Seat by the fish tank for a 4-person sashimi set: Jaecheoldameun Mapo

As the hot weather finally broke, cravings for sashimi started creeping up on me. This time I planned a Mapo sashimi restaurant family dinner with all four of us.

We headed to a newly opened spot near Daeheung Station called Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada (제철담은 마포바다).

First impressions of Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada, a Daeheung Station favorite

Places that have been well maintained for years can stay clean too, but nothing beats how clear the fish tank looks at a freshly opened restaurant.

There's a separate fish tank view seating area

While looking around the restaurant, I noticed something unusual — seats with a view of the fish tank. We were too busy eating to look over often, but every so often we caught staff scooping out fish and scallops.

Knowing the fish came straight from that clear tank was reassuring.

True to its reputation as a Daeheung Station favorite, the whole restaurant felt bright and well kept. With tables for 4, 6, and 8, there's comfortable seating no matter how many people you bring, which makes it good for family gatherings, work dinners, or group get-togethers.

A generous spread for four family members

The menu setup was simpler than I expected. Instead of picking fish one by one like at a typical sashimi restaurant, you order a set and enjoy several kinds of seasonal fish together.

• Mapo Bada Signature Set ₩151,000
• Mapo Bada Premium Set ₩129,000
• Mapo Bada Value Set (2–3 people) ₩103,000

The ₩151,000 Mapo Bada Signature Set comes with salt-grilled shrimp and raw shrimp, gizzard shad sashimi and mixed sashimi, a mixed seafood platter, grilled gizzard shad, cold pork, fried shrimp heads, abalone innard porridge, tofu kimchi, and a pork-loaded kimchi stew. The stew items seem to shift a little depending on what the kitchen has that day.

You order based on your headcount, and for four people like us, the Signature Set is the one to get. The portions were generous enough that it worked perfectly for a Mapo sashimi restaurant family gathering.

The Premium menu comes with premium liquor too

The drinks at Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada caught my eye too.

They had the kind of premium liquor you'd only expect at a high-end pub — white wine, even Senju.

Note that there are perks if you order extra wine :)

The whole table arrived at once, and the whole family was floored

Not long after ordering, the entire spread came out in one go. It's the kind of scene you usually only see on TV or social media, so seeing it in person was surreal.

Scallops, abalone, and other seafood in the mixed platter, live octopus, salt-grilled shrimp, tofu kimchi, cold pork — dishes you'd rarely find all together at a regular sashimi restaurant were all there.

Something worth knowing

One thing worth knowing: don't drink too much before the full spread comes out. Since the whole table arrives at once, you'll need empty space on the table to fit it all.

Even the spoons come set in brassware style, so you don't need to prepare anything — just wait a bit.

Going through everything one by one, the variety and quantity were honestly overwhelming. The table was so packed it was hard to find an empty spot, and everything tasted great.

The raw seafood — live octopus, sea squirt, sea cucumber — had no fishy taste at all, and the scallops and sea squirt were even a little sweet.

Besides the dipping sauce for the sashimi, there were side dishes too, making the table feel even more abundant.

The main dishes — sashimi and shrimp — came in generous portions, more than enough for four people.

An unusual lineup, but the taste holds up

Sure, it makes sense that sashimi and seafood taste good at a sashimi restaurant — but why is everything that isn't even a sashimi restaurant staple so good too??

The cold pork with chamnamul (wild herb greens) and the tofu kimchi were both good enough to stand as main dishes on their own.

Looking for a sashimi spot near Daeheung Station?

If you're looking for somewhere with good sashimi, Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada is worth a visit.

The spread is varied and the portions generous, making it a great spot for a Mapo sashimi restaurant family gathering or a larger group meal. If you're after fresh seafood and a wide variety of good food, save Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada to your Daeheung Station restaurant list :)