Sadang bar with welcome sake: Susan Sadang Main Branch

We’ve all had that little internal battle at a drinking session: “Should we get sashimi? Should we get meat?” hahaha. This time, I found a truly great aged-sashimi spot near Sadang Station where you can demolish sashimi and beef sashimi on one reasonably priced platter, so I had to bring it straight to you!

Here’s my honest review of Susan Sadang Main Branch (수산 사당본점), where the chewy aged flounder sashimi and fresh beef sashimi combo is absolutely insane!

Susan Sadang Main Branch location and basic information

Hours are Mon–Thu 16:00–01:00 the next day (last order 00:20), Fri–Sat 15:00–02:00 the next day (last order 01:20), and Sun 15:00–01:00 the next day (last order 00:20). Signature dishes include oden, aged flounder sashimi, salmon sashimi, beef sashimi, yukhoe (Korean beef tartare), and seasonal raw shrimp sashimi; reservations and group visits can be made through Naver Reservation.

The exterior and yatai-style interior

The brightly glowing sign drew us in from far away!! haha, the vibe was seriously so good!!!

The interior isn’t huge and has about seven round tables. Since oden is a main attraction, there’s an oden pocha (Korean pub stall) right inside!!! It really has that yatai, or Japanese food-stall, feeling from a trip to Japan haha.

Seasonal dishes and drinks checked by QR code

There was a menu board on the wall, but we could check the detailed and seasonal menus using the QR code at the table!!

Seasonal raw shrimp sashimi was on the recommended menu, and there were loads of tempting choices besides that: aged flounder sashimi, salmon sashimi, yukhoe and beef sashimi sets, ankimo maki (monkfish-liver sushi roll), and sweet shrimp soba noodles!!!

Beyond soju and beer, the drinks menu also had a lineup of highballs and sake!

From welcome sake to the half-and-half sashimi platter

A point that delighted me as soon as we sat down! This place unusually gives each guest a glass of sake as an aperitif, or welcome drink 🍶 It was perfect for neatly wetting the throat before the snacks properly arrived, so the mood was good from the start haha.

My companion’s pick!! The San Highball (Suntory plus green apple) paired a subtle green-apple aroma with Suntory whisky. It was sweet, tangy, and incredibly refreshing 🍏 It went perfectly with rich or chewy drinking snacks!

For snacks, there was no need to deliberate: we ordered Susan’s killer dish, Gwangban Yuksa—half flounder and half beef sashimi!

The second it arrived, we couldn’t stop marveling at the visuals hahaha. One side was beautifully laid with glossy, chewy aged flounder sashimi, while the other held bright-red, ultra-fresh beef sashimi!!

How the aged flounder sashimi and beef sashimi tasted

The aged flounder sashimi has that savory aged-sashimi depth, so it gets chewier and clings more deliciously to your mouth the more you chew! Add just a little wasabi and dip it in soy sauce—so good 👍 (The wasabi really hits your nose, so use only a little haha.) Flounder fin is my favorite, and they piled on lots of wonderfully plump pieces hahaha.

The beef sashimi was chewy and nutty with absolutely no off smell. Dipped in sesame oil with salt, the nuttiness just exploded!!

When you don’t want to choose between sashimi and meat

Honestly, this is the ultimate cure for menu indecision when you want both sashimi and meat hahaha.

• A glass of welcome sake: I loved starting with a complimentary aperitif glass of sake as soon as we walked in 🍶
• Gwangban Yuksa (flounder + beef sashimi): The flounder is chewy aged sashimi with savory depth, while the beef sashimi is nutty with no off smell. Both are excellent drinking snacks!!
• San Highball: The sweet, tangy green-apple flavor is recommended for a companion who does not drink much or when you want a light refresher 🍏

Overall, the food was clean and the atmosphere was nice, so if you’re looking for aged sashimi at a Sadang Station bar or an izakaya in Sadang, it’s a solid place for drinks without going wrong!