After-work soju and beer at Ilpum, a Gangnam Station Japanese spot

Hi, it's Honi!

I had plans near Gangnam Station one evening, and while thinking about dinner, I suddenly craved kaisendon (seafood rice bowl) piled high with fresh seafood.

Gangnam Station has so many good restaurants that it's actually hard to decide where to go. This time I searched for Gangnam Station kaisendon and found Ilpum Gangnam Branch.

From kaisendon to sushi, futomaki, and eel rice bowls, the Japanese menu was varied enough that I could pick according to my mood — as someone who loves seafood, just reading the menu had me going back and forth.

It's a good spot for a date near Gangnam Station or for those days you want a proper Japanese meal, so let me walk you through it :)

Where is Ilpum Gangnam Branch, and where do you park?

Ilpum Gangnam Branch is at 23 Seocho-daero 74-gil, B1 Unit 106, Seocho-gu, Seoul. It's about a 5-minute walk from Gangnam Station Exit 6, and you get 1 hour of free parking if you use the Seocho Town Trapalace parking lot.

• 📍 23 Seocho-daero 74-gil, B1 Unit 106, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• 🚇 About a 5-minute walk from Gangnam Station Exit 6
• 🚗 Seocho Town Trapalace parking lot / 1 hour free
• ✔️ Located on basement level 1 of the building

Ilpum Gangnam Branch sits in the basement-level restaurant arcade of the building.

Heading down to the basement, the storefront decorated in warm wood tones caught my eye. The entrance had a clean, calm feel — a bit more polished than your typical Gangnam Station Japanese restaurant.

There was a menu board set up in front of the restaurant so you could check the signature dishes and set menus before going in, and a waiting area near the entrance too.

Bar seats or table seats at Ilpum: solo dinner or date?

Inside, Ilpum Gangnam Branch has a bright, tidy interior combining white and wood tones. The long bar-style counter seats caught my eye first — facing the open kitchen while eating gave it a proper Japanese-restaurant atmosphere.

Each seat had tableware and basic settings neatly arranged, and there were also table seats in the back for groups.

It felt comfortable enough for a light solo meal, but also nice for sitting side by side as a couple — a good fit for a Gangnam Station date or an office worker's lunch or dinner :)

You order using the QR code on the table!

Ilpum Gangnam Branch menu and what we ordered

Ilpum Gangnam Branch offers a wide range of Japanese dishes in one place, from kaisendon to sushi, futomaki, and eel rice bowls.

The signature dish is the kaisendon, piled generously with fresh seafood over rice — they have a basic version and a more premium, fuller version, so you can choose based on preference.

There's also today's sushi set for those who want variety through sushi rather than sashimi. You get to try several types of sushi and maki together, good for when you want to sample a bit of everything.

• Ilpum-dong (special) ₩30,000
• Mackerel bar sushi ₩26,000

Since I came straight from work that day, I ordered a cold beer and soju before the food even arrived.

You just can't skip that first drink after a full day of work, haha.

Clinking glasses together with a cheers, it finally felt like I'd properly left work behind.

🍚 Ilpum-dong (special), 30,000 won: top quality, as the name says

The Ilpum-dong (special) at Ilpum Gangnam Branch is ₩30,000, a kaisendon with finely diced tuna piled up like a mountain. Finally, the Ilpum-dong arrived!

I'd wondered why it was called ilpum-dong (meaning 'top-quality bowl'), but the visual alone lived up to the name, haha.

Finely chopped tuna was piled generously on top like a mountain, with salmon roe, sea urchin roe, seaweed, green onion, and wasabi on the side — it caught my eye the moment it landed on the table!

Scooping up rice, tuna, and salmon roe together with a spoon, the soft, savory tuna paired with the popping texture of the salmon roe was just right. Adding a bit of seaweed on top brought even more umami, and I kept going back for more.

A little wasabi here and there cut through the richness and kept the flavors perfectly balanced.

The Ilpum-dong really is ilpum (top quality), just like the name says, haha.

If you're looking for kaisendon near Gangnam Station, I'd personally recommend keeping an eye on this dish :)

Mackerel bar sushi, 26,000 won: shiso and pickled ginger are the point

The mackerel bar sushi is ₩26,000, with glossy mackerel piled thick on top of the rice — it looked great from the start.

Taking a bite, I found wasabi and shiso pickled ginger tucked between the mackerel and rice. The deep, savory flavor of the mackerel combined with the sharp kick of wasabi and the fragrant, tangy shiso pickled ginger made for a really nice combination.

In particular, the shiso pickled ginger cut through the mackerel's richness cleanly, so I never got tired of it bite after bite — that was the highlight!

Wrapping it in the gamtae (seasoned laver) or seaweed that came alongside was also a nice touch.

Cold udon to finish the meal

After enjoying the Ilpum-dong and mackerel bar sushi, I finished up by ordering cold udon.

Thick, chewy udon noodles came in a generous amount of cool broth, topped with green onion and crispy tempura bits for added texture.

Especially after the sashimi and mackerel bar sushi, the cold, clean broth felt refreshing on the palate. The noodles were nice and chewy too, so slurping them down was fun.

🧀 Scallop cream cheese croquette from the Ilpum review event

Ilpum Gangnam Branch offers a scallop cream cheese croquette to those who take part in a review event, and I received one for participating!

Two golden-fried round croquettes came out, and cutting one in half revealed soft cream cheese inside — the visual alone was a win, haha.

The outside was crispy while the inside was creamy and soft, and the added umami from the scallop worked surprisingly well together.

Eating it warm, the cream cheese stretched softly and the savory flavor really came through. Dipping it lightly into the accompanying sauce added yet another dimension!

I'd assumed it was just a light freebie, but the satisfaction level was surprisingly high — if you're taking part in the review event, make sure to try it :)

🥭 A refreshing dessert to close out dinner

After the meal, they brought out a cold dessert to finish things off.

It was a pale yellow color, so I was curious what flavor it would be at first — but one bite in, I got a clear sweet, tangy mango flavor!

After eating my fill of the Ilpum-dong, mackerel bar sushi, and cold udon, finishing with a cool, sweet dessert like this left my palate feeling clean :)

I was glad they thought to include a dessert at the end — it made for a satisfying finish to the meal.

Ilpum Gangnam Branch: the verdict

✔️ Taste

The Ilpum-dong lived up to its name in satisfaction. The soft tuna paired with popping salmon roe and the fun of combining various ingredients in one bite made it a highlight, and the mackerel bar sushi was also well balanced, with wasabi and shiso pickled ginger cutting through the mackerel's richness.

✔️ Price

Given the Gangnam Station location and the fact that it's a seafood-focused Japanese restaurant, the price range felt reasonable for when you want to enjoy a proper meal. The variety of menu items also made it easy to choose according to budget or preference.

✔️ Atmosphere

The clean, calm interior in white and wood tones has both bar seating and table seating, making it well suited for solo dining, dates, and after-work meals alike.

✔️ Service

They even brought out dessert at the end, which made for a nice finish, and participating in the review event got us a scallop cream cheese croquette on top, making the meal even more filling.

✔️ Would I go back to Ilpum?

Yes! Next time I'd like to try other kaisendon or sushi options. It's a place I'd like to come back to whenever I'm craving good Japanese food and a drink after work near Gangnam Station :)

✔️ Who Ilpum is best for

I'd recommend this to anyone looking for kaisendon near Gangnam Station, fans of mackerel bar sushi, those searching for a Japanese restaurant for a date near Gangnam Station, or anyone who wants to enjoy dinner and a drink after work.