Flatfish set with spicy stew pick at Uridongne Yeonan Budu, Seoknam

If you love raw fish, you probably have your own secret local sashimi spot tucked away in your heart, right? I have one too — a place I visited before and thought, "Oh, this fish is so fresh!" and filed it away in my memory.

It's the local raw fish restaurant loved by neighborhood residents, tucked into an alley in Seoknam-dong — 'Uridongne Yeonan Budu Seoknam Main Branch'!! I had a great memory from my last visit, so I came back with high expectations!!! This time I ordered the 'flatfish set' instead of an à la carte dish, and my satisfaction went through the roof lol "Man, I should've gotten the set from the start!!!" — that's exactly what came out of my mouth. Here's my honest review!!

Location and basic info for this Seoknam Station raw fish restaurant

• Hours: Daily 14:00–23:00 (last order 23:00), closed every Tuesday
• Signature menu: Flatfish sashimi, grilled shrimp, seasonal fish
• Reservations & groups: Available via Naver Reservation
• Parking: Not available
• Highlights: Fresh flatfish brought in every morning, grilled shrimp/raw shrimp just now in season, and a generous set composition that makes this a standout raw fish restaurant in Seoknam-dong!

Entrance tank and restaurant atmosphere

The fish tank at the entrance caught my eye first — it was kept spotlessly clean, and inside, fresh flatfish and shrimp at the peak of their season were flapping around vigorously lol

The place was already packed and I barely got a seat lol. Turnover here is so fast that freshness is basically guaranteed without even having to say it lol. The friendly owner's warm greeting instantly boosted my mood the moment I walked in!! By the way, the table next to me had ordered raw shrimp — in season right now — and was happily peeling and eating it themselves lol. I need to come back for the autumn grilled shrimp!! 🦐🦐🦐

Menu lineup — à la carte, sets, and the autumn special

The menu centers on flatfish, with both à la carte and set options!! The seasonal autumn special adds grilled shrimp and raw shrimp!! Once it gets colder and yellowtail season arrives, they'll start serving that too!!

Spotted the red-cap soju on the menu too lol. Makgeolli (rice wine) isn't listed, but they'll fetch it if a regular at another table asks lol.

Digging into the flatfish set for two

Last time I had the flatfish à la carte for two, but this time — set, full send!!

Honestly, even the à la carte order here comes with a solid spread of sides! As soon as you sit down, the basic seafood side dishes — seasoned shrimp, boiled shrimp, sea squirt, abalone, and even sea bream sashimi — get lined up one after another lol. It's a crazy setup where you could crack open a bottle of soju before the main sashimi even arrives!!

Finally, the main event!!!

The flatfish sashimi and the spicy flatfish salad arrive and the table's already packed lol

And then, the essentials — kimchi pancake and corn cheese show up too!! The table was completely full lol

The flatfish that had been flapping alive in the tank out front has now become my daily bread... and if so, the least I can do is eat it well!!!!

Piling sushi rice on the spicy fish salad and wrapping it as a lettuce wrap

The spicy flatfish salad included in the set is also loaded with flatfish sashimi, and it's genuinely a standout dish lol. They give you sushi rice on the side — you can pile the salad on top for a sashimi rice bowl, or, like me, wrap it all up and take a huge bite in one go!! lol. Carbs mixed in — how could that possibly not be delicious!!

Sea squirt, shrimp, all delicious!! The whole time I ate, I kept thinking — I should've gotten the set ages ago!!! Wrapping the fish salad and rice together in a lettuce leaf is a must-do.

Grilled fish vs. spicy stew — I picked the stew

The final chapter of the flatfish set saga!! The 2-person set lets you choose between grilled fish and spicy stew, and I craved a fiery broth to settle my stomach, so I picked the stew 🍲

And this choice... absolutely crushed it lol. Loaded generously with fish bones, the broth deepened the longer it simmered — spicy yet refreshingly clean, cutting right through to settle my stomach... man!!! This stew and the red-cap soju are a match made in heaven lol. And then the auntie quietly set down a free serving of ramen noodles as a service!! What would I have done without eating this — the ramen got boiled up bubbling and I finished it in no time!!!

Overall verdict on the revisit and the coveted outdoor seat

Honestly, last time I came, I just thought "oh, the fish is fresh~" and left happy lol. But this time, after having the set, I genuinely slapped my knee lol. Wait, is this the same place? Past me should be ashamed for not ordering the set sooner... The freshness of the flatfish, just pulled flapping from the tank, goes without saying, and when I take a big bite of the sweet-and-tangy fish salad wrapped with sushi rice, my face just involuntarily scrunches up with the truth of how good it is!!

By the way, this place's hidden dream spot is the terrace outdoor seating (first-come, only one table!!) lol. With the autumn breeze blowing, watching people seated there enjoying their meal made me so jealous ㅠ Next time, I'm doing an opening run to claim that seat, no matter what!!!

And on top of that — the owner, who looks after everyone like a friendly uncle even when the place is slammed, and the auntie who slips a serving of ramen noodles into the spicy stew without even being asked... A place where neighborhood men gather to drink red-cap soju and fetched-in makgeolli — you all know that's a guaranteed real local gem, right?

• Tank quality: Spotlessly clean tank + flapping flatfish and shrimp = fast turnover, meaning pure freshness!
• Owner & auntie energy: Warm and friendly, and the sneaky free ramen noodle service is touching lol
• Set value for money: Sashimi + fish salad + spicy stew... an unbeatable combo that practically demands a bottle of soju

Once it gets colder and the big yellowtail comes in, or the smell of grilled shrimp starts drifting through the air, I'm definitely coming back to crush some more red-cap soju lol. If you're in Seoknam-dong wondering "where should I drink soju today," don't look far — this is it lol. Go get the set!!