Steamed blue crab and gizzard shad set at a Suyeong-gu bar in Busan

I was trying to figure out what to eat after work and ended up wandering toward Suyeong for the first time in a while. I never really had a go-to spot when it came to bars in Suyeong-dong, but a place my friend recommended — Sintongyeong Gul Gukbap (신통영굴국밥) — kept popping into my head. The name alone screams "seasonal seafood specialist," right? I'm really glad I went, so I'm writing this up.

Sintongyeong Gul Gukbap

How to walk to Sintongyeong Gul Gukbap from Suyeong Station Exit 3

Sintongyeong Gul Gukbap is at 24 Suyeong-ro 725beon-gil, Suyeong-gu, Busan, 224m from Exit 3 of Suyeong Station. The sign is huge and flashy, so it catches your eye from far away.

Two signs sit side by side — "Shin-Tongyeong Seasonal Food Specialist" and "Sintongyeong Gul Gukbap" — both with an octopus illustration, so you immediately know this place handles fresh seafood.

It's only a 3–4 minute walk, so getting there by public transport is really convenient. If you can't find it, just remember it's across from Suyeong-dong Post Office near Suyeong Paldo Market. Once you spot the post office, look across the street.

Opening hours and how busy it gets on a weekday evening

Sintongyeong Gul Gukbap is open from 11:30 to 24:00, closed every Sunday. I got there around 6pm on a weekday and barely managed to snag the very last open table. I'd recommend double-checking the day before you go.

Two fish tanks sit near the entrance with live fish swimming around, so you can literally see how fresh things are. It was also fun reading the handwritten menu boards taped above the tanks — prices scrawled in colorful highlighter, and just browsing them made my mouth water. It was surprising how many people were there, but after eating, I completely understood why it's so busy.

Inside, it's bigger than expected with plenty of tables, so it looked like it could easily handle group bookings. Menu boards with prices for gukbap, anju, and drinks are posted clearly on the wall, so there's no confusion when ordering. Overall the interior felt more like a tidy sashimi restaurant than a street tent — softly bright lighting made for decent photos, and the round tables packed close together with stainless steel tops were perfect for seafood anju. Being evening, lots of groups were clinking soju glasses, and that lively buzz really showed off the appeal of this Suyeong-dong bar.

What's on the menu at Sintongyeong Gul Gukbap

For meals, Sintongyeong Gul Gukbap serves oyster gukbap, premium oyster gukbap, oyster tteokguk, maesaengi oyster gukbap, mulhoe, and sashimi bibimbap, among others. Oyster dishes — raw oysters, oyster jeon, seasoned oyster, steamed oyster shells, kimchi jeon — form the anju core. Beyond that, depending on the season, there's gizzard shad, shrimp, wild assorted sashimi, steamed crab, boiled squid, and monkfish — really a huge range of seafood options.

In fall especially, Suyeong-style gizzard shad sashimi and grilled gizzard shad take center stage, with options ranging from single sashimi or grilled dishes to a combo set with both, so you can pick whatever suits you. Since I was already there, I went with the gizzard shad three-ways set — more on that shortly.

Free banchan worth three bottles of soju, led by the omandi sea squirt

As soon as I sat down, a full spread of banchan arrived, and it genuinely exceeded expectations. Seaweed stem salad, doraji (bellflower root) muchim, cucumber and carrot sticks, corn salad, purple sweet potato, and — the one that surprised me most — omandi, plus broccoli muchim, buchu jeon (chive pancake), and umumuk (agar jelly) filled the whole table.

Omandi in particular was fantastic. Chewy texture with a spicy kick baked in — this alone could take down half a bottle of soju.

Honestly, this banchan spread alone could comfortably get you through three bottles of soju. Every single side dish felt carefully made, so my satisfaction was already sky-high before the main dishes even arrived.

The gizzard shad three-way set: sashimi, grilled and seasoned

Finally, the main order — the gizzard shad three-ways set — arrived, combining gizzard shad sashimi, grilled gizzard shad, and seasoned gizzard shad all in one setting. Bamboo matting laid over a large brass bowl, piled high with sashimi and ice — just looking at the photo again makes me want more.

Bamboo matting laid over the large bowl, piled high with sashimi — just looking at the photo again makes me want more.

The gizzard shad shimmered silver. That distinctive chewy bite of Suyeong-style gizzard shad sashimi was truly excellent.

Wrapped in perilla leaf and lettuce with chogochujang (vinegar-chili paste) and garlic on top, wrapped up as ssam — the mix of nuttiness and tang burst in my mouth all at once.

The seasoned gizzard shad came tossed with cucumber and carrot in a sweet-and-tangy sauce — I kept reaching for it even without rice.

Lastly, the grilled gizzard shad came out whole and golden brown — crispy skin, moist flesh, chopsticks just kept going.

That distinctive rich, oily flavor of Suyeong-style grilled gizzard shad spreading through my mouth was such a good feeling.

Being able to enjoy all three gizzard shad preparations at once seems to be the biggest strength of this set.

Steamed blue crab and crab-shell bibimbap

Just as anticipated as the gizzard shad was Sintongyeong Gul Gukbap's steamed crab — a big platter arrived with several plump crabs, and everyone let out a gasp the moment they saw it.

Picking apart the steamed crab revealed dense, springy meat inside, and it was fun cracking them open one by one. The crab's natural sweetness came through, and since the juices didn't cook away during steaming, the meat stayed moist — impressive. Since this place bets on seasonal ingredients, it's exciting to imagine what different menus each season might bring. So sweet~

Mixing rice into the crab shell was the highlight of the night. That distinctive savory, salty umami of crab paste soaked into every grain of rice — I wanted to keep refilling it.

Is Sintongyeong Gul Gukbap worth a visit?

In short, Sintongyeong Gul Gukbap is a place I can confidently recommend to anyone looking for a bar in Suyeong-dong. Care clearly goes into everything from the banchan to the mains, and the Suyeong-style gizzard shad sashimi and grilled gizzard shad especially, best enjoyed in fall, are worth trying at least once. The steamed crab was also satisfying in both looks and taste. Tables fill up fast, so if you're visiting in the evening, I'd recommend going a little early. If you're near Suyeong Station wanting a proper soju session and still deciding where to eat, give Sintongyeong Gul Gukbap a try. I'm planning to order this same combo — the gizzard shad set and steamed crab — again next time.