Gongdeok izakaya small plates: jamón tuna, mackerel sushi — Orot Silbi

While hunting for a good izakaya near Gongdeok, I came across Orot, an izakaya famous enough to hold a Blue Ribbon listing! Turns out they now run three branches — Orot, Orot Robata, and Orot Silbi. I decided to check out the third branch, Orot Silbi, right near Gongdeok Station!

How close is Orot Silbi to Gongdeok Station?

Today's spot is Orot Silbi, an izakaya in Gongdeok. It's on the 3rd floor, about 95 meters from Exit 10 of Gongdeok Station.

It's really close to the station, so it's great to stop by right after work! Among all the Orot branches, this one has the best access to Gongdeok Station.

Orot, Orot Robata, Orot Silbi: what's the difference?

Orot runs multiple branches:

• 1st branch: Orot
• 2nd branch: Orot Robata
• 3rd branch: Orot Silbi

Each branch serves Japanese-style food with a slightly different mood and concept. The one I visited was the 3rd branch, Orot Silbi, near Gongdeok Station. It's close enough to stop by after work, and it's a great place to pick a bunch of small Japanese dishes and try a little of everything.

Inside Orot Silbi: atmosphere and seating

Orot Silbi is on the 3rd floor, so you head up the stairs.

Orot is a Blue Ribbon spot — it's well known as a top izakaya near Gongdeok Station!

The place has a bar table plus 2-seat and 4-seat tables!

There were a lot of tables of office workers from nearby having a group dinner. Seems like plenty of people come here for a Gongdeok Station gathering or team dinner too!! Could also be a nice spot for a Gongdeok blind date ☺️

❗️The place is a bit compact, so when there's a lot of waiting, they cap the visit time at up to 2.5 hours.

What's on the Orot Silbi menu?

The menu is really varied, so I spent a while deciding, haha. From sashimi to jamón tuna, mackerel roll sushi, grilled dishes, fried dishes, and even pasta — all kinds of Japanese-style food.

Orot Silbi says it's a casual izakaya inspired by the vibe of old-school 'silbijip' taverns, serving a variety of Japanese tapas-style dishes. Since it's built around small plates, it's great when you want to taste a little bit of many things haha.

What we ordered at Orot Silbi, and the prices

• ✔️ Jamón tuna ₩26,000
• ✔️ Saba bou-sushi (mackerel roll sushi, 4pc) ₩17,000
• ✔️ Whole shrimp kimchi okonomiyaki ₩20,000
• ✔️ Suntory Premium Malt's draft beer ₩12,000
• ✔️ Sparkling non-alcoholic wine ₩12,000

❗ One alcoholic drink per person is required in the evening. The only non-alcoholic option is the sparkling non-alcoholic wine, and it was actually tasty — recommended if you're looking for something without alcohol!

Honest review: jamón tuna is the best dish at Orot Silbi

The basic side dish is tomato and pickled cucumber. It's fresh and tangy, a nice way to wake up the appetite before the main dishes.

Wow!!!!! Giving out the #1 dish award for Orot Silbi 👏🏻 I ordered the jamón tuna because I wanted to try something new, and I'm honestly proud of myself for it haha. It's a bite-sized dish where tuna is layered with truffle sauce and shiso leaf, then wrapped in jamón. The combo of truffle sauce fragrance and the fresh scent of shiso works so well together 🤤

It was good enough to make my eyes go wide haha. Bite-sized, but the flavor is packed in tight 😳 Perfect for one bite, and it also goes really well as a drinking snack — if you like truffle and shiso, I absolutely recommend the jamón tuna!!

Saba bou-sushi (mackerel roll sushi, 4 pieces)

Saba bou-sushi is mackerel roll sushi, and since you can order it in a set of 4 pieces, it was great to share alongside other dishes!

Mackerel roll sushi — what more is there to say haha.

The savory mackerel flavor together with the sushi rice — carbs really are delicious 🤍 It paired nicely with other bite-sized dishes like the jamón tuna, great for sharing!!

Whole shrimp kimchi okonomiyaki

I wanted something with a bit of a kick, so I ordered the whole shrimp kimchi okonomiyaki. Visually it looks like okonomiyaki, but tasting it, it felt more like kimchi jeon (kimchi pancake) transformed into okonomiyaki style! The kimchi has a decent kick of spice, so it's spicier than I expected (those sensitive to spice should be a little careful haha).

The whole shrimp had a nice plump, springy texture.

A truffle ice cream I got from a Naver review event! Truffle is piled on top of vanilla ice cream with some cookie crumbles mixed in. The sweet vanilla plus the truffle aroma made for a light, satisfying finish after the meal!!

Is Orot Silbi worth it? Final verdict

I visited Orot Silbi, the 3rd branch of the Blue Ribbon-famous Orot, and what I liked most overall was the variety of dishes and the small-plate format that let me taste a bit of everything!!

• ✔️ Great access — about 95m from Exit 10 of Gongdeok Station
• ✔️ 3rd branch of Blue Ribbon-famous Orot
• ✔️ Wide variety of dishes: sashimi, sushi, grilled, fried
• ✔️ Small-plate format great for sharing multiple dishes
• ✔️ Good spot for a Gongdeok Station group dinner or gathering
• ✔️ Strongly recommend the jamón tuna if you like truffle and shiso

Of everything I ate, the jamón tuna left the strongest impression! If you're near Gongdeok Station looking for an izakaya with good atmosphere, or want to try a variety of drinking snacks, I recommend Orot Silbi 🤍

⏰ Mon–Fri 11:30–23:00 (break time 14:00–17:30, last order 21:45)