Sadang izakaya orange highball under a pine sculpture: Susan Sadang

The first floor was packed, so a staff member led us down to the basement, where we got a seat looking out at a huge tree sculpture.

Susan Sadang Main Branch at a glance

• Name: Susan Sadang Main Branch
• Location: Sadang-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul — 5-minute walk from Exit 8 of Sadang Station
• Signature dishes: beef tendon oden, miso oden, gwangban-yuksa, gwangban-yukhoe
• Today's order: beef tendon oden ₩30,000, soju, draft beer, orange highball
• With both a first floor and a basement in operation, there was plenty of seating
• The basement had that dark, moody vibe going for it, thanks to the tree and low lighting
• There's a group table further inside, so big parties or work dinners aren't a problem
• Ordering is via table QR, so I could browse menu details and prices at my own pace
• Leaving a receipt review got us a free hotteok ice cream on top
• It runs as a no-kids zone

Looking for a quiet spot near Sadang Station for a drink? Susan Sadang Main Branch might be it. The basement's low lighting and roomy table spacing meant we could talk without worrying about the next table over.

The beef tendon oden pairs soft, gelatinous tendon with fish cakes that still have some bite, which makes for a well-balanced drinking snack. The seats are wide enough for group gatherings, and since it's open late, it seemed like an easy spot to keep the night going as a second stop.

Where is Susan Sadang Main Branch and when is it open?

Susan Sadang Main Branch is at 17 Nambusunhwan-ro271ga-gil, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, spanning the basement and first floor. It's a 5-minute walk from Exit 7 of Sadang Station.

• 🅿️ Parking: No on-site parking — you'll need a nearby public or paid lot.
• ⏰ Hours: Mon–Thu 4 pm to 1 am the next day, Fri–Sat 3 pm to 2 am, Sun 3 pm to 1 am.
• 🕘 Last order: 12:20 am on weekdays and Sunday, 1:20 am on Fri–Sat.
• 🤙 Reservations: Bookable through Naver or by phone; group dinners and private hire inquiries are welcome.

The building's sign wraps the 'Susan' lettering along with 'Susan Oden,' so it catches your eye even from a distance.

There are bulb lights strung below the sign, so once the sun sets, the whole alley lights up.

Out front there's a standing sign lined with photos of raw shrimp sashimi, sweet shrimp buckwheat noodles, and whole braised chocolate squid, so you can scope out what to order before even walking in.

🌲 What is the basement of Susan Sadang Main Branch like?

Heading down to the basement of Susan Sadang Main Branch, there's a massive tree sculpture planted right in the center, so even indoors it felt like stepping into a tiny garden.

The lighting is kept low across the board, with light falling only on the pine tree, so that dark, moody feel really comes through. The walls are left as bare exposed concrete and the tables are all black, keeping that calm tone going,

and there's a Kirin Ichiban Shibori sign hanging on one wall, which added a proper Japanese izakaya feel. The table spacing is generous too, so it's easy to chat comfortably with a friend 😄

What makes Susan Sadang Main Branch different ✨

The basement is way bigger than it looks, so even when the first floor was completely full, we could sit down right away with no wait.

The table layout is so spacious that it never felt cramped, whether for two people or a group of four or more for a work dinner.

Without us even asking, the staff kept topping up the beef tendon oden broth throughout, so we never had to interrupt the conversation to deal with the soup. As soon as we sat down, they brought out a cup of sake as a basic setup, so drinks were already flowing before we'd even ordered.

Susan Sadang Main Branch menu and prices

Signature dishes

The signature dishes are gwangban-yuksa and gwangban-yukhoe at ₩48,000 each, yeonban-yukban at ₩46,000, miso oden at ₩40,000, and beef tendon oden at ₩30,000.

Cooked dishes

The cooked menu has 1++ Korean beef sashimi and yukhoe at ₩28,000 each, sweet shrimp buckwheat noodles at ₩23,000, salmon buckwheat noodles at ₩21,000, chicken nanban at ₩18,000, chicken neck chili chips at ₩17,000, pollack roe cream udon at ₩15,000, and ankimo crackers at ₩13,000.

Drinks: soju, beer and highballs

Soju and beer are ₩5,000 each, highballs are ₩6,000, Kirin draft is ₩8,000, and sake prices vary by type. Soft drinks are ₩2,000, and the specialty hotteok (Korean sweet pancake) ice cream is ₩8,000.

Side dishes served first

As soon as you sit down, a cup of sake comes out on the house.

Beef tendon oden at 30,000 won: enough for two?

Thick-cut radish, fried tofu, and plump beef tendon come out sitting in a light, clear broth.

Whole boiled cabbage, rice cake logs, fish cakes of different shapes, and both hard-boiled and soft-boiled eggs —

it all comes in one pot, and there was plenty for two people to share.

Beef tendon: it is all about the texture

It's simmered so long it's soft enough to pull apart with chopsticks. There's barely any greasy feel to it, and the broth's seasoning soaks in for a clean finish.

The fish cakes in the oden pot

They gave us fish cakes, fried tofu, and rice cake in a good variety, and the fish cakes had a nice chew to them without being tough — the longer they sat in the broth, the deeper the seasoning got.

They didn't skimp on vegetables either, so the broth stayed refreshing instead of getting heavy.

The soy sauce served with the fish cakes

They give you two separate sauces — a salty basic soy sauce and a fish-cake soy sauce. The fish-cake sauce doesn't turn too salty even if you dunk it fully, so it adds savoriness without covering up the broth flavor.

Two eggs in the pot

The hard-boiled yolk was moist rather than dry, and the soft-boiled one was runny enough to swirl right into the broth.

🍺 How were the soju, draft beer and orange highball?

We started off with soju and draft beer, and between that and the beef tendon oden, we polished them off pretty quickly, so

we ordered an orange highball too. Highballs go down easy alongside the broth, so the glass emptied fast. They told us to give it a good stir before drinking.

Tips for eating beef tendon oden at Susan Sadang Main Branch

I'd recommend fishing out the fish cakes first. Dip them in the fish-cake soy sauce instead of the regular one, and they stay clean-tasting instead of too salty.

Dip the soft-boiled yolk lightly in the regular soy sauce for a big hit of nuttiness. They top up the broth whenever it runs low, so you can keep chatting slowly and still eat it piping hot right to the end.

⚠️ What to check before visiting Susan Sadang Main Branch

• The restaurant is a no-kids zone.
• There's no parking on-site, so it's worth checking nearby public or paid lots ahead of time.
• The basement seating is down a flight of stairs, so watch your step.
• The first floor can get crowded in the evenings, so there may be a wait.
• The receipt review promotion's terms may change depending on the day, so it's worth confirming at the time of your visit.

💬 Frequently asked questions

What are the basement seats like?

The lighting is kept low with light focused on the tree, giving off a dark, calm izakaya vibe.

Is it quiet enough for a chat with a friend?

The table spacing is wide, so it's easy to talk comfortably — it also seemed like a good date spot.

Can you book it for a group or work dinner?

The basement is spacious and there's a group table further inside, so it's not hard to find seating even with a larger party. If you have a big group, booking ahead is recommended.

Is one pot of beef tendon oden enough for two people?

It comes loaded with cabbage, rice cake, fish cakes, and eggs, so it was plenty as a shared snack for two.

Would we go back to Susan Sadang Main Branch?

The dim lighting, spacious seating, and clean broth were all great, and next time I'm already looking forward to trying the aged sashimi or beef sashimi instead of a hot pot.