Gwangalli sashimi restaurant booked same day with Mom: Gwanganda Jjji

Gwanganda Jjji, found when my Gwangalli reservation fell through

Gwanganda Jjji Gwangalli Main Branch (광안다찌 광안리본점) is a seafood dachi set restaurant in Millak-dong, Gwangalli. I went with my mom after a last-minute search. The place we originally planned to visit bounced our reservation out of nowhere, and we were so stuck, ugh.

While scrambling for somewhere to go, I called Gwanganda Jjji just in case, and the owner, an absolute angel, kindly took a same-day reservation, so we headed over in a good mood. To cut to the chase: Mom and I were both so satisfied that I shudder to think what if we hadn't gone! It was far better than I expected, so this is an honest review written with a lot of care.

Where is Gwanganda Jjji and what is the atmosphere like?

Gwanganda Jjji Gwangalli Main Branch is on the 6th floor of Sanbada Hoe Town, 105 Millak Subyeon-ro (110-50 Millak-dong), Suyeong-gu, Busan. It is close to Millak Raw Fish Center and the waterside park, so it is really easy to get to.

• Hours: 12:00-22:50 (break time 14:10-16:30 / closed every Tuesday)
• Layout: There are separate private, clean rooms, ideal for family gatherings, parents' birthdays, meeting the in-laws, entertaining guests, company dinners or reunions!
• Gwangan Bridge view: The hall seats look down over Gwangan Bridge, and the view is just amazing. We were lucky enough to get the one window seat left!

A 'dachi' in Gwangalli, Busan?!

Gwanganda Jjji lets you enjoy a spread of varied seafood with the freshness and quality of Tongyeong. In old Tongyeong, the traditional dachi (a drinking style where snacks keep coming with each drink order) works by bringing food with every round of alcohol. Here, so that tourists and office workers who don't drink much can enjoy it at a fair price, they offer a value set meal with the margin kept extremely low.

It's a Gwangalli sashimi restaurant for people who want chopsticks that never stop moving, with plenty of seafood and varied side dishes rather than just raw fish, and one where everyone is happy even if a friend can't eat raw fish! (They reportedly own their own fishing boat, which cuts out the middle distribution steps and makes this value possible!)

Gwanganda Jjji dachi set (₩55,000 per person) course breakdown

We ordered the dachi set for 2 (₩55,000 × 2). We didn't wait long after ordering, and the food was set out one round after another! The cute Crayon Shin-chan bowl holding the ssamjang (dipping paste) made me burst out laughing. So cute, haha.

Round 1: a table-bending spread of varied dishes

Round 1 at Gwanganda Jjji is made up of cream shrimp, grilled abalone, grilled eel, sprout ginseng, cheese-baked scallops, seasoned cockles, soy-marinated crab, seasoned pufferfish skin, spicy raw fish salad, rolls, salad and a chive pancake.

Nothing was carelessly made, and they were dishes we don't eat every day, so we wolfed them down in a frenzy before the main dishes even arrived. The sprout ginseng made it feel like a healthy start, and the cheese-loaded grilled scallops and the grilled abalone my mom loves were real highlights!

Round 2: wriggling fresh seafood assortment

Round 2 at Gwanganda Jjji is a seafood assortment of live octopus, abalone sashimi, raw shrimp, sea squirt and sea snail. While we were eating the cooked dishes, the fresh seafood followed.

The raw shrimp and live octopus, served as in season, were so fresh they kept wriggling on the plate! The sea squirt full of ocean aroma, the crunchy abalone sashimi and the sea snail were all top-notch in freshness.

Round 3: a sashimi platter with Gwangan Bridge views 🐟

Round 3 at Gwanganda Jjji is the main sashimi plate of flatfish (gwangeo), red sea bream, flounder (dodari) and sea bass, served with 4 pieces' worth of sushi rice. The main sashimi plate finally arrives!

The owner placed the sashimi plate by the window with a good view of Gwangan Bridge, and the emerald sea view with the sashimi looked so pretty. A sight you can't not photograph!

The sashimi, sliced to a good thickness, bursts with savory flavor with just a dip in soy sauce. Mom especially raved, "How can flounder be this sweet and nutty?"

It was also great fun to put the sashimi on the well-seasoned sushi rice and make our own fish sushi. (Plus a bonus grilled eel sushi, haha)

Round 4: spicy fish stew, braised fish and fried dishes

Round 4 at Gwanganda Jjji is a run of warm dishes: maeuntang (spicy fish stew), braised fish and assorted fritters. Now it's time for something hot!

Braised fish and fritters: we got assorted fritters of crispy fried shrimp and crab, and braised fish with thick flesh where the sweet-salty sauce had soaked in all the way through.

Stew on par with crab stew: At most sashimi restaurants the spicy stew often contains only fish scraps, but the Gwanganda Jjji stew is rich with crab, almost like a crab stew, and the broth was insane! My mom, who loves blue crab, raved about it and kept sipping the broth.

Round 5: abalone porridge and yakgwa dessert

The last round at Gwanganda Jjji is richly simmered abalone porridge (with kimchi) and yakgwa (traditional honey cookie) for dessert. They explained that they drizzle freshly pressed sesame oil over the porridge, and the nutty aroma filled my mouth from the first bite, a perfect finish. It's one porridge per person, so no need to be shy about it, haha!

A day we couldn't drink: the owner's thoughtful touch

At Gwanganda Jjji we joined the receipt review event and got a Zero Cider. Mom and I can both normally enjoy a cold glass of soju, but on this day we each couldn't drink for our own reasons, which was such a shame. Even for a single drink, the owner prepared an ice-filled cup for each person so we could drink it ice cold, and that thoughtful touch really moved me. 💕

After refreshing with the cider and finishing everything else, I was full, but the fritters were so crispy with such a solid filling... I'd meant to leave some and ended up eating them all, haha.

Verdict: is Gwanganda Jjji a good Gwangalli sashimi restaurant to go to with Mom?

Gwanganda Jjji isn't just a pretty-view place for Instagram. It's a Millak-dong restaurant where I was moved by the freshness and quality of every dish, the generous portions, and the kindness of the owner and staff. We went in a hurry after being bounced from our original plan, but in the end Mom and I both came back 200% satisfied after a healing date!

If you're looking for a no-fail seafood spread near Gwangalli or the waterside park, a tidy sashimi restaurant to take your parents to, or a date spot with a lovely Gwangan Bridge view, don't hesitate and visit Gwanganda Jjji at least once! Strongly recommended! 👍❤️