Busan bar open till 5am: 60,000-won whale meat platter, Gorae Gajok

Busan's newest hot spot for whale meat in Beomil-dong: Gorae Gajok

Hi, this is Joy, out for two must-eat spots a day! Let me introduce Gorae Gajok (고래가족, "Whale Family"), a Busan restaurant in Beomil-dong where you can properly enjoy not just whale meat but tuna and skate too.

Gorae Gajok hours and parking in Beomil-dong, Busan

Gorae Gajok is a whale meat bar on Busanjinseong-gongwon-ro in Dong-gu, Busan, open 15:00 to 05:00 with no days off. For parking, you can use the public lot right in front of the restaurant.

Right in front of the restaurant is the No. 1 public street parking area along Busanjinseong Park. It was full when we went, so we ended up parking elsewhere.

Inside Gorae Gajok: the room and the drinks list

Inside, Gorae Gajok is clean, unpretentious, and has the relaxed vibe of a comfortable Japanese-style restaurant. It's great that a whale meat place open until 5am now exists.

There were tons of what looked like local regulars, and business seemed brisk enough that booking ahead might be a good idea.

Japanese sake Dassai and Japanese whisky Yamazaki~ Whale meat pairs better with soju or Japanese sake than with beer! They also carry Hwayo and Ilpum Jinro, so try those alongside.

Why Busan has a whaling history

Busan is a port city where the whaling industry and new culture developed starting in the late 19th century. Although the industry itself disappeared due to international regulation, whale food culture and stories still remain.

Every table comes with nibishi soy sauce along with small dishes, paper cups, soju glasses, and beer glasses.

Whale meat and tuna are the mains, and skate is also on offer. There are affordable tasting-portion items too — eel, sea urchin, salmon — so it's a great place to sample a bit of everything without spending too much!

Ordering the 60,000-won misshapen-cut whale meat platter

What we ordered at Gorae Gajok was the ₩60,000 mot-nan-i (misshapen-cut) whale meat and ₩6,000 cheongha. ✅️

If you take part in their Naver review event, you get a Nagasaki jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) or 2 bottles of soju, currently sold at the restaurant!!! 👏👏 I was surprised the jjamppong alone sells for ₩30,000. Honestly the top-tier review-event prize I've ever seen, haha ✔️ They said they went all out since it's a new opening, so come take part before it ends.

Went with smooth cheongha today! My boyfriend's pick, since he says whale meat pairs better with something lighter than soju... haha

Along with the pickled garlic, chili sauce, and buchu-kimchi (chive kimchi) that come as side dishes, they also give you shrimp and salmon salad — refreshing and perfect for whetting the appetite ^^

What we ordered this time is a dish with an unusual name from the start — mot-nan-i whale meat, literally "ugly" whale meat. You get cuts that are less pretty in shape, but the upside is you can taste several different parts, and the portion is generous for the price. Just so you know, it's not exactly Instagram material, haha

Whale meat isn't a common dish. It has a distinctive smell and texture that make it a love-it-or-hate-it food, and being a rare item, it comes at a price. Even the cheapest whale meat dish at Gorae Gajok is ₩60,000, not exactly cheap — but considering it's not something you can easily find elsewhere, I think it's worth trying at least once.

Whale meat is also good nutritionally, containing protein, iron, and other nutrients. If you're always eating overly spicy, heavy drinking snacks, whale meat might be a pretty good alternative.

How each whale meat cut tastes and how to eat it

The mot-nan-i whale meat comes with lean meat, fat, and blubber cuts all mixed together, so you can compare the texture differences on a single plate. The texture varies a lot by cut — the lean meat part is chewy, and as you keep chewing, the meat's flavor comes through, so it's better enjoyed slowly.

The fat part tastes completely different from the lean meat. It has a distinctive aroma and richness that's really appealing!

Dipping it in salt is the best way to really taste the whale, but I found it also works well with the chili sauce, haha. Beginners especially might find it easier to eat that way, so give it a try.

The blubber part can feel a bit greasy, so I'd recommend pairing it with the pickles or a spicy sauce!

Delicious snacks with a glass of cheongha alongside my boyfriend ^^ Not too filling, and I thought coming here for a second round was a great idea.

Is Gorae Gajok worth a late-night stop in Beomil-dong?

Whale meat isn't a familiar, easygoing kind of meat flavor — it's an interesting dish with a distinctive smell and texture, and that made for an especially memorable night of drinks. They also do takeout and delivery for tuna and skate, so how about whale meat with a glass of soju this week? haha