Gwangjin izakaya with nabe and sashimi: Ito

My partner and I were looking for somewhere near Konkuk University Station to have dinner and talk quietly, and we ended up at Ito (이토). Although it is underground, it did not feel especially cramped, and we had a date over nabe and sashimi at a table with high partitions.

How do you get to Ito from Konkuk University Station?

Ito is tucked inside Konkuk University's dining alley. It is about a two-minute walk from Exit 2 of Konkuk University Station, so it was not difficult to find.

The restaurant is on B1. Once you enter the building, you can see the stairs going down. Highball posters and postcard-like decorations on the stairs gave it an izakaya feel from the entrance.

Could we talk comfortably in the underground restaurant?

The owner said they had put thought and effort into offsetting the drawbacks of an underground restaurant. When I visited, I did not particularly notice the stale smell or closed-in feeling often associated with basement spaces.

There were no walls blocking the view inside, and the ceiling felt fairly high. The sake display near the kitchen gave it the atmosphere of an izakaya on a Japanese side street.

Wicker lights cast a soft glow, so the overall lighting was low. Every table, including the central ones, had high partitions, making it easy to talk without paying much attention to neighboring tables. I thought the seating would suit a conversation with a friend as well as a date.

Near the central tables, there were many Post-it notes left by guests as a guestbook. Reading them one by one was enjoyable, too.

What did we order for two, and how much did it cost?

We chose the ₩63,000 set with mille-feuille nabe and assorted sashimi. With two colas and extra fresh noodles, our total came to ₩70,000. We ordered using the tablet at our table.

How were the mille-feuille nabe and extra fresh noodles?

The mille-feuille nabe arrived first. Layers of napa cabbage and meat were arranged together, topped in the middle with meat, crown daisy, and enoki mushrooms. The ingredients were so neatly arranged that I took several photos before cooking it.

After letting it cook thoroughly, I picked out the cooked meat and napa cabbage together and had them with chili sauce. It was not greasy, so I kept reaching for more.

To finish, we added the fresh noodles to the nabe broth and boiled them again. The chewy noodles went well with the hot broth.

What stood out about the assorted sashimi?

The assorted sashimi came on a round plate with a variety of fish and seafood, including tuna, salmon, flounder, shrimp, and abalone. The slices were thick, with a rich flavor and satisfying bite.

Of everything we ordered, I especially liked the assorted sashimi. I would order it again on another visit.

How were the weekend wait and opening hours?

I arrived at the weekend opening time of 17:00 and entered without waiting. By the time we left, more and more guests were arriving. From this one visit, it was difficult to tell whether late evening would feel the same.

The hours listed in the original post are 17:00–01:00 except Mondays, with last order at 00:00. It is regularly closed on Mondays.

This time, we ate with cola instead of alcohol. The soft lighting and partitioned seats made it easy to talk comfortably, so I think I will remember it when looking for an izakaya in Konkuk University where I can have a quiet conversation.