Seongsu izakaya dinner with mackerel pressed sushi: Jindoken

A light weekday drink in Seongsu

After work, my wife and I headed to Seongsu-dong to enjoy the relaxed pace of a weekday evening after spending time at Seoul Forest, with good food and a light drink on the side.

I absolutely love seeking out atmospheric izakayas and Japanese-style bars, so I visited Jindoken Seongsu Branch (진도켄 성수점), a Seongsu bar that has been getting plenty of word-of-mouth buzz around Ttukseom Station and Seongsu for its high-quality snacks and vibe-filled space.

Since it is such a popular hot spot, I thought there might be a wait at peak time, so I hurried over and arrived right at 6 p.m. on a weekday. In front of the building, I spotted the warmly, softly lit restaurant upstairs in the Seongsu Teojeon building.

On the wall along the stairs were box-shaped signs illustrated with a witty Jindo dog character, which had me smiling before I had even made it upstairs.

At the entrance, a handsome wooden sign reading “Jindoken Japanese Dining Seongsu” hung beneath antique, upscale streetlamp-style lighting.

Once inside, a calm, moody space completely unlike the bustle outside opened up before us.

The slightly dim lighting and warm wood interior came together beautifully. It was the perfect atmosphere for a couple’s date or for quietly sharing a drink and conversation with someone special. As soon as we sat down, a staff member welcomed us with such a bright, warm smile that I felt great from the moment we walked in.

There was a dedicated QR code on the table for convenient ordering, so we could easily check the menu and place our order on a smartphone.

From highballs to mackerel pressed sushi

As listed on the receipt, we put together a satisfying order: a cool, refreshing Blue Lemon Highball, a sweet-and-slightly-bitter Earl Grey non-alcoholic highball, the restaurant’s signature mackerel pressed sushi, abalone innards pasta, and charcoal-grilled chicken thigh with tare sauce.

Not long after ordering, the two highballs arrived first in pretty glasses.

The sparkling look of the luminous blue Blue Lemon Highball and the Earl Grey non-alcoholic highball topped with a lemon slice was enough to make me gasp just looking at them.

One cool sip brought sweet, tangy fruit juice and fizz sweeping cleanly across my palate, and it felt as though all the fatigue of the day simply melted away.

The best mackerel pressed sushi of my life

Next, the long-awaited main highlight of the day, the mackerel pressed sushi, appeared neatly arranged on a long ceramic plate.

The thickly rolled mackerel had been lightly aburi-seared with a charcoal torch, bringing out its glistening oils, and it was dusted with a savory powder.

I carefully picked up a piece, added a little wasabi, and the moment I put it in my mouth, a “wow” escaped on its own.

There was not even the slightest trace of the fishiness mackerel can have. Instead, the rich, savory oiliness of the blue-backed fish burst across my mouth. The lightly seasoned rice, fragrant shiso leaves packed into the center, ginger, and other ingredients were in perfect balance. It was so moving that I can honestly say it was, without question, the best mackerel pressed sushi I have eaten in my life.

Abalone innards pasta and charcoal-grilled chicken thigh

Then the abalone innards pasta arrived, topped with one whole large abalone.

Under fresh arugula and a snowy mound of finely grated cheese, a thick geu sauce—an abalone-liver sauce—coated every strand of pasta richly.

I twirled the noodles around my fork and had them with a piece of abalone; the deep, rich, nutty ocean flavor of the abalone innards wrapped heavily around my whole mouth.

The abalone itself was tender rather than tough, while still retaining a pleasing chew, making every bite fun.

Finally, a generous serving of charcoal-grilled chicken thigh with tare sauce, full of smoky aroma, arrived.

Neatly cut, bite-size pieces of golden-brown grilled chicken thigh, brushed with a sweet-savory house tare sauce, sat over crisp cabbage and thinly shredded scallions.

When I tried a piece, the outside was crisp, while the inside was so tender and moist that the juices practically burst out.

The umami of the tare sauce and charcoal aroma worked together perfectly; it could not have been a better pairing for a highball.

From the excellent lighting and atmospheric interior to the thoughtful, cheerful service even amid a busy shift—and above all, the incredible mackerel pressed sushi I would call the best of my life—every element lined up for an absolutely wonderful dinner.

If you are looking for a romantic after-work date with your partner or an atmospheric Ttukseom Station restaurant, I 200% wholeheartedly recommend Jindoken Seongsu Branch, a Seongsu bar whose snacks are on another level.