Samgakji izakaya in Seoul: five yakitori and drinks at Go

While out and about in Seoul with my mom and sister, we went looking for a nice-vibe bar near Yongsan Station this time. Going straight back to the hotel right after dinner felt like a shame, so we looked for somewhere to have a light drink and keep talking — and that's how we found Go Samgakji. It's known for its Japanese-style izakaya atmosphere and yakitori, so I went in with high expectations.

Where is Go Samgakji, and how close is it to Samgakji Station?

Go Samgakji is located on the 1st floor of 26 Hangang-daero 52-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. It's fairly close to Samgakji Station, so it wasn't hard to find, and it was easy to walk over to from around Yongsan Station. It's on Yongridan-gil, which is packed with restaurants and cafés, so it made for a great second stop after dinner.

A Japanese back-alley look from the street

From the outside, Go Samgakji really felt like an izakaya you'd find tucked in a Japanese alley. The soft lighting blended with the wood-toned exterior in a way that catches your eye even just walking past!

My mom and sister said "the vibe here is nice" as we walked in, and honestly it felt like a quick trip to Japan in the middle of our Seoul outing — a great first impression.

Inside Go Samgakji: seating and how it works for a family

Inside, Go Samgakji has both bar tables and regular tables, so it was easy to find seating that fit our group size. Warm lighting and Japanese-style props here and there gave it a cozy overall feel, and from the open kitchen you could watch the skewers being grilled.

Go, this izakaya bar on Yongridan-gil near Samgakji, isn't rowdy — it's more of a place suited for talking over a drink, so it worked better than I expected for a family visit.

Ordering by tablet: what the three of us picked

You could order comfortably from your seat using the tablet. There was a good variety on the menu, so it was fun browsing through it one item at a time.

We ordered lemon sour, oolong hai, edamame, tomato salad, ginnan-age, and five kinds of yakitori. Instead of anything too heavy, we leaned toward dishes that pair well with drinks.

Lemon sour and oolong hai

Go Samgakji's lemon sour was refreshing and cool, perfect as a first drink. The bright citrus tang woke up my appetite and paired really well with the yakitori.

The oolong hai was clean and easy to drink, so it was nice to sip between the richer dishes.

Edamame

Edamame, the essential izakaya side dish! It was seasoned nice and salty, so I kept popping them one after another haha. Great to nibble on with a drink before the main dishes arrived.

Tomato salad (tomato sarada)

The tomato salad was fresh and light, resetting my palate between other dishes. Since most of the other food was grilled or fried, having one light dish like this in the mix made for a great combo.

Ginnan-age (fried ginkgo nuts)

Ginnan-age is deep-fried ginkgo nuts, and the nutty flavor with a slightly chewy texture was really appealing.

It's not a dish I'd normally order, so it was extra fun to try, and it went really well as a drinking snack.

Five kinds of yakitori: order the assorted set on a first visit

The thing I was most looking forward to that day: Go Samgakji's five kinds of yakitori!

They came out grilled fresh right after ordering, so we ate them warm, and each skewer had a different flavor and texture, which made it fun to try one at a time. The outside had a subtle grilled aroma, and the inside stayed moist rather than dry.

Since you can try several kinds at once, I think ordering the assorted set is a great choice if it's your first visit.

Is Go Samgakji a good second-round bar near Yongsan Station?

Getting good food and then a drink at a nice-vibe bar with my mom and sister during our Seoul outing made for a properly great end to the day!

If you're near Yongsan Station looking for a Japanese-style izakaya or a great yakitori spot, give Go Samgakji a try. It was a great place for a light drink and good conversation :)