Guro izakaya karaage and small sashimi platter: Robatayaki Sodam

There are a few spots I've had my eye on lately when I want a quiet drink around Guro Digital Complex, and this time I went to Robatayaki Sodam Guro Digital Complex Branch, which had that authentic Japanese izakaya vibe going on 🍶 Guro tends to be full of loud group drinking spots for office workers, but this place had soft lighting, a calm atmosphere, and a variety of seating, so it worked well for a date or just drinks for two.

Where is Robatayaki Sodam, the Guro izakaya?

📍 Robatayaki Sodam Guro Digital Complex Branch is on the 2nd floor at 97-3 Digital-ro 32-gil, Guro-gu, Seoul. It's a short walk from Guro Digital Complex Station and easy to find from the Kkalkkal-geori area of Guro.

The first thing that catches your eye when you walk in is the bar counter with fresh fish and skewer ingredients laid out! You can watch staff grill everything to order right there, so sitting at the counter looks like it'd be fun to watch. I've seen other reviews mention watching skewers and fish being grilled from the counter seats too, and the restaurant also has table seats and separated seating, which makes it popular for both dates and group get-togethers.

🤎 A quiet Guro bar with room-style booths

We sat in a room-style booth at Robatayaki Sodam that day. A lot of the bars you find around Guro are crowded and loud with music blasting, but here the soft lighting made the whole atmosphere much calmer.

Having a separated, room-like space was especially nice for talking and drinking together, and it'd work well as a date spot too. If you're with a bigger group, there are table seats or an inner section, and if you want to drink quietly alone, the bar counter seats seem like a good option too.

Having a variety of seating options is a real plus!

🍣 The small aged sashimi platter at Robatayaki Sodam

The first thing we ordered was Robatayaki Sodam's sashimi platter!

If you like sashimi, you know a spread like this—being able to try several kinds of fish at once—is great. The moment it arrived, the colors already looked fresh, and the first bite had good texture too. The more I chewed, the more the nutty flavor and savory umami of the fish came through and wrapped around my mouth.

It starts out mild, but the flavor gets more concentrated the more you chew, which made it a great pairing with a drink.

I also liked being able to try a little bit of several kinds of fish instead of just one.

🍗 Karaage: crisp outside, juicy inside

And the karaage (Japanese fried chicken) we ordered as a side dish for drinks!

The outside was fried crispy while the chicken inside stayed juicy, which made for a great texture. Take a bite and you get that crunchy coating first, then the tender chicken underneath. Menus like this obviously go perfectly with beer haha. Pairing a light dish like the sashimi with crispy karaage made for a pretty solid combo of drinking snacks.

🔥 Charcoal skewers to order next time

True to its name, Robatayaki Sodam is apparently known for its robatayaki-style charcoal-grilled skewers. They grill the skewers and fish fresh over charcoal, so if you sit at the counter you can supposedly watch the grilling happen right in front of you. There's actually a wide range of charcoal-grilled items, including an 11-type, 13-piece mixed skewer platter, grilled mero, and grilled whole Spanish mackerel.

We were too busy eating sashimi and karaage that day to get to the skewers, but next time I'm going to sit at the bar counter and watch the skewers grill while I eat the mixed platter. The grilled mero on the menu also caught my eye as something to try on the next visit!

🍶 Is Robatayaki Sodam good for a date in Guro?

Overall, Robatayaki Sodam felt calmer and better suited to a quiet drink than the loud, crowded bars you usually find around Guro. I liked the soft lighting and Japanese izakaya feel, plus having room seats, tables, and counter seats to choose from depending on the situation.

If you want to talk quietly over drinks with someone, it works as a date spot; if you're with a group, it works for a get-together or work dinner; and if you want a light drink alone, the bar counter seats are a good choice.

If you're looking for a quiet izakaya in Guro Digital Complex, a good sashimi spot in Guro, or a date spot in Guro, I'd recommend Robatayaki Sodam 🤎 Next time I'm definitely getting the grilled skewers and grilled mero too. A good place to save for when you want a quiet drink in Guro with that authentic Japanese izakaya feel!