Kelly draft beer and pork jowl at Gyeongseong Sanghoe, Sadang izakaya

A Sadang izakaya find — Gyeongseong Sanghoe, for perfect draft beer and even better side dishes

Gyeongseong Sanghoe: a basement izakaya 5 minutes from Sadang Station Exit 13

Gyeongseong Sanghoe is an izakaya on the basement level of a building on Bangbaecheon-ro, a 5-minute walk from Exit 13 of Sadang Station. After wrapping up some errands recently, I wanted a quiet spot for a chat over some well-made food, so I headed toward Sadang Station. A short walk led me to this izakaya, Gyeongseong Sanghoe.

Heading down the basement stairs, the space opens up and instantly feels like a cozy local tavern in Japan. Staff greeted me warmly in both Korean and Japanese right from the entrance, which set a friendly tone from the start. After being kindly shown to a seat and looking over the menu, the day's fatigue just seemed to melt away.

It's less than a 5-minute walk from Exit 13 of Sadang Station, so getting there by public transit was really convenient.

Doesn't the entrance already give off that authentic Japanese feel? Dark wood-toned furniture and props styled after local Japanese taverns blend together naturally, creating a cozy, retro drinking-spot atmosphere.

There's something about the place that feels like it's been loved for a long time — traces of that everywhere. The warm wood-toned interior felt genuinely inviting.

Sake bottles decorate the walls throughout, adding to the lively energy typical of the Sadang area — the kind of hideaway spot perfect for winding down with a cold beer after work or on a weekend, no pressure attached.

Seating at Gyeongseong Sanghoe: tables, counter seats and room for groups

Gyeongseong Sanghoe runs both table seating and dachi (counter/bar) seating, and can accommodate groups of four or more. The tables are spaced comfortably apart with cozy divisions between them, making it easy to focus on conversation with the people across from you. Since I had a reservation, I was shown to a table.

There's also counter seating, which felt like a warm spot for couples or friends to sit close together, watch the food being prepared, and clink glasses. Group bookings are handled efficiently too, so parties of four or more — whether a get-together or a company dinner — shouldn't feel cramped.

Complimentary snacks and a cabbage salad refilled twice

Once seated, the table is set with complimentary snacks: spicy-tangy pickled peppers, salty braised konjac, and a crisp cabbage salad.

The cabbage salad, with its nutty dressing, suited my taste so well I asked for a refill twice. Staff brought fresh servings each time with genuine care, which made for a pleasant start to the meal.

What we ordered: sashimi, six skewers, karaage and pork jowl with white miso

The menu covers a wide range — sashimi, seasoned dishes, salads, grilled skewers, fried items. We ordered today's assorted sashimi for two, the six-skewer moriawase set, chicken karaage, and grilled pork jowl in white miso.

The drink menu had a wide variety of sake, along with well-priced highballs and sawa (sours). The buy-one-get-one highball coupon came in handy. Both the cold Japanese draft and Kelly draft beer were kept in excellent condition, with plenty of that soft foam to enjoy.

I'd heard the sashimi here was good, so expectations were high.

Why the Kelly draft beer foam is so soft

The cold draft beer came out first. I've had Kelly draft at other places, but here the foam was genuinely as soft as Japanese draft beer. I also tried the Asahi draft, and honestly, whatever draft beer you order here, you can't go wrong.

Six-skewer moriawase: the shiitake and eggplant stood out

The skewer set arrived first. Grilled to a golden brown, the skewers had a subtle charcoal aroma that gave them real depth of flavor.

Crispy outside, moist and tender inside — it was fun picking through them piece by piece.

The seasoning wasn't overdone, so I enjoyed them without getting sick of the flavor. Personally, the shiitake mushroom skewer and the eggplant skewer stuck with me most.

Today's assorted sashimi for two, 38,000 won

Next came today's sashimi. Quite a generous spread, right? Salmon, tuna, sea bream — all aged, so the texture had a nice firmness and the umami really came through.

Freshly prepared cuts of fish are arranged neatly on a stone plate.

A variety of fish — flounder, salmon, tuna, sea bream — all served together on one platter.

Sliced nice and thick, the texture held up well to chew and there was no fishy taste, just clean, nutty flavor filling the mouth. Perfect alongside beer or sake.

Chicken karaage at Gyeongseong Sanghoe: handmade, not frozen

No izakaya visit is complete without chicken karaage. These days some places just fry up frozen product, but here it was clearly handmade.

Inside the crispy batter, the chicken stayed moist and tender, the juices well sealed in.

Paired lightly with the fresh salad and lemon that came with it, the flavor was clean with no greasiness at all. It matched beautifully with the cold draft beer.

Grilled pork jowl with white miso

Then came the grilled pork jowl, a dish with a subtle nutty flavor and great umami. The savory, umami-rich white miso sauce soaked nicely into the pork jowl's chewy fat and lean meat.

The rich juices combined with the soft white miso seasoning made for a satisfying bite. Eating it wrapped with the accompanying vegetables gave it a clean finish that I really liked.

Why Gyeongseong Sanghoe works as a bar in Sadang

Between the carefully made side dishes, the refreshing draft beer, and the crisp highballs all in one place, this was a genuinely satisfying visit. Thanks to the friendly local staff's smiles and warm attentiveness, I felt at ease the entire time I was there.

For anyone near Sadang Station looking to spend some warm time over proper izakaya food, Gyeongseong Sanghoe seems like a solid choice. It's a comfortable space for raising a glass over good conversation. If you're looking for a bar in Sadang that delivers on both taste and atmosphere, I'd recommend stopping by.

Gyeongseong Sanghoe Sadang: address, hours and reservations

• Address: Basement level, 12-3 Bangbaecheon-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 16:30–04:00 (last order 03:20)
• Reservations & visits: Available via Naver Reservation (1–20 people); walk-ins also welcome
• Amenities: Group-friendly, Wi-Fi, takeout available
• Perks: Buy-one-get-one highball coupon plus one more
• Signature menu: 5-skewer assortment ₩19,000 / Akaji Gokunabe ₩34,000 / Motsunabe ₩34,000 / Today's assorted sashimi (for 2) ₩38,000