Mapo sashimi spot: sesame-oil yellowtail over sushi rice, Mapo Bamdada

It's getting chilly, so of course we have to eat yellowtail sashimi! I went to Mapo Bamdada (마포밤바다) near Mapo-gu Office Station, which gets tons of return-visit reviews every winter for its fresh seasonal fish and generous side dishes. I ate thick, chewy, big yellowtail~

Mapo Bamdada location, hours, parking and events

Mapo Bamdada is at 146 Woldeukeop-ro, 1st floor, Mapo-gu, Seoul, and it's open every day from 12:00 to 1:00 a.m. Free parking is available, but you need to ask the restaurant when you park.

• Free gold-flake soju for birthdays every month
• Succeed at the "Catch the 10 Seconds" game and get an omakase assorted sashimi platter!
• Write a Naver review and get a soju or beer for ₩5,000

How to get to Mapo Bamdada from Mapo-gu Office Station

Mapo Bamdada is right there when you come out of Exit 5 of Mapo-gu Office Station. They say there are 8 parking spaces near the restaurant, but how can you eat sashimi without drinking soju?! We took the subway too, haha

The fish in the tanks at Mapo Bamdada looked really fresh. There are lots of them too, so I can see why so many people come here.

What is the atmosphere like inside Mapo Bamdada?

Even though it was a weekday, a lot of people were there. It seems like a go-to spot for the Mapo-gu Office neighborhood locals😮

You know a place is the real neighborhood deal when it's full of middle-aged guys, right? haha It totally had that authentic local-favorite vibe.

What side dishes come with the yellowtail sashimi?

The sskidashi (starter side dishes served before the sashimi) at Mapo Bamdada include clam soup, mini mulhoe (cold raw fish soup), marinated shrimp, braised half-dried pollack, seasoned greens and salad. The spread was seriously generous.

Since they're just starter sides, I didn't expect much at first, but the quality of every single one was so good!!! The mulhoe had thick pieces of fish and a sauce that wasn't too strong, so it was the kind you keep eating.

Braised pollack, a standout side: ₩5,000 for extra

The best of the side dishes was the braised pollack (kodari-jjim). I'd never seen anything like it and wondered what it was, but the mild pollack meat topped with seasoned bean sprouts is really good💞 While eating it before the yellowtail came out, I looked up whether I could get another, and it's just ₩5,000 for extra~ But after the yellowtail and the spicy fish stew I was so full that I couldn't, sob

Clam soup with plump hard clams

The clams in the clam soup were really plump~~ The broth was rich, and I think this alone could take care of a bottle of soju👍🏻

What does the small yellowtail sashimi at Mapo Bamdada look like?

The small yellowtail sashimi at Mapo Bamdada comes out in thick slices, sorted by cut. The yellowtail I'd been waiting for💕 It looked so good.

Along with the sashimi come trimmings, and, unusually, pieces of pickled radish, flying fish roe and vinegared rice. Each of them is a treat on its own, which is why Mapo Bamdada comes to mind whenever I think of yellowtail sashimi.

Sesame-oil yellowtail mixed into vinegared sushi rice

The yellowtail tossed in sesame oil was really good dipped in chojang (sweet-and-sour chili sauce)!! After finishing the sashimi I was so full I thought I couldn't eat any more, but my boyfriend mixed it into the vinegared rice and polished it off. I recommend mixing it with rice too.

How fatty is yellowtail in mid-November?

The yellowtail sashimi was glistening with oil🐟 It isn't deep winter yet, so I worried it might not be fatty enough, but it seems like yellowtail season is right now. My boyfriend, who's picky about raw fish, said the quality was great and devoured it.

Wrapped with seaweed, white kimchi and ssamjang, it never gets heavy and you just keep eating👏🏻 The white kimchi is salty, so even a little on top seasons it just right!

Finishing with spicy fish stew and rice

The spicy fish stew at Mapo Bamdada also had plump flesh, so I had loads of it! I added a bowl of rice too, and I was so full that walking afterward was hard, haha

Verdict: Mapo Bamdada near Mapo-gu Office Station

Mapo Bamdada is a place near Mapo-gu Office Station where you can eat plump, fatty yellowtail at a good price. The thick-cut yellowtail is great, but the mulhoe, clam soup, braised pollack and vinegared rice that come with it were all so good alongside it.

It has a homey pub vibe rather than a clean, polished one, which is why locals come here. That's probably why the drinks went down so easily.