Itaewon izakaya bar near Itaewon Station: sashimi platter at Kuroiya

I went looking for an Itaewon bar with good vibes and proper sashimi, and ended up at Kuroiya. In the past when I hunted for bars in Itaewon, plenty had great atmosphere but disappointing food — Kuroiya was one of the rare places where I loved both the mood and the food.

The assorted sashimi platter I ordered that night exceeded my expectations. There were plenty of varieties, each cut thick, so it felt like a proper sashimi meal — from the gimbap (seaweed rice roll) topped with sea urchin roe to the warm broth at the very end, everything was delicious at this Itaewon bar.

Kuroiya

Kuroiya hours and how to find the Itaewon Station basement bar

Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sun 17:30 – 01:30 the next day Fri, Sat 17:30 – 02:00 the next day Parking not available Zero Pay accepted

Kuroiya is close to Itaewon Station, so it was easy to reach by subway. Since I was planning to drink, I hadn't brought a car anyway, and the location made it convenient to get there by public transit.

What a Tuesday evening at Kuroiya feels like

Walking in, I felt a calm yet stylish atmosphere. Even though it was a Tuesday evening, one side of the place was already buzzing with people!!

It suited a date just as well as drinks with friends or a small gathering. This isn't a place you visit only for the mood — you can properly enjoy the food too, which made me like it even more.

Ordering today's sashimi at Kuroiya, starting with the free starters

The menu turned out to be way more varied than I expected!! Of course, I ordered the today's sashimi!

Fried eggplant, dried radish baek-kimchi, and hijiki tofu salad came out! The textures were fun and the flavors were good! While I was picking away at these starter snacks, the star of the night — the sashimi — made its entrance.

How thick is Kuroiya's assorted sashimi platter?

The dish I was most looking forward to that day was the assorted sashimi platter, and it came with a nice variety of fish, which made it fun to try one after another. I've had assorted sashimi platters before that had plenty of variety but were sliced too thin to be satisfying — here, every single piece was thick, and the texture when I bit into it was clearly different.

Above all, the fish was fresh, so even the thick cuts weren't overwhelming, and each variety had its own flavor and texture, making it fun to pick and choose. I've been to plenty of places for sashimi since I love it, but that night I was so satisfied I ended up focusing more on the fish than the drinks.

The complimentary anglerfish liver maki (ankimo maki)

This is the anglerfish liver maki I received as a review event freebie!!! and the extra sashimi they just gave us on the house 🫶 I tend to talk a lot while eating, and the atmosphere wasn't too loud, so it was easy to chat.

I'd had anglerfish liver before and it was a love-it-or-hate-it thing because of its distinctive smell, but the one I had this time wasn't overpowering at all and had a really nice nutty flavor. Eating it between bites of sashimi gave a whole different feel, and it paired really well as a drinking snack.

Seriously, how good was it...

Finishing the night with a warm broth

Finishing with a warm broth at the end was just the best — I want to go every day, I wish there was one right in front of my house. It's kind of like love, honestly? That's the feeling I got.

I'm so jealous it's near my friend's place... it made me want to live around here too... I really envy people who live in Itaewon...

Who should book Kuroiya, an Itaewon bar for dates

At first I just thought of it as a decent-vibe Itaewon bar, but after actually eating there, it became a place I want to go back to for the food. Especially the flow of the menu — from the thick, fresh assorted sashimi to the nutty sea urchin gimbap to the warm broth finish — I loved it all.

Want to go again... no, want to go every single day haha. If you're looking for an Itaewon spot that's not just about the vibe but also about proper, delicious food to go with your drinks, I recommend Kuroiya. It's also a great pick for anyone looking for a blind date or date spot in Itaewon, or for sashimi lovers hunting for an aged sashimi restaurant in Itaewon.