Seomyeon bar in Busan for beef sashimi with sesame oil dip: 12.24

When the breeze starts getting cooler like this, I suddenly want a drink somewhere with a nice mood and a long, easy chat. This time I went looking for a place between Seomyeon and Jeonpo with good atmosphere and tasty snacks, and ended up at 12.24 Seomyeon Branch.

With its warm lighting and relaxed vibe, it suits a date as well as a drinking session with friends. I'll honestly walk you through the dishes I tried and the feel of the place!

Where is 12.24 Seomyeon Branch, and what are its hours?

12.24 Seomyeon Branch is at 225 Jeonpo-daero, Busanjin-gu, Busan, on the 1st floor, and it's open every day from 17:00 to 02:00. It sits between Seomyeon Station and Jeonpo Station, so it's easy to get to from either, and you can book through Naver.

• Address: 225 Jeonpo-daero, Busanjin-gu, Busan, 1st floor
• Hours: daily 17:00–02:00
• Naver reservations available

There are also waiting seats outside the shop where you can sit for a bit.

A bar with Christmas decorations

Inside 12.24 Seomyeon Branch there were Christmas decorations and warm lighting. Even though Christmas is still quite a way off, haha.

It's getting chilly outside, so stepping into this cozy atmosphere warmed me up a little. I think it would suit the end of the year even better.

Seating from bar tables to group tables

12.24 Seomyeon Branch has a range of seating, from bar tables to 4-person tables and group seating.

I'd especially recommend the bar table in front of the open kitchen for solo drinkers or an awkward first date.

On days when sitting face to face feels a bit much, sitting side by side waiting for the food makes conversation come naturally. There's also a big screen, so it could be fun on a game day.

There are coat hangers too, so hanging up your jacket was easy.

12.24 Seomyeon Branch menu and complimentary starters

The menu runs from sashimi to fried dishes, noodles and Nagasaki champon (spicy seafood noodle soup), plenty that goes well with drinks. This time I ordered the beef sashimi + yukhoe (seasoned raw beef) for ₩40,000.

Before the food arrived, we got cabbage, corn salad and sweet potato sticks as starters.

Munching on crunchy cabbage one piece at a time, the wait for the main dish never got boring.

Looking over at the kitchen, I even caught a fire show. It was fun to watch, so the time until the food came flew by.

How does the ₩40,000 beef sashimi + yukhoe come out?

At 12.24 Seomyeon Branch, the beef sashimi + yukhoe comes on one plate, half beef sashimi and half yukhoe tossed in a special sauce. And here it is at last! It looked delicious from the very first look.

It came with seaweed, sesame oil dip, rakkyo (pickled shallots), ginger and wasabi. In Daegu, beef sashimi is often eaten with a gochujang dipping sauce, but here there was no separate gochujang sauce and the focus was on the sesame oil dip.

Beef sashimi with seaweed, oil dip and wasabi

The beef sashimi was sliced thin but got chewier the more I chewed. I put a piece on seaweed, dipped it lightly in the oil, and added radish sprouts and wasabi.

The springy texture, the nuttiness of the oil and the kick of the wasabi came together really well.

Yukhoe mixed with the egg yolk

The other half was fresh yukhoe!!! I mixed about half of it well with the egg yolk.

The special sauce coated everything evenly with a savory depth, and overall it tasted fresh.

Pineapple sherbet and a free honey tomato to finish

Partway through the beef sashimi and yukhoe I wanted to refresh my mouth, so I added the pineapple sherbet at 12.24 Seomyeon Branch.

It was cold and fresh, perfect as a palate cleanser. Sweet yet light, it also worked as a spoonful between sips of alcohol. A familiar taste, which is exactly why it felt so welcome, haha.

The owner also gave us a tomato as a complimentary extra, topped with honey instead of sugar so it was sweet. It was easy to eat even when I was fairly full, and a neat way to wrap up.

Blankets and ice on request through table order

What I personally liked at 12.24 Seomyeon Branch was the convenience features on the table order screen. Besides tools like a ladle and scissors, you can request ice and even a blanket, so getting what you need was easy. Little details like this make you feel the place cares about its guests.

The place isn't too loud, so talking was easy, and with the bar table it looked fine for drinking solo too.

If you check coupons on Naver, there's also a ₩5,500 chicken karaage deal, so check whether you can get it and its conditions before visiting. The shop also has an Instagram event!!!

When I'd recommend 12.24 Seomyeon Branch

12.24 Seomyeon Branch was a good place to enjoy both atmosphere and snacks. It works on days you crave chewy beef sashimi and nutty yukhoe, or when you want to keep chatting over a drink after dinner.

With both bar tables and group seating, it seems good for anything from dates to friend get-togethers to solo drinking. If you're looking for a not-too-loud bar in Seomyeon or Jeonpo, put 12.24 Seomyeon Branch on your list.