Hapjeong izakaya's winter-only mackerel stick sushi: Makise Hapjeong

This time I visited Makise Hapjeong, a popular izakaya near Hapjeong Station known as one of Seoul's best kaisendon (seafood rice bowl) restaurants.

Makise Hapjeong's location and first impression

Makise Hapjeong, a go-to spot for sushi and kaisendon near Hapjeong Station, sits down a small alley just a short walk from Mecenatpolis and Hapjeong Station — a cozy, atmospheric izakaya. The moment I saw it, I thought, this would make a great date spot.

With the slogan "a bowl of omakase sushi you scoop and eat," this special Seoul kaisendon restaurant prepares fresh seafood for guests to enjoy as sushi. If you're after the combination of an omakase lineup and fresh seasonal seafood, this is the place.

Bar seats good for solo dining, the interior mood

This is the inside of Makise Hapjeong, a Hapjeong Station favorite. The tables extend all the way to the back, so it's bigger inside than it looks from outside. There are bar seats too, so it's a Hapjeong Station izakaya where solo dining or solo drinking feels comfortable.

It's a nice spot to visit with friends, and also great as a cozy Hapjeong Station date restaurant. The owner was really kind too.

The neatly set tables, along with the cozy lighting and decor, gave off a calm feeling that made it comfortable even on a first visit. It seemed like the perfect place to have a drink with fresh seafood and chat after work.

I sat at the bar seats, right in front of the kitchen, so I got to watch a bit of the cooking! Since fresh ingredients matter so much at an izakaya, the spotless kitchen gave me even more confidence.

I noticed a copy of Mr. Sushi Nigiri Master on display — maybe it's meant to represent the owner of this sushi favorite, Makise! By the way, Makise Hapjeong is a Hapjeong Station izakaya that a lot of guests reserve ahead for, so I'd recommend booking through Naver Reservation or Catch Table before you go.

Makise Hapjeong's menu lineup

This is the menu at Makise, a Hapjeong Station izakaya. Their rice is the soft Koshihikari variety, said to be delicious even on its own — so you can imagine how good the kaisendon must be with fresh seasonal seafood piled on top omakase-style.

They also have a set menu with kaisendon, a side dish, and a drink/alcohol pairing, which really showed their confidence in the food. There's also sake-don, ebi sake-don, buri sake-don, and mackerel stick sushi on the menu. Since these are rice-based dishes, it's a great izakaya for a first round of drinks or for dinner. Maybe that's why, even on an early weekday evening, guests kept coming in.

There's also a note on the table about how to enjoy the food best.

The winter-only mackerel stick sushi — lucky enough to order it

Both the kaisendon and sake-don looked delicious, but I spotted mackerel stick sushi on the menu, which I'd been craving lately! Mackerel stick sushi is actually a winter-only seasonal item, so I asked the owner just in case it was available. And it turned out they'd gotten a fresh supply that very day! Such a lucky break.. ❤️

On the table was pickled danmuji (yellow radish pickle), which had a spicy kick and was really tasty.

They also brought out a warm broth.

And then out came Makise's mackerel stick sushi! Inside was ginger and shiso, with a touch of wasabi. The surface was lightly torched for a smoky aroma and topped with grated yuzu peel. It looked beautiful, and you could tell how much care went into it.

Is sushi even allowed to look this pretty? Fresh, firm mackerel rolled at just the right thickness around the rice — the mackerel stick sushi was a joy just to look at.

It felt extra special since I'd really been craving mackerel stick sushi lately — it looked gorgeous and tasted even more amazing! Even though it's not mackerel season, it was genuinely fresh, and its savory flavor and firm texture filled my mouth.

The slightly spicy, refreshing ginger and the hint of yuzu peel aroma added to the savory mackerel stick sushi, and the rice really did have that subtle sweetness I'd heard about — it got better the more I chewed, at this great Hapjeong Station restaurant.

It was delicious with extra wasabi on top, and just as good dipped lightly in the soy sauce on the table. I enjoyed it so much, and the atmosphere was so nice, that I already started thinking I'd come back for kaisendon next time, and again for mackerel stick sushi once winter rolls around!

Even a service of grilled gamasal

They said there was leftover gamasal (collar meat) and lightly grilled it for us as a service. Rich, savory, tender and chewy — the gamasal was incredibly delicious too. If you're looking for a cozy, tasty izakaya for a Hapjeong date with fresh seafood, I'd recommend Makise Hapjeong, a place I'd happily keep coming back to!