Sakura roman sake and millefeuille nabe at Ito, a Konkuk izakaya

Everyone's catching a breather in the middle of busy days lately... how's the holiday treating you? When life doesn't slow down, I think we all need a moment for ourselves with good snacks and a drink hahahaha. This time I went to such an atmospheric bar! The staff were so friendly, the lighting was pretty, the food was delicious, and even the sake was perfect!!!! It's an izakaya I really want to recommend to you all. 😊 hehe

Where is Ito near Konkuk University Station, and is it easy to find?

Ito is an izakaya in the basement floor at 22 Achasan-ro 33-gil, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. I found it while trying to decide where to meet a friend near Konkuk University Station 📍 It's not too far from the station, so it was really easy to find! I pulled up Naver Map, walked a little way into the alley, and it caught my eye right away ✨

Walking down the alley, a bold red-accented entrance and a clean sign greeted me first 🏮 The standing sign in front of the entrance had big photos of the best menu items, which pulled me in even before I stepped inside. And the sign itself just had that 'this must be a good restaurant' vibe? lol

A staircase led down to the basement, and the mood was full of feeling from the very first step 🏮 I loved the warm phrase 'connecting fate/ties' on the wall, and the soft lighting welcomed me in — I knew right away I'd found a proper atmosphere spot 💖

That clean yet cozy izakaya feeling hit me right from Ito's entrance 🍶

Inside Ito: partitioned booths, counter seats and lighting

Walking into Ito, the interior was much bigger and softer than I expected, and I really liked it. The partitioned seats were well set up for private conversation, and there was counter seating too, which looked great for a solo drink or a date 👍

Retro posters and warm rattan lighting fixtures dotted the walls, adding even more atmosphere 💡 The lighting wasn't too bright or too dim, so photos came out pretty and it felt comfortable for sipping a drink 😊 Such a great date atmosphere too +_+

As soon as we sat down, they brought out edamame (boiled soybean pods) as the house side dish. Popping the beans out was fun and perfect for keeping our mouths busy before the main dishes arrived. Clean and light 😋 Such a nice touch!!

Ito menu and prices, ordered by tablet

Ito uses tablet ordering, and browsing through the screen slowly, I found the menu packed with delicious options. The sashimi dishes caught my eye first — assorted sashimi (21p) was 39,000 won, flounder salt gimbap (seaweed rice roll) was 30,000 won, and sweet, sweet shrimp sashimi was 23,000 won 🐟 True to its reputation as a Konkuk sashimi spot, the visuals alone made my mouth water!

The warm hot pot dishes were also well stocked 🍲 The signature millefeuille nabe (limited quantity) was 26,000 won, light and clean mizutaki was 26,000 won, and sweet-savory sukiyaki was also 26,000 won. Chicken nanban topped with plenty of tartar sauce was 18,000 won, spicy-tangy yurinchi was 19,000 won, and savory ebi mayo was 18,000 won! There was also spicy cream udon and Napolitan udon, each 21,000 won and great as a meal on their own — the range of choices for side dishes was huge.

There was a wide range of drinks too, from sake to standard liquor 🍶 Wolgyegwan Junmai 750 (38,000 won), Ganbare Otosan (35,000 won), Hanayagu Junmai (29,000 won), Banshu Nishiki one-cup (8,000 won), and tokkuri (hot/ice, 8,000 won each) — perfectly rounded out 🌸

The basic drink menu was also neatly covered, which I liked 🍻 The soju options — Jinro, Chamisul, Saero — were each 5,500 won, a cold bottle of Terra beer was 5,500 won, and Cali draft beer was 5,000 won 🍺 It was such a great Konkuk bar and a charming Konkuk izakaya for enjoying good drinks with good food!

Sakura roman sake served in an ice-filled tokkuri

The sake I ordered at Ito this time was Sakura Roman, with a package so pretty in pink 🌸 I was impressed by the thoughtful touch of serving it chilled — a bowl full of ice with the tokkuri and cup set beautifully inside 🧊 Just looking at it felt refreshing, and it lifted my mood instantly ✨

I poured the sake into the tokkuri and took a sip — it had a clean, subtly sweet flavor and aroma that went down so smoothly 🍶 It was chilled perfectly, so I happily finished a glass even before the food arrived. Cheers~ 🥂 Being served so beautifully made me even happier. I've really fallen for sake lately~~~

Millefeuille nabe, 26,000 won: layers of pork and napa cabbage

Finally, the main dishes I'd been waiting for arrived! 😍 The first to catch my eye, with its overwhelming visuals, was the millefeuille nabe. Beef, cabbage, and perilla leaves stacked layer upon layer, filling the pot to the brim — it looked so pretty ✨ With a pink flower-shaped arrangement of meat in the center and mushroom garnish on top, the plating was almost too perfect to eat 👍 The moment it arrived — wow... I gasped hahahaha

Once we set it on the gas burner at the table and turned it on, it quickly started bubbling. As the nabe boiled, the light, savory broth aroma spread and made my mouth water 😋 A hot soup dish like this is an absolute must at any Konkuk bar! ✨

I grabbed a bite of well-cooked meat and vegetables together, dipped them in the special sauce, and the light, tender flavor that filled my mouth was truly excellent. The texture of the broth-soaked vegetables and the savory meat came together fantastically, making the drinks taste even sweeter 👍 This side dish is the real deal...

Assorted sashimi, 21 pieces for 39,000 won: what came on the plate?

Next came the assorted sashimi I'd been looking forward to. The plating was so luxurious and pretty that I gasped the moment I saw it 😍 The glossy, fresh slices of fish were arranged neatly by type, so it felt like tasting it with my eyes first ✨

With various types of fish including tuna, salmon and flounder, plus abalone, sweet shrimp, and even soft gyoku (Japanese-style rolled egg), the spread was really substantial. The thick-cut slices had just the right thickness for a satisfying texture too ✨ Truly the quality you'd expect from a top sashimi spot near Konkuk University Station! Seriously such good quality..

Seeing the table with the nabe and sashimi side by side just made me happy. Under the cozy lighting, with good food and a glass of sake, the mood got even richer ✨ It was such a great space to chat with a friend and sip drinks together 👍

First I tried the white flounder sashimi with a light dip in wasabi soy sauce. The chewy, springy texture the moment it hit my mouth was pure art ✨ The more I chewed, the more savory and clean the flavor got, and I could really feel the true charm of sashimi 😋

The bright red tuna sashimi looked soft just by looking at it. I added a bit of wasabi and dipped it in soy sauce, and the way it melted in my mouth was absolutely the best ✨ The rich, savory flavor of the tuna spread through my mouth, and I couldn't help but smile!

I picked up another piece of clear, smooth-looking sashimi. Dipping it in wasabi soy sauce, I could taste a chewy yet tender texture that was different from the flounder ✨ The freshness filled my mouth, and I was happy the whole time I was eating 👍

Abalone steamed in sake, with a standout innard sauce

Lastly, my eyes went to the abalone steamed in sake, topped generously with abalone innard sauce. The chewy steamed abalone paired with the rich, savory innard sauce showed off a deep flavor ✨ There wasn't a hint of fishiness, just pure savoriness — a real specialty among specialties 👍

From the vivid red tuna to the glossy white fish and the yellow rolled egg, the plating was so pretty I couldn't stop taking photos 📸 Biting into a thick slice of sashimi, I could feel the freshness right away as it melted in my mouth — truly excellent 😋 There's clearly a reason it's known as a top Konkuk izakaya! 👍

The bubbling millefeuille nabe just made my heart feel warm the moment I looked at it 🍲 The beautiful layers of cabbage and meat filling the pot to the brim looked so appetizing ✨ The light, savory broth aroma drifting up made me impatient to dig in 😍 A hot soup dish like this is an absolute must at any Konkuk bar! ✨

Is Ito a good quiet izakaya near Konkuk University Station?

Choosing the Sakura Roman sake turned out to be such a good decision!! So pretty... ✨ Sipping a spoonful of warm nabe broth with a glass of sake, I felt like I had absolutely nothing left to envy — such a happy time. If you're looking for a quiet izakaya near Konkuk... this is the place, no question!!!