Konkuk University izakaya with 21-piece sashimi and yurinchi: Ito

Today I wanted to have a quiet conversation with my boyfriend, so we went to 'Ito' near Konkuk University Station! Honestly, Konkuk has a lot of 20-somethings and office workers, so there are a lot of loud, bustling spots — and not enough truly quiet places to talk! For that, 'Ito' is the best. Here's my review after healing over sashimi and delicious Japanese dishes at this quiet izakaya!

• 🚘 Use the nearby public parking lot
• 🕞 Tue–Sun 17:00–01:00 (next day) (last order: 00:00)
• 📍 22 Achasan-ro 33-gil, B1F, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, South Korea

How to walk from Konkuk University Station to Ito

Walk about 3 minutes from Exit 2 and Ito appears! The subway access was really good too. My boyfriend comes from Seongsu and I come from Sadang, so being close to the subway makes it easy to meet and easy to get home — I prefer restaurants near a subway station!

Apparently 'Ito' means 'connecting a bond'!

Maybe that's why this feels like a great spot for a second date after a blind date! The dim lighting and quiet izakaya vibe basically guarantee a 100% success rate for a blind date.

Seating and atmosphere at Ito: why reservations are a must

Even on a Thursday evening, Ito was pretty packed. I made a reservation for Thursday at 7:30pm! Quite full for a Thursday, right? And a few hours in, there were really a lot of customers! I highly recommend booking ahead before you visit.

There's also a bar table. Since it's an open kitchen, sitting at the bar table and watching the food being made while you eat seems like it'd be nice too.

Each table has a partition, giving a subtly private feel 🤍 Perfect for when a private room feels like too much for a second date.

The basic side dish is green peas. I'm not a huge fan, but they're my boyfriend's favorite, haha.

What to order at Ito: assorted sashimi and yurinchi

We ordered assorted sashimi + yurinchi! I saw a lot of reviews about the mille-feuille, and I was torn, but I ended up ordering yurinchi — and that was a genius move!

And you know how omija (schisandra berry) flavor is trending lately? I'd searched everywhere and couldn't find it, but they had it here! And on top of that, if you write a Naver review, you get a free bottle of soju!!!!! Can't pass that up!

The 21-piece sashimi platter at Ito, served with sushi rice

The sashimi we ordered finally arrived. It seems like they use fish that's in season. Salmon, sweet shrimp, tuna, abalone, and more — 21 pieces total.

The kicker here is that sushi rice comes along with it! Since it's an izakaya, you can't really wrap it in lettuce like Korean BBQ, right? In that case, making it into sushi seems like the best way to eat it! It's a decent amount too, so by the time you finish it you're pretty full. Great for when you have plans right after work and don't want to drink on an empty stomach! (We ordered an extra portion 😊)

At first I dipped it in vinegared gochujang sauce, and it was chewy and delicious!

Still, my pick is making it into sushi like this! It works as both a meal and a side dish, so it's two birds with one stone.

The abalone was chewy and impressive too. Since the sauce is made from a base of abalone innards, it paired perfectly with the abalone!

And of course, no sashimi is complete without soju! It was even better since we got it free from the review event ><. If you're a heavy drinker, definitely take advantage of perks like this!

Ito's yurinchi: better than typical izakaya fried chicken

The yurinchi finally arrived. Honestly, this was my first time having proper yurinchi! But it was not the quality you'd expect from an izakaya. The meat was moist and tender, the batter was crispy — once the yurinchi arrived, my boyfriend and I both just ate that lol. If you're a Korean who loves fried chicken, this flavor will satisfy you 1000% 👍

Especially if you put the pepper on top of the onion and eat it together — pure bliss 🪽 And the portion is generous, so ordering just these two dishes is filling enough for both a meal and drinking snacks. I highly recommend this combo 🩷 Still, next time I plan to try the mille-feuille or chicken nanban.

Is Ito worth a visit near Konkuk University Station?

If you're looking for a quiet izakaya with good atmosphere near Konkuk University Station, definitely visit 'Ito'! With seasonal sashimi and crispy-outside, juicy-inside yurinchi, all set in a dim and private atmosphere, you can enjoy a successful date. It's close to the station too, so it's easy to visit — I recommend spending a healing-filled time at Ito!