Sea urchin sashimi at a Seolleung izakaya in Seoul: Momiji Seolleung

These days whenever I look for a place to grab a drink, having a private room is my top priority. My sister and I were searching for a private-room izakaya near Seolleung Station and ended up at Momiji Seolleung Branch! Every single table here is its own private room, and that was honestly the best part haha. We could chat quietly without worrying about the next table over, which makes it perfect for a date or just catching up with your sister. Such a satisfying visit to Momiji Seolleung — here's my review!

Where is Momiji Seolleung Branch, and what are its hours?

Momiji Seolleung Branch is on the 3rd floor, Unit 1, of a building at 43 Samseong-ro 85-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Weekdays it's open 11:20–24:00 (break time 14:00–17:00, last order at 13:00 and 23:00), Saturdays 16:30–23:00 (last order 22:00), and it's closed on Sundays. Group bookings are welcome and reservations are recommended.

Momiji Seolleung is on the 3rd floor!

Anyone looking for a great izakaya near Seolleung Station should keep this one in mind. It's really easy to get to by public transport haha.

Inside Momiji Seolleung Branch: every seat in a private room

At Momiji Seolleung Branch, every table is sectioned off into its own private room, and the rooms come in a range of sizes. Whether you come as a duo or a group, you never have to worry about the table next to you.

The rooms are cozily decorated, so it was the perfect setting for an intimate drink. The lighting was soft, which was also nice for photos, and the staff were friendly, so we felt totally at ease.

Every seat was a private room, and the sizes varied a lot!

Momiji Seolleung Branch menu: ordering uni sahap and a futomaki half

When we opened the menu, there was a huge range — from sashimi to fried dishes to highballs! Everything looked so good that we spent forever deciding, which basically gave us an excuse to come back haha. We ended up ordering the uni sahap (sea urchin sashimi platter) and a half order of futomaki!

Soju and cola to go with it ><

Complimentary sides at Momiji Seolleung: green peas and thick seaweed

The peas that came out with our order turned out to be a surprisingly great drinking snack ><. They were salty in just the right way to pair with soju, so we kept picking at them. Such a simple side, but we couldn't stop reaching for it!

The seaweed here is seriously something else. It's so thick and just insanely good.

Futomaki half order: rolled egg as fluffy as castella cake

Our futomaki (thick sushi roll) came out first!

The filling was packed full, and you know that fluffy Japanese-style tamago (egg roll)? It had that castella-cake texture, and I thought, this place really knows what it's doing... such a moving flavor experience ㅜ_ㅠ.

Dipped in a bit of wasabi, all the richness disappeared and it became endlessly easy to eat.

Uni sahap at Momiji Seolleung: how fresh was the sea urchin?

The moment the uni sahap arrived at Momiji Seolleung Branch, both of our eyes went wide — the presentation was that good. The uni had no fishy taste at all, just pure nuttiness, and pairing it with sweet shrimp was a great combination.

The moment the uni sahap came out, my sister and I both went wide-eyed 👀

I genuinely love uni, and the freshness here was insane...... The moment it hit my mouth it just melted, and I kept reaching for more. Not a hint of fishiness, only nuttiness left behind — the kind of quality anyone who's eaten a fair amount of sashimi would recognize instantly ㅜ0ㅜ.

Sweet shrimp and uni together... ㅠ0ㅠ

Honestly, a presentation you couldn't help but pull out your camera for. The freshness was insane and the texture was so chewy ㅜ_ㅜ. Absolutely the best.

So glossy and beautiful. It really melted in my mouth ㅜㅜ. It was so good my sister and I ended up clapping while we ate. That's how satisfying this meal was ㅜㅜ.

A completely cleaned-out plate to finish...

Final verdict on Momiji Seolleung Branch

If you're looking for fresh sashimi and a private-room izakaya near Seolleung Station, I recommend Momiji Seolleung. If you want a great restaurant near Seolleung Station with actual private rooms, Momiji Seolleung Branch is truly the one to pick. I've been to other branches too, and this one was the tastiest and the best by far ㅠ_ㅠ. Among izakayas near Seolleung Station, I'd say this place ranks among the top for freshness. Next time I'll go back and work my way through the other menu items one by one haha.