Guro izakaya dinner: moist rockfish, chicken cartilage at Sodam

What kind of place is Robatayaki Sodam near Guro Digital Complex Station?

Robatayaki Sodam (로바다야끼 소담) is an izakaya (Japanese-style pub) near Guro Digital Complex Station where you can enjoy everything from grilled fish to all sorts of grilled dishes as drinking food. I was looking for a place near the station to have dinner and a light drink, and that's how I ended up at Robatayaki Sodam!

I usually like izakaya vibes, so I was searching for where to go in Gudi (the Guro Digital Complex area), and I liked that this place has grilled fish and a range of other grilled dishes.

Gudi has a ton of bars that are great after work, but if you want to take your time over a drink somewhere with a bit more atmosphere, this seemed like a good option. And if you like grilled dishes more than typical bar snacks, I think picking from the menu is part of the fun.

That day we ordered rockfish, grilled shrimp and chicken cartilage. Personally, the rockfish was the tastiest of everything we ate, and the grilled shrimp had a savory flavor that stuck with me too. If you're hunting for an izakaya in Gudi and like grilled fish or grilled dishes, it's worth a look.

How is robatayaki different from a regular izakaya?

Robatayaki means Japanese cooking where various ingredients are grilled over a hearth. Maybe that's why Robatayaki Sodam near Guro Digital Complex Station felt different from a typical izakaya.

The mood suits ordering grilled dishes one by one and enjoying them slowly with drinks, so it felt like a good spot for a dinner meetup too.

The area around Guro Digital Complex Station is full of offices, so lots of people look for somewhere for after-work dinners or company get-togethers, right? When I eat dinner in Gudi, I often look for a place with good drinking food and a drink or two, not just a place to eat.

In that sense, I think Robatayaki Sodam suits people looking for a Gudi dinner spot who like grilled fish, skewers and other grilled dishes.

Many people searching for a group-friendly bar near Guro Digital Complex Station are probably planning a big outing. If you have a larger party, it's a good idea to check seating and reservation availability before you go.

The tastiest dish at Robatayaki Sodam: grilled rockfish

Of everything we ordered at Robatayaki Sodam that day, my personal favorite was the grilled rockfish (ppollak-gui, 뽈락구이). Grilled fish can easily turn dry and lose its moisture if it's cooked badly, but the rockfish I had that day was tender and moist, and I really enjoyed it.

There's fun in picking the flesh off piece by piece, and the mild grilled fish goes well with drinks. Above all, I loved that moist texture. If I had to pick just one of the three dishes again, I'd choose the rockfish.

If you like grilled fish, it's worth ordering at least once when you come to a robatayaki. If you visit with several people and order a bunch of dishes, getting one grilled fish to share is a good idea too. When you want something to go with both dinner and drinks, grilled dishes like this feel hearty.

If you've been looking for a Gudi izakaya where grilled fish is the main event, I think this place will suit you.

How was the grilled shrimp? Savory flavor

Next up at Robatayaki Sodam was the grilled shrimp! Shrimp has that special savory taste and aroma when grilled, you know? The grilled shrimp that day was savory with great flavor, and I enjoyed it.

If the rockfish won me over with its tender, moist texture, the shrimp offered a different kind of enjoyment, so ordering the two together worked well. Grilled fish alone might feel a little monotonous, but eating shrimp in between made the combination a good match.

The shrimp is also easy to pick up one at a time as drinking food, so it's a dish to enjoy slowly with drinks. If you like that savory grilled flavor, it's a safe choice. I liked the rockfish best that day, but the shrimp was one of the dishes I was happy with too.

Chicken cartilage, ordered with the rockfish and shrimp

The dish we ordered along with the rockfish and grilled shrimp at Robatayaki Sodam was the chicken cartilage (dak-yeongol, 닭연골). The rockfish and shrimp were seafood-focused, so adding chicken cartilage gave us a bit more variety.

Rather than ordering just one type of snack, I think it's nice to order grilled fish, seafood and meat dishes and share them. At an izakaya especially, people often don't finish in one sitting; they order several dishes and drink slowly while chatting, right? It felt like a good place for a day like that.

If you're looking for a group venue near Guro Digital Complex Station, a bigger party could order a variety of grilled dishes that everyone wants and share them. For a group visit, though, I recommend checking with the restaurant in advance that they can seat the number of people you want.

If you're looking for a place in Gudi for dinner and a drink

Robatayaki Sodam was a Gudi izakaya where you can have dinner over grilled dishes and naturally have a drink too. When you have plans around Guro Digital Complex Station, the hardest part is deciding where to eat dinner.

Just eating and parting feels like a waste, but a place that's all bar can make dinner awkward. At Robatayaki Sodam, we ordered grilled dishes and naturally had a drink along with them. So I think it suits people who want to make a Gudi dinner plan and have a drink at the same place.

Above all, the rockfish I liked best that day stayed with me for its tender, moist flesh, and the grilled shrimp was satisfying with its savory flavor. We added chicken cartilage too and enjoyed all three dishes. Personally, if I visit again, I'd order the rockfish again.

Gudi izakaya Robatayaki Sodam in one line

If you want a Japanese-style izakaya in Gudi rather than an ordinary bar, or you want grilled fish and other grilled dishes as drinking food, Robatayaki Sodam is worth a visit.

We ate rockfish, grilled shrimp and chicken cartilage, and my number-one pick is definitely the rockfish! I loved the tender, moist flesh, and the savory, flavorful grilled shrimp was a good one to order alongside.

• People looking for a Gudi dinner spot
• People who want a drink somewhere with atmosphere after work
• People looking for a Gudi izakaya

If you're planning a group outing near Guro Digital Complex Station, check seating and reservation availability before you go and it'll be more comfortable. As someone who loves grilled fish, I'd start with the rockfish again next time :)