Yeonsan-dong yakitori bar in Busan: counter-seat platter at Samajama

There was one Yeonsan-dong bar that gave this Busan trip a delicious finish, so I want to introduce it to you! If you're looking for a good yakitori izakaya in Yeonsan-dong, come along to Samajama ^^

Where is Samajama Yeonsan Direct Branch, and where can you park?

Samajama Yeonsan Direct Branch (사마자마 연산직영점) is at 20 Gobun-ro 13beon-gil, Yeonje-gu, Busan (1st floor), 250 m from Exit 10 of Yeonsan Station. It's open 17:00–02:00, and for parking you can use the Yeonil Traditional Market public parking lot.

I looked up "Samajama" and it's a Japanese word with all kinds of different meanings! This Yeonsan-dong izakaya is run by a charcoal skewer master with 10 years of experience.

Atmosphere and counter seating at Samajama Yeonsan Direct Branch

The place was packed with guests the day we visited~ We managed to get the very last counter seat~ We cut in just 5 seconds ahead of the next group!

Besides yakitori, there were many kinds of handmade skewers~ The goal is to make them the same day and sell out the same day, and they say anything past 24 hours gets thrown away 👍 👍

The interior is full of Japanese knick-knacks and sake bottles, so it really gives you that local Japan feeling~

After eating for an hour, some seats opened up and I snapped these photos! Even late at night, customers kept coming in, so I think we really found a proper Yeonsan-dong favorite!

Samajama Yeonsan Direct Branch menu and set platters

Here are the signature menu and set options at Samajama Yeonsan Direct Branch.

• 4 popular skewers + special skewer + tsukune (chicken meatball)
• Samajama Nabe (4 popular skewers + shrimp + udon noodles + baguette)
• Half platter grill (4 skewers + 2 small dishes)
• Full platter grill (6 skewers + 3 small dishes)

They were running events too.

• Honey ice cream for joining the Naver receipt review event
• 1 random skewer for the follow-alert event
• 1 skewer of your choice for the Naver reservation event

Full skewer platter and draft beer: an honest taste review

What we ordered at Samajama Yeonsan Direct Branch was the hanpan-gui (full platter grill) and draft beer. The owner, with 10 years of charcoal skewer experience, grills over top-grade Laotian binchotan charcoal~ Seeing the smoke rise, I could tell it was loaded with charcoal aroma without even smelling it haha

Shrimp, chicken wings, scallion chicken thigh, mentaiko chicken thigh, chicken skin, skirt steak, grilled mentaiko, corn butter and tsukune. The set lets you enjoy small dishes as well as yakitori, and it was really great! 🤩🤩

Let me start with a beer haha. Ahh, that taste of beer after a swim at the hotel staycation~ This is Japan right here haha

How were the chicken skin and mentaiko chicken thigh skewers?

The chicken skin skewer was crispy outside and juicy inside, and the sweet-salty tare sauce made it perfect beer food! The size was good too, and the sprinkled scallions were a nice kick. When you pick your skewers, please try the mentaiko chicken thigh: juicy thigh meat, the savory depth of mentaiko (spicy pollock roe) and the richness of mayonnaise balanced wonderfully.

Beef skewers, shrimp and negima (chicken and scallion)

The hanger steak had a really strong meaty aroma, which I loved, but it's a bit intense so it may divide opinions. We also had negima (chicken with scallion) and chicken wings, and the well-grilled shrimp, crisp outside and juicy inside, was delicious too, so keep that in mind when ordering 😋🫢

The letdown: overcooked tsukune

Personally, the Samajama tsukune was a little disappointing! It was overcooked and a bit dry. It's my favorite menu item too... what a shame

Is Samajama Yeonsan Direct Branch worth a visit?

I loved that Samajama Yeonsan Direct Branch serves not only yakitori but also small dishes like grilled butter corn and grilled mentaiko! They go so well with beer that I lost count of how many extra rounds I ordered haha. Samajama gave us a wonderful night in Yeonsan-dong, Busan! We ate really well and are heading off happy ^^

Charcoal-scented skewers from an owner with over 10 years of charcoal grilling experience, fresh ingredients meant to be used within 24 hours, top-grade binchotan, and the Samajama Nabe that every single guest seemed to be eating, plus a cold draft beer: why not blow away the midsummer heat that way?? If you're looking for a yakitori izakaya in Yeonsan-dong, Busan, I recommend visiting Samajama Yeonsan Direct Branch!