Highballs and takoyaki after work at Tomo, an izakaya in Gwanak, Seoul

Hi, it's Jelly! I was looking for a spot where my partner and I could talk quietly after work, and I ended up at Tomo, an izakaya near Seoul National University Station.

If you're a working couple, you've probably had the experience of meeting up after work only to find the place too noisy to really talk. Unlike a typical open-plan spot, Tomo has private rooms, which made it great for just the two of us. Here's my review after trying everything from sashimi to highballs, clam butter jjim, and takoyaki at Tomo, an izakaya near Seoul National University Station.

• Location: 24 Gwanak-ro 15-gil, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 2nd and 3rd floors
• Hours: Sun–Thu 5pm–2am (next day), Fri–Sat 5pm–3am (next day)

※ Menu items offered through Naver reservations and receipt review perks may vary depending on when you visit, so please check with the store before going.

How to walk from Seoul National Univ. Station to Tomo

You'll find Tomo by heading toward Sharosu-gil from Exit 3 of Seoul National University Station. It's close enough to the station that meeting up after work from different areas felt easy. It's tucked inside an alley, and even the sign out front already gave off that distinct Japanese-style pub atmosphere.

What is a private 3rd-floor room at Tomo like?

Walking in, I found the space divided into several rooms. Each door had a cute character sticker on it, which made it fun to find our own room. We were led to a room on the 3rd floor. Once the door closed, it became its own separate space, and we barely noticed any outside noise — we could talk comfortably with each other.

The atmosphere felt just right for a slow, after-work date where you talk about your day over a meal. Being able to check the menu and order from a tablet inside the room was also convenient whenever we wanted to add something.

It felt like a space worth remembering for an anniversary or any evening when you want more time than usual — especially if you prefer a calm meeting over a loud, bustling atmosphere.

What comes on Tomo's premium sashimi platter for two

For our main dish we picked the premium sashimi for two. It came out as a neatly arranged plate with tuna, salmon, amberjack, octopus, shrimp, and more.

The first thing that caught my eye as soon as the plate landed on the table was the shrimp plating. The shrimp were arranged to look like a heart, which matched the date-night mood perfectly — I ended up taking several photos before we even started eating.

The sashimi was sliced to just the right thickness for one bite at a time. It was fun comparing the different textures — soft salmon, clean white fish, chewy octopus.

Mixing a little wasabi into the soy sauce made the flavor of the fish come through even more clearly. If you like tasting a bit of many different things rather than a lot of one, the premium sashimi for two would suit you well.

The overall price range might feel a bit higher than a place you'd drop into for a quick drink. But given the quality of the food and the careful plating, it actually felt reasonable.

On top of all that, being able to eat at a relaxed pace in a private room made it a great match for a special after-work date or anniversary. Between the good-looking spread and the variety of sashimi, it's a place worth remembering when you're looking for an izakaya on Sharosu-gil.

Earl Grey highball and blue lemon highball, 10,000 won each

For drinks, we ordered one Earl Grey highball and one blue lemon highball. Both were ₩10,000 a glass, and the contrasting colors made for a pretty photo side by side.

The Earl Grey highball had a subtle tea aroma and a smooth finish going down.

If you like fragrant, sweet drinks, it's an easy one to enjoy. The blue lemon highball had a clear lemon tang and lively carbonation.

Drinking it after the sashimi felt refreshing and cleared the palate, so it paired well with the food. Sitting with pretty-colored highballs in front of us and talking slowly felt like a nice way to close out a busy day. It's a good combination for a working couple who want to unwind somewhere close by after work.

Clam butter jjim free with a Naver reservation

Booking through Naver reservations ahead of our visit came with a free clam butter jjim (steamed clams in butter sauce). The reservation process was simple, and getting an extra warm dish out of it made me glad I'd checked in advance.

The clams were plump, and the buttery richness blended nicely with the savory broth. Having a warm broth dish was also a nice pairing between the sashimi and the highballs.

Even after finishing the clams, I kept going back for the broth with a spoon. This dish would probably taste even better if you visit on a chilly day after work.

Takoyaki chosen through Tomo's receipt review perk

Inside the store, there was also a sign for a receipt review event you could join via QR code. Writing a review let us choose between a highball or takoyaki, and since we'd already ordered highballs, we picked the takoyaki.

The takoyaki came out warm, generously topped with sauce and bonito flakes. Watching the bonito flakes flutter added even more to the Japanese-pub atmosphere. The outside was slightly crisp while the inside stayed moist — it can be hot in one bite, so it's better to let it cool a little first. With sashimi, jjim, and now a warm dish added in, the whole spread felt even richer.

Why Tomo suits an after-work date in Gwanak

Tomo's dishes were nicely plated and fun to photograph, and each menu item had its own distinct charm.

What stood out most was how separate each room felt. At crowded places, conversations often get interrupted by noise, but at Tomo, closing the door let us talk comfortably. Ordering by tablet also suited the room-based setup well.

It's less a place for casual, everyday visits and more one to pick for a payday date, an anniversary, or a day when you want to slow down and take your time. It suited a busy working couple meeting up after work for good food and highballs. If you're looking for a quiet date spot near Seoul National University Station, it's worth checking out Tomo, an izakaya near Seoul National University Station — a bar where we enjoyed sashimi and highballs together while talking closely, near Seoul National University Station.