Private-room izakaya in Jongno for friends: sashimi sake set, Ilsim

Hi everyone, this is Forenity!

Today I'm introducing Ilsim, an izakaya near Jonggak Station that I found while looking for a spot to enjoy seasonal assorted sashimi with a friend.

I was looking for somewhere I could sip sake with sashimi and chat leisurely with a friend, and Ilsim's clean atmosphere plus a private room made it look like a solid choice for a get-together.

Location and hours of Ilsim izakaya near Jonggak

Ilsim is located on the 2nd floor, Unit 204 of the 94 Building, 94 Sambong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, and is open daily from 17:30 to 24:00 (last order 23:00). Reservations can be made through both Naver Reservation and Catch Table.

You can reach Ilsim with just a short walk from Jonggak Station Exit 2. Kakao Map sometimes directs you toward Gwanghwamun Station, but when I visited in person, going from Jonggak Station was closer.

Izakaya Ilsim is located on the 2nd floor of this building.

The exterior gave off a clean, upscale izakaya feel from the start. The entrance had today's sashimi and recommended menu items posted, which was handy to check before going in.

Ilsim's atmosphere, including the private room

The interior of Ilsim was clean and tidy overall.

Rather than a too-casual izakaya vibe, it felt calmer and more upscale, which made it seem like a good spot for both dates and friend gatherings.

Ilsim menu and prices

• Seasonal assorted sashimi ₩69,000
• Beef sukiyaki ₩39,000
• Motsunabe ₩39,000
• Mentaiko tamagoyaki ₩24,000
• Spicy yakiudon ₩28,000
• (more items omitted)

We ordered the seasonal assorted sashimi and the mentaiko tamagoyaki.

Mentaiko tamagoyaki ₩24,000

The first dish to arrive was the mentaiko tamagoyaki (pollack roe rolled omelet). As you can see in the photo, it was really loaded with mentaiko. The omelet itself is on the sweeter side, but the salty pockets of mentaiko in between made for a great sweet-and-salty combo.

They gave us a fork and knife, so you can cut it into bite-sized pieces to eat. Mentaiko tamagoyaki is the perfect drinking snack — highly recommend it!

Seasonal assorted sashimi sake set ₩69,000

And then came the main reason we were there today: the seasonal assorted sashimi. We ordered the set menu that comes with sake, priced at ₩69,000. A variety of sashimi arrived beautifully arranged on one plate, satisfying from the visuals alone.

Can you see the glossy sheen on the sashimi? It looked fresh, and it tasted even better — clean and chewy, with that fresh, springy texture.

It was nice being able to taste a little of many kinds of fish rather than just one, and there was something fun about picking each piece one by one.

And of course, sashimi has to be paired with drinks — that's just the rule, haha. We alternated between the sake that came with the set and beer, and the sashimi-and-sake combo was really good.

Thanks to that, I got to enjoy a leisurely meal chatting slowly with my friend for the first time in a while. We talked about her job search, caught up on things we hadn't had a chance to share, and the time flew by. 😊

When to recommend Ilsim, the izakaya near Jonggak Station

If you're looking for a clean, well-atmosphered izakaya near Jonggak Station, I'd recommend Ilsim. The seasonal assorted sashimi we ordered let us taste a wide variety of fish at once, and the mentaiko tamagoyaki paired well as a drinking snack too.

Above all, it has great access from Jonggak Station and a clean atmosphere, making it a good option for dates as well as friend gatherings or work dinners. The private room in particular seemed like it would make dining comfortable even with a larger group.

Next time I visit, I'd like to try some of the other menu items one by one. If you're craving sashimi with a glass of sake near Jonggak, Ilsim might be worth a visit. 🍶🐟