Gwangalli bar in Busan: milchi & red croaker sashimi, Maenggu Pocha

Maenggu Pocha Gwang-an Main Branch: 72 Namcheonbada-ro 33beon-gil, Suyeong-gu, Busan, 1st floor / Daily 18:00 – 04:00 (next day) / No parking

Where is Maenggu Pocha Gwang-an Main Branch, and what is the vibe like?

Maenggu Pocha Gwang-an Main Branch is a popular bar (pocha, a casual Korean pub) right in front of Gwangalli Beach. It's a handy stop after you've taken in the sea views.

It's popular enough that people join the waitlist through the Catchtable app.

Every table has a pad with a cute screen, so you can order conveniently from your seat.

Crayon Shin-chan retro theme, with water served in Del Monte bottles

True to a retro pocha themed on characters from the manga Crayon Shin-chan, even the free side dishes and the water are old-school. How did they know I love barley tea in a Delmonte bottle? Haha

Is there a wait at Maenggu Pocha on weekday evenings?

I went on a weekday evening and it was almost full, and around 9pm a waitlist even started to form.

Enjoy the vibe :) Even on a weekday evening, this many people come.

The restroom is inside and unisex.

What comes with Maenggu Pocha's 45,000-won live sashimi set?

The live sashimi set at Maenggu Pocha Gwang-an Main Branch is ₩45,000 and comes with three kinds of sashimi plus spicy fish stew (maeuntang). Generous, right? With the fun atmosphere and this quality, it's not bad at all.

The day's fish: flounder, milchi and red croaker sashimi

The kinds of sashimi in the set change from day to day. When I visited, I was served flounder, milchi and red croaker (hongmin-eo). The fish was fresh and chewy. I want to eat that fresh sashimi again!

Busan Galmaegi soju for 5,500 won in a Gwangan Bridge shot glass

Busan Galmaegi soju is ₩5,500. It had been a while since I drank soju in Busan, and I thought, so there's this kind of soju too! The shot glass even has Gwangan Bridge printed on it, which made it a happy drink.

Spicy fish stew made from the bones of the sliced fish

The stew in the sashimi set is loaded with the fish bones left over from slicing the sashimi, which brings out that clean, refreshing taste spicy fish stew is known for.

Thanks for the meal again today!

Receipt review event and trading chips for retro snacks

Maenggu Pocha Gwang-an Main Branch runs an event where you write a receipt review, and first prize is a whopping ₩70,000 voucher. The customers in front of me won 4th prize and got a bottle of soju.

After ordering, you get Maenggu Pocha chips that you can swap for one nostalgic junk-food snack. I saw an Apollo (a classic Korean candy) for the first time in ages, haha.

Verdict: is Maenggu Pocha the Gwangalli bar for sashimi and a lively night?

There are lots of charming little shops around Gwangalli. Maenggu Pocha Gwang-an Main Branch is one of the most popular, with a Catchtable waitlist. Now that I've been, I see why!

Three kinds of sashimi plus spicy stew for ₩45,000 is a reasonable price. The retro interior makes it easy to have a great time. A waitlist even after 9pm explains the popularity. I'll visit again.