Sasang izakaya in Busan with amberjack sashimi for two: Warayaki Tanyo

I'm the Chihuahua university student from Chihuahua's Dinner Table 🐾 Today I've got a review of Warayaki Tanyo in Sasang, where I properly stuffed myself with sashimi, grilled chicken, pasta, and ramen. The counter (dachi) seats wrapping around the kitchen are the main seating, and they grill the meat right in front of you on individual tabletop grills, so it was fun to watch the whole time haha.

• 🔥 Open kitchen plus individual tabletop grills — genuinely fun to watch
• 🍽️ Every single dish we ordered was good, no misses
• 🪑 Counter seating is the main setup, so it's great for a date for two

Here's the full review, let's go.

Warayaki Tanyo 📍 11 Sasang-ro 238beon-gil, 1F, Sasang-gu, Busan, South Korea ⏰ Mon–Thu 17:30–1:00 next day / Fri–Sat 17:00–1:00 next day / Closed every Sunday ※ Hours may change on public holidays.

Where Warayaki Tanyo is and how to walk there from Sasang Station

Warayaki Tanyo is about a 4-minute walk from exit 6 of Sasang Station on Busan Subway Line 2. It's not far from the station, tucked in an alley where a lot of Sasang bars are clustered — good for a first stop or an easy move for round two if you're already out drinking.

If you're near Sasang Station or the West Bus Terminal looking for a good-vibe izakaya, this is worth a visit.

Counter seats at Warayaki Tanyo: how many people fit comfortably?

At the center of Warayaki Tanyo is a long counter (dachi) wrapping around the kitchen. You can watch the cooking happen right in front of you, and since it's an open kitchen, you can also see how tidy the cooking space is kept, which I liked.

There were about two 4-person tables, but since the counter seats are the main setup, it felt more suited to a date for two than a bigger group.

If you order the grilled chicken, staff grill it right at your seat on the individual tabletop grill. You can watch the sauce being brushed on as it cooks, so the wait was never boring, haha.

Warayaki Tanyo menu and prices, and what we ordered for two

Warayaki Tanyo's menu ranges from sashimi and grilled chicken to pasta, ramen, grilled fish, eel, and even steak — a good variety of drinking food. Grilled chicken can be ordered from two types minimum, so we picked thigh and gizzard and added the assorted vegetables too.

• Amberjack sashimi ₩30,000
• Mentaiko cream pasta ₩19,000
• Chicken thigh ₩8,000
• Chicken gizzard ₩8,000
• Assorted vegetables ₩10,000
• Japanese-style ramen ₩12,000
• Draft beer ₩8,000
• Joeun Day soju ₩5,000 × 3

Total: ₩110,000!

Amberjack sashimi to mentaiko cream pasta: how the food tasted

First, a kind of salad came out as a basic side.

Amberjack sashimi, 30,000 won

💕 Amberjack sashimi ₩30,000 🐟 This was a staff recommendation, and it was as fatty and rich as winter yellowtail. It didn't just come as plain sashimi — it came with seaweed and sushi rice too, so you could eat it several different ways!

Eating the amberjack plain with a bit of wasabi was great, and wrapping it in seaweed made the rich flavor come through even more. Making your own sushi by putting the sashimi on the rice meant we could eat the whole plate without getting tired of it.

Mentaiko cream pasta, 19,000 won

💕 Mentaiko cream pasta ₩19,000 🍝 The cream sauce wasn't watery — it was thick and clung properly to the noodles. The combination of mentaiko (marinated pollock roe) and seaweed flakes with bacon gave it a rich, savory flavor, and it was less salty than expected, which made it a great pairing with drinks.

With sashimi and grilled chicken already on the table, the cream pasta didn't overlap with either, so it was fun eating a variety of things.

Draft beer, 8,000 won

💕 Draft beer ₩8,000 🍺 The draft beer was poured, the foam skimmed off, and served in a sawa glass. It was cold with a smooth finish, and it paired well with both the fatty sashimi and the sauced grilled chicken!

Verdict: a quiet drink for two in Sasang, Busan

Warayaki Tanyo was a great Sasang izakaya for having a drink while watching the cooking and grilled chicken come together at the counter around the open kitchen. From the staff-recommended sashimi to the thick pasta, the tabletop-grilled chicken and vegetables, and the closing ramen — every dish we ordered was a hit!

The kitchen was fully visible and clean, and since staff grilled the meat for us, all we had to do was eat comfortably, which I appreciated. Since the counter seats are the heart of the place, if you're looking for a quiet drink for two or a good date izakaya in Sasang, go for it!