Yeongdeungpo Japanese bar for clam soup: Robadayakki Sodam

Attention, everyone looking for a Japanese-style izakaya in Yeouido!! 🍢 I visited Robadayakki Sodam Yeouido Branch, a spot famous in Yeouido. It was already saved on my list because it’s known for freshly grilled skewers~~ I was hunting for somewhere near Yeouido that would be nice for an after-work drink, and ended up here haha. I heard it gets crowded, so I booked ahead—and it really was packed... haha

How close is it to Saetgang Station Exit 1?

Saetgang Station is much closer than Yeouido Station. It’s 300 m from Exit 1—just a 3–4 minute walk 🚶 Find Seorin Building and slip into the parking area; the entrance is inside. At first you might wonder, “Is this the right place?” but once you see the wooden exterior and the Sodam sign, that’s it. You can park at Seorin Building too~

Inside: counter seats and private rooms

The moment you open the door, it feels so Japanese~ Wooden fish lights are strung all across the ceiling. At the big bar in the middle, the chefs grill fish and skewers to order 🔥 Whole mackerel and Spanish mackerel sit on ice, with heaps of skewers in baskets beside them. Seeing that makes it hard not to order~~ I sat at a partitioned table. There are private rooms too, so lots of people come here for Yeouido work dinners. It was a weekday and almost every seat was taken 😳

Hungry Two-Person Set and soup upgrade prices

There are sets numbered 1 through 9. They’re put together in lots of different ways, so choosing was easy! We picked Set 5!

• Set 5 (Hungry Two-Person Set): small sashimi + assorted skewers + oden nabe (fish cake hot pot) / ₩67,000
• It was originally ₩76,000, but the discounted price is ₩67,000.
• Switching to Nagasaki, seared jjamppong, or clam soup costs an extra ₩3,000.
• Switching to mero costs ₩10,000 extra, altang (spicy fish roe stew) ₩4,000 extra, and medium sashimi ₩12,000 extra.

We changed ours to clam soup, so the total came to ₩70,000. Sashimi, skewers, and soup for two at this price feels pretty good for a Yeouido bar, right? Oh, and ordering a set gets you 10% off sake. Definitely keep that in mind if you’re drinking sake 🍶 Kirin Ichiban draft beer is ₩7,000.

After we ordered, a sizzling fried egg arrived on a hot plate—this is the complimentary snack 🍳 It comes perfectly soft-set, so it’s nice to nibble on before the beer arrives. I originally wanted Nagasaki jjamppong, but they had run out of ingredients that day, so we went with clam soup.

Chicken knee cartilage was the best part of the assorted skewers

The assorted skewers are spread out across a long platter~ There’s a fun variety to pick through~ It was packed with ginkgo nuts, mushrooms, shrimp, bacon-wrapped cherry tomatoes, bacon-wrapped rice cakes, and chicken skewers.

But my favorite was the chicken knee cartilage!! ❤️ So crunchy and delicious 😋 I was kind of touched that it was included in the assortment haha. The grilled bacon-wrapped cherry tomatoes were salty outside and burst inside—so good. The ginkgo skewers were slightly bitter and nutty, perfect with drinks. The shrimp were plump too, and the bacon-wrapped rice cakes had that lovely chew. Sipping beer and going at the skewers—this combination is simply the answer 🍺 If you love skewers, I highly recommend this Yeouido spot!!

Is the ₩3,000 clam soup upgrade worth it?

I was sad I couldn’t have the Nagasaki dish. But the second the clam soup arrived, that disappointment disappeared completely lol. The earthenware pot was seriously packed with clams. The broth was so refreshing 😌

Every clam was nice and meaty, so it was satisfying to fish them out and eat them. Since the skewers can be a little rich, spooning up this broth between bites totally resets your palate. I really felt good about spending that extra ₩3,000!! If you come to this Yeouido izakaya, a soup is essential~ After we finished, the shells filled an entire bowl haha. To my partner, who always diligently opens all the clams... thank you 🫶💕

Aged sashimi with Ilpum Jinro Oak 25

The sashimi was aged, so it had a soft, tender style. It came with octopus, white fish, yellowtail varieties, and salmon. A small dish of vinegared sauce and fresh wasabi came alongside.

I put a little minced garlic on a fatty belly slice and dipped it in soy sauce—such a special treat 🥢 Ahh~ Those who know, know. We had beer with the skewers, but once the sashimi came out, I suddenly really wanted a distilled spirit....🩷

The menu had both Ilpum Jinro and Ilpum Jinro Oak 25, so I ordered the Oak. The price difference wasn’t huge, so if you’re curious, trying the Oak is a good idea! I saw and drank it for the first time here, and the verdict: a great choice 👍

They set it up with ice in an angular bottle-shaped glass and Jinro tonic water 🧊 Diluted with tonic, it went down fresh like a lemon highball. Even straight, the aroma was really good... 👍 It wasn’t bitter and went down with a gentle sweetness. I personally highly recommend this Oak!! It was an insane match with the sashimi!

The atmosphere of drinking while hearing the sizzling from the grill in front of the bar is this place’s charm. It feels like sitting in a Japanese izakaya 💕 If you’re looking in Yeouido for a blind date, date night, or work dinner with Japanese food and drinks, I recommend it!! I think I’ll come back next time for grilled fish and Nagasaki jjamppong. Oh, and since it gets busy, make a reservation in advance!!