No-kids-zone izakaya date night in Guro, Seoul: Robatayaki Sodam

We dropped the kids off at grandma's for a full-course date night and headed to Robatayaki Sodam, a well-known spot near Guro Digital Complex Station. I'd tried to eat this on a trip to Osaka once but got scammed on a food pass and missed out — so I visited with a bit of a grudge to settle!

Where is Robatayaki Sodam in Guro, and what are its hours?

Robatayaki Sodam is open daily from 17:00 to 01:30, and parking is not available.

Robatayaki Sodam is a 5-minute walk from Exit 1 of Guro Digital Complex Station! It's on Kkalkkal-geori, a street famous for food, so just assume parking will be a struggle 🥲

The 1st floor sign is so eye-catching it steals your attention, but head straight up to the 2nd floor! That's where Sodam's interior really begins. They have a toad figure like the ones Jinro used to give out — apparently discontinued now and hard to find.

The entrance shows off the Japanese-style interior, with the hours posted up. The smell of grilling was everywhere outside! We arrived hungry in the evening and all I could think about was eating fast.

Fish on ice at Robatayaki Sodam: four grilled mains to choose from

The fish caught my eye the moment we walked in. Fish, various skewers, and vegetables all laid out on ice — the ingredients looked so fresh I knew we had to order a grilled fish. The four main fish options are grilled Greenland halibut, grilled Spanish mackerel, grilled rockfish, and grilled Atka mackerel.

I zoomed in on the fish and ingredients in case they're hard to see. Everything is already prepped and scored, ready to cook right away. It felt exactly like scenes I'd seen in Japan. Even sitting right at the counter, there wasn't a hint of fishy or off smell — that's how good the quality and prep were!

A huge grill was waiting on standby. It was still early evening so there weren't many customers yet, and we hadn't ordered yet either — that's the grill just waiting. I imagine it gets chaotic during peak hours. It was a Sunday evening, and from 7pm on, customers poured in and both kitchen and serving staff looked slammed 😇

What is the seating like, from 2-tops to 12-person rooms?

Most seating at Robatayaki Sodam is for 4, with a few smaller 2-tops as well. We saw a lot of couples. This area wasn't cramped either, and there was a hidden space further in.

There's also inner seating with a bit of a Spirited Away vibe~ I was surprised at how far back the space extended. The Japanese-style interior must have cost a lot too. Every corner was thoughtfully decorated, with no empty space left over.

From 6-person up to 12-person rooms, it looks like a great space for gatherings or work dinners too. Each room is fully partitioned, giving it a slightly secretive feel — good for quiet conversations.

Dry-aged sashimi and the rest of the Robatayaki Sodam menu

Robatayaki Sodam's signature sashimi. They have a fridge for dry-aging, so instead of standard Korean-style live fish sashimi, the dry-aged sashimi apparently has a different umami depth and fat quality. Doesn't it just look delicious?

Orders are taken by staff in person, not through a kiosk! Sodam's signature menus are

• 📌Grilled fish
• 📌Aged mixed sashimi
• 📌Mixed skewer platter
• 📌Kansai-style oden and nabe (hot pot)

These four menus plus famous Japanese sake brands make up most of what they sell — largely Japanese-style dishes. They do carry Hibiki and Yamazaki, which I'd recommend if you have room in your budget. If not, Korean-style distilled soju or a highball can also be a good choice.

The free starter at Robatayaki Sodam: a fried egg

A nicely salted fried egg is Robatayaki Sodam's complimentary side dish. I didn't ask if refills were possible. The salting and frying were just right, making it perfect for calming an empty stomach.

Ilpum Jinro 25% for 19,000 won: how much soju costs here

🍶Ilpum Jinro 25% ₩19,000. Japanese sake tends to run a bit pricey, so we went with the more affordable Ilpum Jinro. It's normally ₩25,000 but is on promotion for ₩19,000 right now. Even at that lower price, the setup was excellent — it came with ice, tonic water, and lemon.

We didn't mix in the tonic water right away — worried about getting too tipsy, we drank the Ilpum Jinro on ice by itself for about half, then mixed the rest with tonic water and lemon.

Everything above is what I ordered! Each item was grilled with real care. The fish had been on the grill for a while, but it was so massive they had to keep going over it with a torch periodically. Huge respect to the people cooking over open fire. It's always hot and smoky, but they push through it with total professionalism — I could never do it. I absolutely cannot handle heat 🥹

Mixed skewer platter, 24,000 won

🍢Mixed skewer platter ₩24,000. Robatayaki Sodam's signature dish, a crowd-pleaser with no real dislikers. It took about 20 minutes. At this price, with this much variety and fresh ingredients grilled right in front of you, it's a great deal! I wanted to order more sake but held back.

This was our first time visiting as part of a sponsored review campaign, and the owner gave us 2 free chicken skewers, which we really enjoyed. We ordered 3 dishes, which would be plenty for two average people, but since I work out, the portion felt a bit on the small side — the complimentary skewers filled that gap perfectly.

Yurinki (fried chicken with tangy sauce), 20,000 won

🐓Yurinki ₩20,000. Crispy, tangy yurinki. There was a generous amount of chicken, and plenty of chili added for balance without getting overwhelming — a really harmonious flavor. It's a good option for anyone who can't eat fish, so no issue visiting with them.

Grilled rockfish, 22,000 won: the 25-minute main

🐟Grilled rockfish ₩22,000. The whole reason we came to Robatayaki Sodam. An enormous grilled rockfish. I've had it a few times elsewhere, but the size here was on another level. It took over 25 minutes, but that's because the sheer size meant it needed that much time to cook through. The salt and spice seasoning was nice and savory, pairing perfectly with the Ilpum Jinro.

Eating this, I couldn't help thinking it would've been nice to bring our kids along too — but since it's a no-kids zone, it looks like it'll just have to be me and my wife. If you've got plans near Guro Digital Complex Station, I'd genuinely recommend Robatayaki Sodam for a date night or a work dinner. We're planning to come back again.