Isu pizza pub date: cheese pizza and a beer sampler at Raymond Isu

I'm the type who will travel far for good food, but this time I heard an amazing pizza and craft beer spot had opened not far from me, so I went!

I think a pizza is all about the harmony of cheese and dough, yet hardly any place nails that simple requirement. 🥲 So this time my husband and I went to Raymond Isu Branch, said to serve proper American-style pizza and craft beer!

Conclusion first: if you like pizza, you should visit Raymond Isu Branch at least once. It beat my expectations from the very first bite, and we left promising to become regulars. 😍

Where is Raymond Isu Branch, and what's the vibe?

Raymond Isu Branch is at 33 Dongjak-daero 23-gil, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, on the 1st floor. It's about a 3-minute walk from Exit 9 of Chongsin Univ. (Isu) Station, so it's easy to reach by public transport.

I loved the exotic atmosphere, which reminds you of an American pizza pub. It feels different from an ordinary pizza place, and it works well for a date.

Couples like us who enjoy good food with a glass of beer will probably be even happier here. It's a good one to remember around Sadang when you want a different kind of meal out.

It's open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., with last order at 10:30 p.m. There's no private parking lot, so if you're driving, check the public car parks nearby.

Why we picked the Raymond Set on our first visit

The first things we ordered that day were the Raymond Set and a beer sampler set. The Raymond Set lets you enjoy several kinds of pizza plus boneless chicken, sausages, truffle fries and more all at once. It costs ₩54,900 and is recommended for 2–4 people.

For a couple who eats as much as we do, being able to taste so many things was a real draw. Ordering just one dish would have been a letdown, and a bit of everything makes eating more fun. 😁

If you go with a group, one set that covers lots of dishes beats everyone ordering separately, so it felt good value too.

If you're on your first visit and can't decide, start with the Raymond Set! You get everything from pizza to sides, so I'd recommend it as a first order for anyone who likes trying lots of things. 😁

Raymond's cheese pizza: isn't American pizza too salty?

Raymond Isu Branch's plain cheese pizza doesn't push saltiness; the nutty cheese and its gentle sweetness really come through. When I visit a new pizza place I always try the basic menu first, because if the basics are good, I can expect the rest to be too. So I went for the cheese pizza, and wow, it was another level! 🤣

I had assumed American pizza would be salty and harsh, and that idea collapsed with the first bite. The cheese's salty-savory flavor and subtle sweetness blended beautifully. It didn't feel like a salt-bomb; it really brought out what's great about cheese.

The dough impressed me too. It's baked in an oven and nicely light, which supports the cheese flavor well. Even great cheese is hard to finish if the dough disappoints, but Raymond's cheese pizza has a good balance of the two. I was glad I'd started with the basics.

After one slice I was curious how good the other kinds would be. If you want proper American-style pizza in Isu, I'd confidently name Raymond Isu Branch. If you love cheese especially, please start with the plain cheese pizza. 😊

What does the beer sampler at Raymond Isu Branch include?

Raymond Isu Branch's beer sampler lets you compare several craft beers, and they print out a slip listing the order to drink them in. On this visit I was looking forward to the sampler as much as the pizza. The menu introduces a wide range to pick from by taste: Pilsner lager, Vienna lager, Belgian wheat ale, IPA, sour ale, porter ale and more.

What also caught my eye is that the owner holds brewery-related qualifications and has built real expertise in beer. It's appealing that they don't just sell beer but also care about beers that go with pizza!

A sampler that lets you compare lots of types is fun for figuring out which beer suits you. It's a great fit if you'd like to try different styles rather than always picking your usual.

I also liked the thoughtful touch of printing a slip with the order of the sampler beers. 🥰 Once I found a beer I liked, I ordered 600ml, haha. Sizes go all the way up to 1000ml, which is great!

With tasty pizza and a beer that suits your taste, the meal felt so much richer. It reminded me again why people love the pizza-and-beer combo.

Open for lunch, so daytime beers are possible

🍺 Raymond Isu Branch also serves lunch, so you can have a daytime beer!! Having a daytime-drinking spot like this in the neighborhood is the best! ❤️ haha

Pizza by the slice

Another charm of Raymond is that you can order pizza by the slice. Besides cheese, there's pepperoni, bacon Hawaiian, mac and cheese and more,

and they sell quirky limited-edition items too. I liked being able to pick a variety without the pressure of ordering a whole pie. The two of us almost finished the Raymond Set. haha

This time we enjoyed a variety through the set, but since even the basics satisfied us, next time I want to order the slices one by one and try them all. I'm already curious which combination I'll like best. 😋

Leftover truffle fries in a takeout box

The truffle fries in the Raymond Set were especially good that day, and thankfully they gave us a takeout box, so I took them home to have with one last can of beer, haha. Pretty thoughtful of the owner, right!?

Why I recommend Raymond Isu Branch for a Sadang or Isu date

If you're looking for a date spot around Sadang or Isu, Raymond Isu Branch is a decent choice because you can handle both dinner and drinks in one place. If you're like me and care about the basics of a dish, love pizza cheese flavor and light dough, and want to try various beers to go with it, you'll likely be even happier.

It's fine for just a quick beer, but it also suits couples or friends who want to enjoy a good spread. This visit changed my prejudice about American pizza and left me looking forward to the next one.

If you want delicious pizza and craft beer together, do visit Raymond Isu Branch. Try it yourself and I think you'll see why I was so satisfied! 😍