Anime-themed bar in Gwangalli, Busan: butter grilled crab at Maenggu

I wanted a light snack and a drink for a second round in Gwangalli, so I stopped by Maenggu Pocha Gwang-an Main Branch. The name itself sounded fun, and once inside, true to its name, the place was full of Maenggu and various other anime characters everywhere haha. It had a unique vibe quite different from your average pocha (Korean pub bar), so it was fun just to look around. Totally my style~♡

Where is Maenggu Pocha Gwang-an Main Branch, and when is it open?

• Address: 72 Namcheonbada-ro 33beon-gil, Suyeong-gu, Busan
• 585m from Exit 1, Geumnyeonsan Station
• Nearest bus stop: Gwangalli Cafe Street Entrance
• Hours: 6:00 PM–4:00 AM the next day (last order 3:00 AM), open daily
• Easy pay, takeout, reservations, Wi-Fi, pet-friendly, group-friendly, no parking

There was a kiosk at every table, which made ordering easy, and the interior vibe was genuinely fun.

Not just Maenggu but plenty of familiar anime characters were tucked around the place, so it was fun spotting them one by one. Thanks to that, even though it was a bar, it felt like I'd come to look around something, and the atmosphere was relaxed enough to enjoy a drink comfortably.

Butter grilled blue crab, rich with butter

The dish we ordered was the butter crab. Adding butter aroma to the crab gave it a savory, salty balance that worked really well.

The crab was packed so full of meat~ It was the perfect drinking snack, and picking out the crab meat while sipping slowly was great.

Doenjang sulbap to finish, with a free broth refill

And the doenjang sulbap (soybean paste rice soup with alcohol) we ordered together couldn't be left out either. What a combo~~ haha

Served hot with a savory doenjang base, it paired well with the crab. When you're a few drinks in, you start craving something with broth, and this was exactly the dish for that.

Near the end it got a bit salty, so I was about to add water when the staff brought over more broth instead~totally touched~♡

Soju served in an ice bucket

Personally, what I found fun was that the soju came in an ice bucket. It stayed cold the whole time, and even a small detail like this gave off that distinct pocha atmosphere. Do you know old-school Ochan water bottles?? Seeing that retro Ochan water made it impossible not to have a glass haha.

We also had fun trading event coins for old-school retro snacks. Eating tasty food, drinking, and then swapping coins for snacks was surprisingly entertaining. That little event made the visit even more memorable.

Why Maenggu Pocha works as a late-night bar in Gwangalli

If you're looking for something a bit different from the usual Gwangalli bars, Maenggu Pocha Gwang-an Main Branch is worth considering. We enjoyed the butter crab and doenjang sulbap, and there were plenty of little things to enjoy — the anime-character decor, soju served in an ice bucket, and the coin event.

It was a day I wanted to enjoy tasty snacks, a drink, and a fun atmosphere, and it delivered. Spotting the characters especially made it more memorable than an average bar, and if you're looking for a different kind of Gwangalli bar, it's a good place to stop by at least once.