---
title: 'Robata Libra Counter, Cheongdam: Whole Fish Grilled over a Charcoal Hearth in Seoul'
description: Robata Libra Counter (로바타라이브라카운터) in Cheongdam, Seoul grills whole fish over a charcoal hearth. Photos from December 2021, what reviews say, prices and rules.
lang: en
canonical: https://quidafoodie.blog/robata-libra-counter-cheongdam/
shop_name: Robata Libra Counter
shop_name_local: 로바타라이브라카운터
address: 1F, 52, Seolleung-ro 148-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
address_local: 서울 강남구 선릉로148길 52 1층
country: kr
phone: +82-2-3445-8005
hours: Robata Libra Counter is open daily 17:00–24:00 (Tistory review, February 2026). Catchtable's Gangnam guide gives Robata Libra Counter's hours as 17:00–00:00 (read on Nov 14, 2026).
price: A February 2026 Tistory review puts Robata Libra Counter's small dishes at about ₩10,000–60,000 and a one-person course in the ₩100,000 range. A November 2024 Tistory post lists Robata Libra Counter's dishes from ₩12,000 to ₩105,000. A January 2023 Tistory review lists Robata Libra Counter's large geumtae wonsigui at ₩60,000 and reports a required ₩25,000 drink per guest and ₩50,000 corkage for wine or sake.
getting_there: A February 2026 Tistory review says Robata Libra Counter is about 10–15 minutes on foot from exit 4 of Gangnam-gu Office Station, in the alley behind the Cheongdam SSG Food Market, with a valet booth next door (valet ₩5,000; parking free for the first two hours, then ₩2,000 per 30 minutes). A January 2023 Tistory review warns that Libra's counter branch and room branch are in different places.
visited: 2021-12
details_checked: '2026-11-14'
region: Seoul
---

# Robata Libra Counter, Cheongdam: Whole Fish Grilled over a Charcoal Hearth in Seoul

![A whole grilled fish with its head on, lying on a bamboo leaf on a gray-blue crackled plate, with a lemon wedge, two cherry tomatoes and a brown topping on a white mound at the right end.](https://quidafoodie.blog/img/robata-libra-counter-cheongdam/robata-libra-counter-cheongdam-04-1440.jpg)
*A whole grilled fish with its head on, lying on a bamboo leaf on a gray-blue crackled plate with a lemon wedge and two cherry tomatoes, December 2021.*

Robata Libra Counter (로바타라이브라카운터) is a Japanese-style izakaya in Cheongdam, Seoul, built around a charcoal hearth where cooks grill fish in front of the counter. A February 2026 Tistory review names *geumtae wonsigui* (금태 원시구이, a fish grilled over strong charcoal) as its signature dish, and Catchtable's English-language Gangnam guide tells readers to order grilled golden tilefish belly.

## The charcoal hearth at Robata Libra Counter

Robata (炉端, 로바타) is a Japanese style of cooking at a hearth. In my December 2021 photo, a whole fish on a skewer stands in an ash-like bed beside a glowing cylinder, with a steel box on the right and a chalkboard menu on the wall. A November 2024 Tistory review describes a thick iron cylinder holding binchotan charcoal in the middle of a bed of sand. According to a January 2023 Tistory review, wonsigui (원시구이, primitive grilling) is described as a primeval method that uses the far-infrared heat of charcoal.

![A hearth in December 2021: a whole fish on a skewer stands in an ash-like bed beside a glowing cylinder, with a steel box on the right and a chalkboard menu on the dark brick wall.](https://quidafoodie.blog/img/robata-libra-counter-cheongdam/robata-libra-counter-cheongdam-01-1440.jpg)
*The hearth in December 2021: a skewered whole fish beside a glowing cylinder in an ash-like bed, a steel box and a chalkboard menu.*

## Wonsigui and scallops at Robata Libra Counter

The cover photo shows a whole grilled fish with its head on, but I cannot tell the species from the photo. The January 2023 review lists the large geumtae wonsigui at ₩60,000 and says it arrived about twenty minutes after ordering. The November 2024 review says Robata Libra Counter prices geumtae by size.

My photo of a ridged shell shows pieces that look like scallop in a golden sauce under chopped green onion. The January 2023 and February 2026 reviews both describe daewang garibi beoteogui (대왕 가리비 버터구이), butter-grilled giant scallops, and say the kitchen makes risotto afterwards.

![A ridged shell holding pieces that look like scallop in a golden sauce under chopped green onion, with a thin skewer across a rust-red plate on a dark speckled counter.](https://quidafoodie.blog/img/robata-libra-counter-cheongdam/robata-libra-counter-cheongdam-03-1440.jpg)
*A ridged shell with pieces that look like scallop in a golden sauce, a thin skewer across a rust-red plate, December 2021.*

![A cut roll showing layers that look like tuna, avocado and egg, topped with orange roe-like beads and an upright shrimp tail, on a dark speckled slab.](https://quidafoodie.blog/img/robata-libra-counter-cheongdam/robata-libra-counter-cheongdam-07-1440.jpg)
*A cut roll with layers that look like tuna, avocado and egg, topped with orange roe-like beads and an upright shrimp tail, December 2021.*

![Three pieces of sashimi that look like white fish, tuna and scallop, with wasabi and bamboo leaf, on a floral plate with blue wave patterns.](https://quidafoodie.blog/img/robata-libra-counter-cheongdam/robata-libra-counter-cheongdam-02-1440.jpg)
*Three pieces of sashimi that look like white fish, tuna and scallop, on a floral plate with blue wave patterns, December 2021.*

## Prices and rules at Robata Libra Counter

Robata Libra Counter's chalkboard in December 2021 listed daebangeo sashimi (대방어 사시미, large yellowtail) at ₩24,000 and octopus with cauliflower (문어와 컬리플라워) at ₩29,000. A February 2026 review puts Robata Libra Counter's small dishes at about ₩10,000–60,000 and a one-person course in the ₩100,000 range. The January 2023 reviewer says Robata Libra Counter required each guest to order a ₩25,000 drink, with ₩50,000 corkage for wine or sake. Catchtable's guide says preschoolers are not permitted. The February 2026 review says seating is limited to about two and a half hours, and the January 2023 review warns that Libra's counter and room branches are in different places.

## How to order

| Korean | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 금태 원시구이 하나 주세요. | geumtae wonsigui hana juseyo | One geumtae wonsigui, please. |
| 금태는 사이즈별로 얼마예요? | geumtaeneun saijeubyeollo eolmayeyo? | How much is the geumtae by size? |
| 콜키지 가능해요? | kolkiji ganeunghaeyo? | Is corkage allowed? |

A photo in the November 2024 review shows a sign reading ROBATA LIBRA on a dark stone wall.

## Plan your visit

- Address: 1F, 52, Seolleung-ro 148-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul / 서울 강남구 선릉로148길 52 1층
- Phone: +82-2-3445-8005
- Hours: Robata Libra Counter is open daily 17:00–24:00 (Tistory review, February 2026). Catchtable's Gangnam guide gives Robata Libra Counter's hours as 17:00–00:00 (read on Nov 14, 2026).
- Price: A February 2026 Tistory review puts Robata Libra Counter's small dishes at about ₩10,000–60,000 and a one-person course in the ₩100,000 range. A November 2024 Tistory post lists Robata Libra Counter's dishes from ₩12,000 to ₩105,000. A January 2023 Tistory review lists Robata Libra Counter's large geumtae wonsigui at ₩60,000 and reports a required ₩25,000 drink per guest and ₩50,000 corkage for wine or sake.
- Getting there: A February 2026 Tistory review says Robata Libra Counter is about 10–15 minutes on foot from exit 4 of Gangnam-gu Office Station, in the alley behind the Cheongdam SSG Food Market, with a valet booth next door (valet ₩5,000; parking free for the first two hours, then ₩2,000 per 30 minutes). A January 2023 Tistory review warns that Libra's counter branch and room branch are in different places.
- Map: [Open in Naver Map](https://map.naver.com/p/search/%EB%A1%9C%EB%B0%94%ED%83%80%EB%9D%BC%EC%9D%B4%EB%B8%8C%EB%9D%BC%EC%B9%B4%EC%9A%B4%ED%84%B0%20%EC%B2%AD%EB%8B%B4), [Open in Kakao Map](https://map.kakao.com/?q=%EB%A1%9C%EB%B0%94%ED%83%80%EB%9D%BC%EC%9D%B4%EB%B8%8C%EB%9D%BC%EC%B9%B4%EC%9A%B4%ED%84%B0%20%EC%B2%AD%EB%8B%B4), [Open in Google Maps](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=%EB%A1%9C%EB%B0%94%ED%83%80%EB%9D%BC%EC%9D%B4%EB%B8%8C%EB%9D%BC%EC%B9%B4%EC%9A%B4%ED%84%B0%20%EC%B2%AD%EB%8B%B4)
- Details checked: 2026-11-14

## Sources checked

- [Catchtable Global — Korea's iconic restaurants in Gangnam, Seoul (Robata Libra Cheongdam)](https://www.catchtable.net/discovery/koreas-iconic-restaurants-in-gangnam-seoul-with-catchtable-global-data.html) — 2026-11-14
- [Tistory review (February 2026) — 청담동 이자카야 로바타 라이브라](https://doelda.tistory.com/313) — 2026-11-14
- [Tistory post (November 2024) — 로바타 라이브라 카운터](https://outingcoffee.tistory.com/39) — 2026-11-14
- [Tistory review (January 2023) — 금태 원시구이 로바타 라이브라 후기](https://itgirls93.tistory.com/68) — 2026-11-14