathering.

If you're looking for a place near Guro Digital Complex Station for skewers, grilled fish, and a drink, or an atmospheric Guro izakaya or bar near Guro Digital Complex Station, I'd recommend this one. This was already my Nth visit, but I'm sure I'll be back again.