Partitioned booth izakaya in Guro: set no. 3 at Robatayaki Sodam

I went to Robatayaki Sodam Guro Digital Complex Branch for dinner and drinks in Guro. That day I was craving both sashimi and a hot soup, and it turned out they had a set with both together. We ordered set no. 3, which comes with a small sashimi platter and oden hot pot — a Guro bar izakaya pick that hit the spot.

Where is Robatayaki Sodam? 2nd floor on Kkalkkal-geori in Guro

Robatayaki Sodam Guro Digital Complex Branch is on the 2nd floor of a building on Kkalkkal-geori street near Guro Digital Complex Station. Looking up from outside, the big 'Sodam' sign is easy to spot once you're near the area.

Inside Robatayaki Sodam: wooden partitioned booth seats

Walking in, it really felt like a Japanese-style pub. Japanese posters were on the walls and rows of liquor bottles lined the shelves up top. With the wooden tables and yellow lighting, it instantly put me in the mood for a drink.

Some seats had wooden partitions between tables, which was nice since you weren't fully exposed to the tables next to you. There were also several table seats, so it seemed like a solid choice for group gatherings or company dinners at this Guro Digital Complex Station bar.

What's on the menu and how much is set no. 3?

Opening the Robatayaki Sodam menu, there were way more side dish options than I expected. From grilled fish like grilled Chilean sea bass and grilled Spanish mackerel to sashimi, skewers, fried dishes, and hot pots — it took me a moment to decide. Since we wanted both sashimi and something hot and soupy that day, we went with set no. 3! It comes with a small sashimi platter and oden hot pot, priced at ₩48,000.

If you're stopping by for a Guro dinner and thinking of having a drink too, choosing what to order won't be hard. There were plenty of side dishes better suited to nibbling with drinks than a full meal.

The small sashimi platter, octopus included

First, the sashimi arrived on a long plate. It came with octopus and several kinds of raw fish, plus lemon and radish sprouts on the side. The plate was long, so once it was set on the table it looked more generous than I expected.

Each type of fish had a different texture, so it was fun to alternate between them, and each bite paired perfectly with a sip of alcohol. They mentioned the sashimi lineup can vary depending on what's fresh that day, so there might be slight differences visit to visit. If you love raw fish and are looking for an izakaya bar in Guro, a set like this is pretty solid.

Oden hot pot with a wide mix of fish cakes

The oden hot pot came out generously packed with several skewers. There were flat fish cakes, round ones, and long ones — plenty of variety, which made it fun to pull them out one by one. Crown daisy and red chili topped it off, and the broth was piping hot and satisfying.

A few bites of sashimi, then a sip of the broth, and suddenly I wanted another drink haha. Personally, having the oden hot pot alongside was so much better than ordering sashimi alone.

Good for two, good for a group

Robatayaki Sodam Guro Digital Complex Branch felt like a good spot for a couple having a light drink or a group ordering several dishes together. It leans more toward a Japanese-style pub than a typical Korean pojangmacha (street tent bar), which is why it comes to mind whenever I think of an izakaya in Guro Digital Complex. With so many grilled fish and skewer options on the menu, I'd like to add grilled Chilean sea bass or a skewer next time. This time, I was craving both sashimi and a hot oden hot pot, and this menu solved it perfectly — very satisfying choice!

This was Robatayaki Sodam, a Guro bar izakaya that I think I'll be back to whenever I want sashimi and a hot soupy side dish with my drinks. If you're like me and prefer trying several dishes together rather than just one, check out the menu starting from set no. 3. I'd love to come back next time and try the grilled fish too.