# Live fish sashimi platter and butter crab at Maenggu Pocha, Gwang-an - By Taeyul (https://superchart.com/en/@busan-night-coaster/) - Written Sep 7, 2026 - Local places › Bars › Suyeong, Busan - Sponsored: This is a review of a visit made with support from the business. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@busan-night-coaster/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@busan-night-coaster/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab/index.md) ## In short Maenggu Pocha Gwang-an Main Branch is a retro-style bar-restaurant near Gwangalli Beach in Suyeong, Busan. The live fish sashimi platter and butter crab were the stars, and the staff happily swapped the fire noodle option for mild jjapaguri instead. With a coin game for extra snacks thrown in, it's a solid pick for an evening drinking spot in Gwangalli. ## Good to know - **Location**: 72 Namcheonbada-ro 33beon-gil, Suyeong-gu, Busan, South Korea, 1st floor - **Hours**: 6 PM – 4 AM - **Parking**: No on-site parking; use the lot in front or the public parking lot next door - **Pets**: Pet-friendly - **Order**: Live fish sashimi platter (sashimi, sushi, spicy fish stew), butter crab, jjapaguri - **Coins**: 1 coin = ₩1,000; collect 5 coins to trade for ₩15,000 worth of snacks *as written by the visitor on Sep 7, 2026* If you're in Gwangalli, Busan, you have to eat fresh seafood and sashimi, right? ![Visit to Maenggu Pocha, a seafood bar in Gwangalli](https://img.superchart.com/images/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab-01-16dm3-900.webp) So while hunting for good Gwangalli restaurants, I found this place where you can enjoy a bunch of menu items at once. Let me introduce Maenggu Pocha Gwang-an Main Branch, a bar in Gwangalli. ## Basic info on Maenggu Pocha Gwang-an Main Branch - Location: 72 Namcheonbada-ro 33beon-gil, Suyeong-gu, Busan, 1st floor - Hours: 6 PM to 4 AM - Pet-friendly, no parking (use the lot in front or the public parking lot next door) ## What's the outside and inside vibe like Maenggu Pocha Gwang-an Main Branch is located close to Gwangalli Beach. ![Exterior sign of Maenggu Pocha Gwang-an Main Branch with a neighborhood pocha feel](https://img.superchart.com/images/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab-02-3nvnl-900.webp) The sign gives off a neighborhood pocha (street-food bar) vibe, so the atmosphere felt comfortable. We made a reservation ahead of time just in case, and sure enough, the place was fully booked not long after we arrived~ There were a lot of travelers, but also plenty of locals. That's probably a guarantee the food is good, right? Haha. ![Interior of the pocha with retro props and a chalkboard](https://img.superchart.com/images/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab-03-pxgvi-900.webp) Inside had a retro pocha feel, decorated with chalkboard writing you see right when you walk in and props with a 90s vibe. ## Menu lineup and our order The menu at Maenggu Pocha, this Gwangalli bar/restaurant, was really varied. ![Menu board at Maenggu Pocha Gwang-an Main Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab-04-155ny-m-900.webp) There were 3 kinds of platter sets, and we ordered the live fish sashimi platter. ![Menu page listing platter sets](https://img.superchart.com/images/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab-05-4qdeg-900.webp) ![Menu page listing steamed dishes and cooked items](https://img.superchart.com/images/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab-06-1h3bv-900.webp) ![Menu page listing soup dishes](https://img.superchart.com/images/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab-07-11zrn-900.webp) ![Menu page listing single sashimi orders](https://img.superchart.com/images/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab-08-llwxb-900.webp) ![Menu page listing single side dishes](https://img.superchart.com/images/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab-09-1u7kg-900.webp) ![Menu page including drink options](https://img.superchart.com/images/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab-10-1sjti-900.webp) ![Last page of the Maenggu Pocha menu](https://img.superchart.com/images/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab-11-1r9gg-900.webp) There were also steamed dishes, soups, and single sashimi orders, so I had a hard time deciding what to pick haha. I think the wide menu range is one reason this place is considered a Gwangalli favorite. We also ordered the butter crab we'd been eyeing before we even arrived. ![Table where the butter crab was ordered](https://img.superchart.com/images/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab-12-v8w8u-900.webp) When we went to order drinks, there was a game event running for the soju brand Good Day, so we joined in. ![Participating in a soju brand's event game](https://img.superchart.com/images/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab-13-rxrux-900.webp) We won a hangover remedy drink from the event's random draw and got it as a gift~ ## How was the live fish sashimi platter and butter crab ![Soju and shot glasses served in ice](https://img.superchart.com/images/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab-14-1qe7e-900.webp) The soju came out first, served with shot glasses and the soju bottle nestled in ice! That kind of small detail really felt like a nice touch. They also gave us disposable gloves so we could eat the crab comfortably. ![Live fish sashimi platter set with sashimi, sushi, and spicy fish stew](https://img.superchart.com/images/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab-15-1s7es-900.webp) The live fish sashimi platter came generously packed with sashimi, sushi, and even spicy fish stew. It was a visual that made you hungry just looking at it 😁 Being right by the Gwangalli sea, the sashimi had no fishy smell at all. ![Plate of sashimi without any fishy smell](https://img.superchart.com/images/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab-16-123ai-900.webp) And then the butter crab we'd been looking forward to arrived, and the smell alone was serious business. The butter flavor made it addictive, and dipping it in the sauce made it even better without any greasiness. The crab was big, so it was much easier to eat once we cut it with scissors~ ![Butter crab with a strong butter aroma](https://img.superchart.com/images/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab-17-1w30s-900.webp) > How could you eat this without soju?? Soak it in some Good Day!! ![A shot of soju alongside the butter crab](https://img.superchart.com/images/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab-18-2vqdu-900.webp) As we ate, we started craving carbs and were about to order the fire noodle jjapaguri, but since someone in our group couldn't handle spicy food, we asked to switch it to regular jjapaguri (Korean-style black bean noodles) instead, and they happily made the change. I'd recommend eating this one as soon as it arrives~ Since it's a noodle dish, the taste gets a little worse once time passes! ## How do the Maenggu Pocha coins work A fun little extra at this Gwangalli bar! ![Coins used to trade for snacks at Maenggu Pocha](https://img.superchart.com/images/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab-19-54lye-900.webp) At Maenggu Pocha, they give you coins that you can trade for snacks. Apparently 1 coin is worth ₩1,000. You can play a game to bet against other tables holding coins and win more, and once you collect 5 coins you can trade them for ₩15,000 worth of snacks. ![Display of snacks that can be traded for with coins](https://img.superchart.com/images/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab-20-1ydp4-900.webp) ![Snack traded for with 1 coin](https://img.superchart.com/images/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab-21-jbzv1-900.webp) We had just 1 coin, so we traded it for a snack we wanted. It was tasty eating Kkoedori (a classic Korean snack) again after a long time~ ## Where's the restroom The restroom at Maenggu Pocha is inside, toward the back. They say if there's a long wait for the restroom, you should use the public restroom instead, but honestly, just having a restroom inside the place at all was really nice. While waiting for the restroom, I took some photos — this area also had classic posters and newspaper clippings stuck up. ![Hallway wall covered in classic posters and newspaper clippings](https://img.superchart.com/images/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab-22-kk7gh-900.webp) I couldn't help but crack a smile at the 'Maenggu mirror' hanging on the wall haha. ![The 'Maenggu mirror' hanging on the wall](https://img.superchart.com/images/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab-23-8rcj9-900.webp) It was satisfying to have a restroom inside where you could go safely. ## Overall thoughts Maenggu Pocha Gwang-an Main Branch in Gwangalli was satisfying overall — fresh seafood, butter crab, and friendly service that even swapped our menu for jjapaguri. ![Table set with food at Maenggu Pocha Gwang-an Main Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab-24-1n820-1200.webp) The food was good all around! It's perfect as a drinking side dish. I could see why the place gets so busy it fills up completely. There's no dedicated parking, so if you're driving, keep that in mind — you can use the nearby public parking lot~ If you're looking for somewhere for an evening drinking session in Gwangalli, Maenggu Pocha Gwang-an Main Branch is worth a try~ ## Where it is - Maenggu Pocha Gwang-an Main Branch (맹구포차 광안본점) - 72 Namcheonbada-ro 33beon-gil, Suyeong-gu, Busan, South Korea, 1st floor - 부산광역시 수영구 남천바다로33번길 72 1층 - 35.1512125, 129.1161191 - Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EB%A7%B9%EA%B5%AC%ED%8F%AC%EC%B0%A8%20%EA%B4%91%EC%95%88%EB%B3%B8%EC%A0%90/@35.1512125,129.1161191,17z --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@busan-night-coaster/maenggu-pocha-gwangan-butter-crab/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt