Iro in Gangnam: Grilled Fish Pub

2015-06-03 · Updated: 2026-08-11 · Original (Korean)

This article was translated from the original Korean post with AI assistance. Read the original Korean post →

Iro

My personal favorite dish is grilled fish. (Except for beef, of course, which is in the realm of the gods...) I have an unhealthy eating habit of liking everything grilled, but when it comes to fish, it's rare to find a place that grills it deliciously. I found a grilled fish that is crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, like something out of a comic book, at Sinnonhyeon Station (in Gangnam)—a place where you'd never expect to find such a restaurant. I especially like the grilled cutlassfish over other grilled fish. Maybe because the grilled dishes are so good, the soups are just okay. The restaurant isn't a private space like a typical pub, but an open one, featuring lighting that helps you focus on the person in front of you. However, because it's a dark space, you can't help but feel a bit lethargic. I think it's a great place to order a cutlassfish for a second or third round of drinks and have a one-on-one conversation for an hour or two. If I had to add a downside, it's that the fish quality is inconsistent.

Exterior of a restaurant on a dark night street with a white sign reading Iro.

Menu showing prices and various grilled fish options like mackerel, Spanish mackerel, and hairtail. — I've tried the mackerel, cutlassfish, and Patagonian toothfish, and they were all grilled well. On this day, I decided on the cutlassfish.

People sitting at tables inside a dimly lit pub decorated with brick walls. — The atmosphere of the restaurant is roughly like this. It's a calming, dark atmosphere where you don't get overly excited, and the single table light helps you focus on your conversation partner. Of course, if you stay too long, you really start to feel drained.

A bowl of milky broth sprinkled with pepper, a green liquor bottle, and a small glass on a wooden table. — The owner must be a drinker, because Ottogi cream soup is served as an appetizer before drinking. Does it mean we shouldn't ruin our stomachs even if we drink to death...? (But is Ottogi soup even good for the stomach...?)

Three pieces of grilled fish on a wooden board served with light green wasabi on the side.

Three pieces of crispy grilled fish placed side by side on a wooden board. — Three pieces. Though it's hard to call the one on the far right a piece...

Unlike the title of the post, the cutlassfish I ate today wasn't crispy on the outside. The moist inside was the same as in winter, but the outside was different, so I was a bit disappointed today. Still, I was basically satisfied with the meal. As always, I just took quick pictures with my iPhone, and didn't even take them properly because I was busy eating, but looking just at the grilled fish, there's no difference from the 30,000 to 40,000 KRW grilled fish sold at chain restaurants. There might be a difference in the side dishes or accompaniments, but as someone who loves fish, I prefer having one more piece of fish to dip in soy sauce.

It's not great for groups of four or more because the space is cramped and it can be hard to focus. It's good for two or three people, especially friends.

Iro, 15 Bongeunsa-ro 2-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. 02-565-1592

It seems the restaurant is gone... I don't know if it closed down or moved. It would be nice if they just moved...