Samseong-jung-ang izakaya with sea urchin sanhap and crab miso: Yoran

Bringing you a review of Yoran, an izakaya in Samseong-dong I visited on a Friday night. I actually work near here, and the owner's dedication to cooking really shows — it's already known as a local office workers' favorite haha. Reviewing mainly the dishes I ordered!

Where is Yoran, and what are its hours and parking?

Yoran izakaya is at 467 Bongeunsa-ro, 1st floor, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, about 161m from Exit 1 of Samseong-jung-ang Station (Line 9). Exit 1, go straight, pass Mom's Touch, and it's on the first floor inside the second building.

• Address: 467 Bongeunsa-ro, 1st floor, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Transit: About 161m from Exit 1 of Samseong-jung-ang Station (Line 9)
• Parking: Available near the back door — definitely call the store to confirm before parking!
• Hours: Mon–Fri 17:00–02:00 / Sat 18:00–02:00
• Regular closed day: Sundays
• Other: Open regular hours on Saturdays, group bookings/rentals available

※ Hours and closed days can change, so I'd recommend double-checking on Naver Place before you visit.

What's on the menu at Yoran?

Yoran's menu is so extensive it doesn't fit on one page. Check Naver for the full details!

That's a lot of menu items, right?! The owner here really knows how to cook! I guarantee it.

What is Yoran like on a Friday night?

From the entrance, Yoran gives off that easygoing izakaya feeling haha. Going inside, tables were nearly full, fitting for a Friday night! This kind of atmosphere actually suits sitting down with good food and drinks. If you're near Samseong-jung-ang Station looking for a lively spot rather than somewhere too quiet, I'd recommend it!

The interior really has that warm izakaya feel too

Kirin draft beer and the Yoran highball

First, cold drinks!! Being an izakaya, Yoran has a big drink selection, but we went with the classics — Kirin draft beer and the Yoran highball. The Yoran highball was light and clean, great as a first drink, and the Kirin draft was so fresh. You know a place with good turnover keeps its draft beer fresh, right? We drank it down while waiting for the uni sampling platter. The basic snack was shrimp chips + green peas.

What comes in the 48,000 won uni sanhap special?

Since this was our second round, we only ordered the uni sampling special and the crab gratin at Yoran.

The uni sampling special is ₩48,000 and comes with uni (sea urchin), scallop, sweet shrimp, salmon roe, and avocado all on one plate. You wrap them in seaweed however you like — the uni was delicious, but the sweet shrimp and scallop were equally fresh, and the combinations were amazing together. T_T the best

Can you see how fresh this is,,, please go and order a sashimi or raw dish when you visit. The uni was rich and creamy, the sweet shrimp was plump and sweet, and the scallop was clean-tasting, making them great to eat together. With dishes like this, if even one ingredient falls short the whole thing suffers, but here every piece of raw fish was fresh, and I was amazed the whole time. It's not just good ingredients — the seasoning and umami are insane!!

I ate some pieces solo too, but honestly the combination was crazy... I kept layering uni, sweet shrimp, and scallop on a sheet of seaweed, adding a little salmon roe and avocado each time. With the crispy seaweed added in, the texture was great and the umami just burst in my mouth. Looking at the photo again makes me want more, drooling

Snow crab gratin (kani miso grilled in the shell), 19,000 won

The crab gratin (crab miso grilled) is ₩19,000. The menu listed it together as 'crab gratin,' but it's crab innards and meat stuffed back into the shell and grilled hot. If the uni platter was cold and refreshing, this is the complete opposite — hot and richly flavored.

The crab innards had a deep, savory-salty flavor. Scooping it up bit by bit with a spoon, the Kirin draft disappeared in no time. Eating this dish, I felt again how serious the owner is about cooking T_T It's not just an izakaya that serves raw ingredients — you can tell they understand how to combine things to make them taste even better,, the seasoning was great and the umami was insane.

How to order at Yoran for the best night

The uni sampling platter and the crab miso grilled were totally different flavors, but each had its own clear appeal!! If you like that classic izakaya atmosphere, I strongly recommend this place!! (If visiting on a Friday night, I'd recommend reserving ahead!)

In the end, both dishes we ordered that day were wins. If you like uni or sashimi, definitely order from the sashimi menu!! I hope you get to try it. If you're near Samseong-jung-ang Station looking for an izakaya that really knows how to do side dishes, I'll take you to Yoran lol