Solo dining at oyster fritter & seafood ramen izakaya near Yeouido

After work, for once, I made a reservation at Robadayakki Sodam Yeouido Branch to have drinks with my husband over skewers he loves. But he got pulled into a last-minute work dinner right before we left, so I ended up asking for his understanding and going solo. I went alone but had such a good time — great atmosphere, great food, totally satisfying.

Location and hours of Robadayakki Sodam Yeouido Branch

• Address: 서울 영등포구 여의대방로65길 17 (17 Yeouidaebang-ro 65-gil, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, South Korea)
• Hours: Daily 17:00–01:30 (last order 00:30)

Robadayakki Sodam sits between Yeouido and Saetgang stations. There's a spacious parking lot, and being near two subway stations makes it easy to get to.

From counter seats to a private room — the Yeouido office-workers' sanctuary vibe

The interior feels like you've stepped into Japan. True to its reputation as a sanctuary for Yeouido office workers, the place was already packed even before 7pm. There's the popular counter seating, regular tables, and a quiet room in the back — great for a work dinner or a date.

Maybe because I booked through Naver Reservation, I managed to snag the most popular counter seats.

The great thing about counter seats is you can watch the whole cooking process right in front of you, so it's never boring, haha.

What is robatayaki?

Robatayaki (炉端焼き) apparently refers to Japanese-style charcoal grilling. Robata (炉端) means "by the hearth," and yaki (焼き) means "grilling." It's a Japanese pub style where fish, seafood, vegetables and meat are grilled over charcoal right by the hearth, so as soon as you order, you can watch your food being cooked right in front of you.

A fried egg came out as a basic side dish, seemingly one per person. Downing beer-soju cocktails on an empty stomach felt daunting, but the egg settled my stomach nicely first.

Assorted grilled skewers ₩24,000 — 11 types, 13 pieces

The assorted skewer platter came with 11 types across 13 pieces. My husband goes crazy for these skewers, so eating them alone made me feel a little guilty. But what can you do?

Being a skewer specialty spot, the quality was on a whole different level from frozen skewers. Crispy outside, juicy inside, with a subtle charcoal smokiness woven through that made every bite flavorful. Eating alone meant I got to try a bit of everything, and my personal favorites were the king oyster mushroom and the heart skewers...

Then I moved from beer-soju cocktails to straight soju... The taste and atmosphere just make the drinks go down so smoothly, I couldn't help myself.

Oyster fritter ₩19,000 — I thought it was a seasonal item

I thought this was a winter-only seasonal dish, but they said it was available, so I ordered it right away.

Wonderfully crispy fried oyster fritter with plump, generously sized oyster pieces bursting with deep oyster flavor. Crispy outside, juicy inside — the more you chewed, the more the oyster flavor came through.

Paired with the sauce and cabbage that came alongside, it cut through the richness nicely, so I enjoyed every bite without it feeling heavy, right to the last piece.

Seafood ramen ₩9,000 — a finishing touch for the hangover

I probably should've been heading home by then, but no, I went and ordered seafood ramen too, haha. After skewers and fritters, how could I not? I ordered it as my last dish to spice things up and clear my system a bit. (Waiter, could you please clear away the empty bottles and plates...)

For a bargain ₩9,000, it came loaded with mussels, shrimp, baby octopus, and bean sprouts — absolutely perfect. I could feel it soothing the hangover with every spoonful.

Why solo drinking here was so satisfying

Even going alone, I ate really well at Robadayakki Sodam Yeouido Branch. If you want quality bar food and atmosphere near Yeouido Station or Saetgang Station, I'd highly recommend this place. Honey, let's come here together next time — sorry~~~ let's live well haha~