Pohang sashimi restaurant with dome tent seats: Oneuldo Gajami

As the evenings turned cool at the edge of autumn, I headed to Yeongildae Beach for a proper plate of raw fish sashimi and a spicy fish stew, chased with a cool sea breeze. When you think of Pohang, mulhoe (cold raw fish soup) and fresh sashimi come to mind first — this time I went to check out Oneuldo Gajami, a restaurant along the Yeongildae coastal road that's known for its moody lighting and outdoor terrace seating.

Where Oneuldo Gajami is, plus parking and hours

Oneuldo Gajami is located at 195-1 Haean-ro, 1st floor, Buk-gu, Pohang-si, Gyeongbuk, in the Yeongildae Seolmeori Mulhoe district. It's open daily from 11am to midnight, with last order at 11pm, and doesn't close year-round.

Sitting along the long stretch of coastline that is the Yeongildae Seolmeori Mulhoe district, it's perfectly placed for a stop after a beach drive or a seaside walk. Cross the street right in front and you're straight onto Yeongildae Beach — an ocean-view location that draws visitors day and night.

• Address: 195-1 Haean-ro, 1st floor, Buk-gu, Pohang-si, Gyeongbuk, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 11:00–24:00 (last order 23:00 / open year-round)
• Parking: Free at 'Dumuchi Free Public Parking Lot' across the street, plus free roadside parking along the coastal road

Before going in, I stopped for a moment at the open beachfront to take in the night sea view.

String lights, pebble terrace and dome tents at Oneuldo Gajami

The entrance to Oneuldo Gajami has a long run of string lights overhead, and the outdoor floor is a pebble courtyard with stepping stones. On one side of the terrace there were also round, clear dome tent seats.

After enjoying the cool night breeze and the sparkling night view, crossing back over the road brings you to the restaurant entrance, where the string lights overhead immediately catch your eye.

The floor is covered in stepping stones and chunky pebbles, and with laughter drifting between the outdoor tables, the whole place had an exotic, almost Southeast Asian night-market resort vibe.

The round, clear dome tents set up on one side of the terrace seemed especially popular with couples and families — they block the chilly sea wind while still letting you enjoy the outdoor lighting. Highly recommended even in the dead of winter.

Wild chamgajami flounder in the tank by the entrance

Walking up under the yellow sign, you're first greeted by large, well-kept fish tanks on either side of the entrance.

Watching the king crabs moving energetically in the round tank and the live chamgajami (flounder) clinging tightly to the bottom gave me instant confidence in the freshness.

A weekend evening in the indoor hall, ordering the assorted sashimi

Since I visited during peak weekend evening hours, the outdoor seats were already full, so I was seated in the indoor hall. Colorful traditional paper lanterns packed tightly across the ceiling gave the space a cozy yet cheerful mood, and disposable hygiene aprons were plentifully stocked along the wall.

Sitting down and checking the tablet ordering screen, I saw premium options like julgajami (ishigari flounder) and Dokdo shrimp alongside chamgajami sashimi, assorted sashimi, and mulhoe. We went with the assorted sashimi platter to enjoy a variety of textures at once.

The table had a tidy sauce caddy, and chopsticks, napkins, and wet wipes were conveniently placed on the wall behind the table.

Side dishes and wrap vegetables at Oneuldo Gajami

After ordering, the side dishes arrived in neat stainless steel bowls — a soft corn salad and sweet pickled quail eggs got the appetite going.

A basket full of fresh lettuce, perilla leaves, and sharp cheongyang chili peppers came fully set, along with fresh wasabi and minced-garlic ssamjang, building up plenty of anticipation.

The whole grilled flounder that comes with the basic spread

Before long, a golden-brown whole grilled flounder — well beyond your typical basic hoe restaurant side dish — arrived on a brass plate. I wasn't expecting a fish grilled dish as part of the basic spread, so seeing a whole large fish grilled up made me genuinely happy.

Cracking the surface open with my chopsticks released a crisp sound and soft rising steam. Crispy on the outside and tender inside, the clean, salty fish flesh was a real treat.

How does the assorted sashimi platter at Oneuldo Gajami taste?

Oneuldo Gajami's assorted sashimi platter arrived with layers of white and reddish live-fish sashimi over a bed of jade ice. Dipped in chojang (vinegar chili sauce), the chamgajami sashimi had no fishy taste at all — just a chewy texture followed by a gentle sweetness.

Then the star of the meal, the assorted sashimi platter, took its place proudly at the center of the table, neatly arranged slices laid out over the jade ice base.

The translucent white flesh and the vividly red live-fish sashimi were layered neatly, and it felt like you could taste the fresh scent of the sea directly.

Before digging in properly, a light squeeze of fresh lemon was added over the sashimi for extra brightness.

First, I picked up a piece of the pale chamgajami sashimi with my chopsticks. The thickness was even and the knifework delicate, so I could feel the springy firmness right through the chopsticks.

Dipped deep into the sweet-and-sour chojang and popped into my mouth, there was no fishiness at all — just a chewy texture followed by a subtle sweetness that had me nodding along.

The thickly sliced pieces had a nuttiness that built with every chew, leaving a satisfying, substantial feeling in the mouth.

Next, I tried a piece from the reddish section lightly dipped in fresh wasabi soy sauce. The soft yet chewy, rich fattiness paired beautifully with the sharp wasabi.

Wrapping two chewy pieces of sashimi in fresh lettuce and perilla leaves along with garlic dipped generously in ssamjang and cheongyang chili made for a wrap where all the flavors peaked together.

Finishing with the free seodeori spicy fish stew

As we worked our way generously through the sashimi, a large pot of spicy fish stew was placed on the gas burner at the table. The reddish broth, packed with green onion and tofu, began bubbling and releasing a rich, spicy aroma.

Stirring the inside with the ladle and scooping some up, I found it wasn't just bones — thick pieces of fish meat were generously attached, hard to believe this was a complimentary stew.

Ladling the broth over a big scoop of rice in a small dish, the flavor wasn't overly sharp but had a deep, rich umami drawn from the fish bones that satisfyingly settled the stomach, wrapping up the meal perfectly.

Who should visit Oneuldo Gajami in Pohang

After taking in Yeongildae Beach's brilliant night view and then enjoying fresh raw sashimi and a hearty stew in the moody pebble-floor outdoor seating, it was a thoroughly satisfying time.

Beyond the high-quality chamgajami sashimi, the golden grilled flounder and the hearty seodeori spicy fish stew both came included, satisfying both value for money and atmosphere.

I'd recommend this place to couples wanting a romantic outdoor pojangmacha-style date, dog owners looking for a comfortable spot to dine with a large dog, or families on a trip to Pohang looking for a reliably fresh sashimi restaurant right by Yeongildae Beach.