Izakaya room policy near Samseong-jung-ang Station, Gangnam: Yoran

I went to Yoran, an izakaya in Samseong-dong, with my partner on a Tuesday evening ◡̈ It's close to work too, so I was looking for somewhere good for dinner and a drink after work when I found it — the food turned out tastier than expected and the atmosphere was great too, so I left really satisfied.

How far is it from Samseong-jung-ang Station? Location and hours

Yoran, the Samseong-dong izakaya, is a 2-minute walk from Exit 1 of Samseong-jung-ang Station. Being so close to the station, it's easy to get to!

• 📍 Address: 467 Bongeunsa-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
• 🕒 Hours: 5 PM – 2 AM
• 📅 Regular closure: Sundays
• 🚗 Parking: available (limited space, 1–2 cars, please call ahead if planning to park)

There's separate group seating tucked further inside

When I walked in I could only see the room, the counter seats, and about 2–3 regular tables, so I thought — is this place smaller than I expected? But the staff said there were more seats further in, and sure enough there was separate group seating set up there.

The group seating in the back had a TV too, so it looked like a good spot for a work dinner while watching soccer or baseball.

Gyeoul (my partner) sat at a regular table, but there were also counter seats, so it looked like a place you could come alone for a solo drink without any pressure, and it'd work fine for a group hangout or a date too.

No room charge — instead, one bottle of premium liquor

Yoran also runs rooms, and instead of a separate room charge, you can use a room if you order at least one bottle of a premium soju like Ilpum Jinro or Hwayo, or sake, per 4 people. Rooms fit from a minimum of 2 up to 9 people, and there's also separate group seating for a minimum of 12 up to 30 people, so I liked that you can choose based on your group size. It seems like a good spot if you're looking for somewhere quiet to drink in Samseong-dong, or a place for a larger group. Yoran is also pet-friendly ✨

Cherry blossom decor and red lanterns — that Japanese atmosphere

Yoran, this Samseong-dong spot, has cherry blossom decorations and red lanterns everywhere, plus Japanese liquor bottles and various props on display, so it really has that Japanese feel 🌸 The lighting isn't too bright either, more cozy, which made for a good atmosphere for a drink in the evening.

Apparently if you write a Naver receipt review at Yoran, you get a free drink or beverage. Also, if you order a bottle of Ilpum Jinro Oak 43, you get a wood glass as a gift, so Gyeoul almost ordered the Oak 43 just for that ..🤣

Yoran's menu — what we ordered that day

What Gyeoul ordered that day was the assorted sashimi for two, half-size kushikatsu, Sichuan spicy seafood ramyeon, and of course, Kirin draft beer! 🍺

The basic side dishes were shrimp roe chips and edamame — the shrimp roe chips were really tasty. They also brought out pickled shallots, ginger, and pickled radish, plus wasabi that was actual fresh grated wasabi, which I personally liked even more.

Finally, the star of Samseong-dong's Yoran — the assorted sashimi for two and half kushikatsu arrived!

The aged sashimi platter for two was the best dish

The staff recommended the assorted sashimi, so we ordered it — and to cut to the conclusion, it was the best dish we had at Yoran that day. Tuna, abalone, gizzard shad, salmon, sweet shrimp, rockfish, octopus — quite a variety came out, beautifully arranged on one plate, so the visuals were great too.

The colors were vibrant too, so it was great for photos, and with so many kinds it was fun picking one piece at a time.

Especially since it was aged sashimi, it was much tastier than plain live-fish sashimi, and the texture was softer while still letting you really taste the fish itself — I immediately understood why the staff recommended it.

First time trying kushikatsu — soy sauce is my preferred dip

And the kushikatsu (fried skewers) 🍢 — my first time trying it! There's a full size and a half size, and Gyeoul ordered the half, which came with fish, sweet potato, and fried edamame — a good variety to try a little of everything.

The outside was fried crisp and the inside stayed moist, perfect as a beer snack! It came with two sauces, a tartar-like white sauce and a soy sauce, and both my partner and Gyeoul preferred the soy sauce 🫶🏻

A sip of draft beer followed by crunchy kushikatsu — the combo was a perfect match ♥

Sichuan spicy seafood ramyeon looked more like a seafood stew

Last, the Sichuan spicy seafood ramyeon we ordered came loaded with mussels, shrimp, assorted vegetables, and even water dropwort — more like a seafood stew with ramyeon noodles dropped in than an actual ramyeon!

The seafood portion was especially generous, so the broth carried a strong seafood flavor, and true to its name, the broth was on the spicy side 🤤 Gyeoul likes chewy (kkodeul) noodles, and these came out nice and chewy, which was an extra plus. With the water dropwort aroma on top, it finished clean somehow.

Would we go back? Final thoughts

Yoran had a varied enough menu that it worked well as both a dinner and a drinking spot, and with that Japanese-style atmosphere on top, it was quite satisfying.

Best of all, it's close to work, so Gyeoul wants to come back for dinner again sometime!

If you're near Samseong-jung-ang Station looking for a nice-atmosphere izakaya or a quiet room bar, I'd recommend Yoran ♥