Ansan izakaya with butter surf clam brisket samhap: Susanjang Seonbu

What's new on Susanjang Seonbu's autumn seasonal menu?

Susanjang Seonbu, an izakaya in Seonbu-dong, Ansan, just rolled out the Jangheung butter surf clam and beef brisket samhap as its autumn seasonal dish! So I went to try the fall menu.

Susanjang Seonbu is personally one of my cousin's favorite spots in Seonbu-dong, Ansan. Since the seasonal menu changes with each season, it never gets boring even if you go often.

Susanjang Seonbu hours, parking, and location

Susanjang Seonbu is open from 17:00 to 01:00, with last order at 00:00. Parking is not available ❌

It's located near LG Best Shop, right beside Burger King.

What's the vibe and seating like at Susanjang Seonbu?

Susanjang Seonbu feels like a neighborhood hideout, the kind of izakaya spot in Seonbu-dong, Ansan you keep coming back to.

There were other guests on one side, so I shot the empty side instead. Even on a weekday, this Seonbu-dong izakaya draws people out for a drink!

There are counter seats plus 4- and 6-person tables, well laid out for chatting over drinks. There are also blankets, and the fish tanks are well kept.

Each table comes set with chojang (vinegar-chili sauce), soy sauce for sashimi, and spoons and chopsticks.

What we ordered for two at Susanjang Seonbu, with prices

At Susanjang Seonbu, you get more out of the season by focusing on the seasonal dishes. Right now it's blue crab instead of shrimp! I originally ordered the marinated blue crab with buckwheat noodles, but it had just sold out, so I switched — and even the swap turned out great!

• Jangheung butter surf clam and beef brisket samhap ₩28,000
• Cheese seafood chicken BBQ ₩22,000
• Aged kimchi flounder rolls ₩14,000
• Ebisu draft beer ₩9,800

Complimentary side and draft beer

The complimentary fried flounder comes out first, and the draft beer arrives quickly too. My cousin loves Ebisu beer so we ordered it, and watching her drink it, even the draft beer here is top-notch.

Do you have to order alcohol at Susanjang Seonbu?

Since it's an izakaya, ordering alcohol is required, but it's required per table rather than per person, so you can enjoy it without pressure. I didn't drink myself. *Non-alcoholic beer is available!

How does the aged kimchi flounder roll taste?

This is the aged kimchi flounder roll (₩14,000) I'd been dying to try. Susanjang Seonbu's main menu also has flounder sashimi + salt gimbap, and since there were two of us wanting variety, we ended up ordering two mains and picking from the sides. I love that there's this much choice.

The flounder is neatly rolled in aged kimchi, and the scallion inside is the real kicker! Eat the flounder with wasabi and soy sauce and you'll think — this is exactly why I came to this Seonbu-dong izakaya.

What does the Jangheung butter surf clam and beef brisket samhap taste like?

The Jangheung butter surf clam and beef brisket samhap (₩28,000) is Susanjang Seonbu's autumn seasonal dish. With fragrant shiitake mushroom and mustard leaf kimchi thrown in, it has a really distinctive flavor.

The rich butter flavor works well with the beef brisket, mustard leaf kimchi, and shiitake mushroom together, too.

Surf clam adductor + beef brisket + mustard leaf kimchi alone is also delicious. Getting to enjoy a samhap (three-way pairing) at an izakaya feels like the world just got so much better.

For the last bite I combined everything — beef brisket + mustard leaf kimchi + onion + surf clam adductor + shiitake — and the adductor was, as expected, the kicker. Whenever I thought 'this texture is great,' it turned out to be the Jangheung butter surf clam adductor doing its thing.

Is the cheese seafood chicken BBQ worth ₩22,000?

The cheese seafood chicken BBQ (₩22,000)!! Gotta get that protein in, right? Honestly I think I ordered every dish with protein in mind haha

Unwrap it neatly and there's a chicken BBQ packed with cheese inside.

The chicken is so, so tender. Susanjang Seonbu's cheese chicken BBQ is on the seasonal menu, but honestly I think it deserves to be a main. It's genuinely delicious and great value too. Both the cheese and the chicken come in generous portions for ₩22,000 — nice. And it's chicken thigh meat! I hadn't had chicken thigh in weeks, and this reminded me how good it can be. Even the chewier cuts were tender, and the chicken pieces were big enough that it felt like eating chicken skewers with ease.

As I ate, so much cheese was left over that I rolled it up into one big bite and devoured it — pure bliss.

There was fresh wasabi with the samhap and the aged kimchi flounder roll too, so I used the leftover to top the cheese seafood chicken BBQ. Comfortable seats, great atmosphere — this Seonbu-dong izakaya, Susanjang Seonbu, is one I'll be back at next season! You really have to see the surf clam and beef brisket samhap on video to appreciate it 💓