Busan izakaya for a third round: cheese tamagoyaki at Samajama

Samajama Yeonsan Direct Branch (사마자마 연산직영점)

⏰ Hours: 17:00-02:00 🚘 Parking: nearby paid lots (no validation)

Samajama Yeonsan Direct Branch: a late-night izakaya near Yeonsan Station, Busan

Whenever I'm in Yeonsan-dong, this is my go-to last stop before going home, so I stop by often: the bar near Yeonsan Station, Samajama Yeonsan Direct Branch! It's where I come for skewers at an izakaya (Japanese-style pub) when I'm full but just a tiny bit not ready to go home haha.

Where is Samajama, and is there a wait?

It took about a 5-minute walk from Yeonsan Station Exit 10, and it's easy to find on the main street of Yeonil Alley Market. Whether it's the Sasang branch or this Yeonsan Direct Branch, there's almost always a wait on weekends, and I often hover around and give up if the line is too long. This time there was only one party ahead of us, so we waited a bit and got in.

There was a line the whole time, from when we walked in until we left lol.

Samajama weekday deals and menu

If you visit on a weekday between 5:00 and 6:30 p.m., you get one free skewer of the day, and since it's hot summer, they're also running Kirin Ichiban beer 3+1.

From the signature full-plate and half-plate grills to set menus, skewers and small dishes, it's a perfect round-two izakaya menu. The option to pick 6 skewers for ₩17,000 looks good too! We were already on round three and stuffed, so we decided to keep it simple with the rolled omelet. So many things looked tasty, but I always arrive late and full, so next time I'll come for round one and try the half-plate grill and the Napolitan (Japanese-style ketchup spaghetti).

What are the seating and atmosphere like at Samajama?

Samajama Yeonsan Direct Branch has seating going deep inside, so there are more seats than you'd expect. The lighting is dim and soft, just right for drinking haha. The restroom is inside too, so you don't have to go out in the heat, which is convenient. They seem to do delivery as well, since delivery drivers kept coming and going!

We sat at the counter (dacchi seats) right in front of the kitchen, and with orders constantly coming in, the kitchen looked busy lol. Food takes a little while to come out after ordering.

You order by tablet, and it's nice that you can see photos. We kept it simple with the cheese rolled omelet (₩15,000), and they say you get honey ice cream if you write a receipt review.

The complimentary starters were edamame and pickled radish (danmuji), with two dipping sauces. There's also shichimi (Japanese chili pepper blend) on the table so you can sprinkle it to taste.

How does the ₩15,000 cheese tamagoyaki taste?

Cheese rolled omelet ₩15,000

I had the cheese rolled omelet last time and loved it, so I ordered it again. It's a thick, generous omelet topped with a ton of bonito flakes (katsuobushi). It's more Japanese-style tamagoyaki than Korean-style gyeran-mari, but it isn't very sweet, and I like how savory it is.

Everyone from kids to grandparents loves rolled omelet, and with cheese inside it's perfect as a drinking snack too. I think it's a good size for 2-3 people to share.

The seasoning wasn't salty but mild, and you can faintly taste the cheese inside. A simple rolled omelet as the last snack of the night is really nice!

I dipped it in the sauces that came with it too haha. The skewers here are good as well, so it's a shame I was too full to eat them...

Why Samajama keeps being my last stop of the night

I was sitting on the right side, and only the omelet on my side had vanished. Is this for real..? haha What an overwhelming snack-vanishing skill.. I like that at Samajama, whenever I come and whatever I order, I never seem to get a miss. When we're wondering where to go and someone says "let's just go there," it's always been good haha. Samajama Yeonsan Direct Branch is a bar near Yeonsan Station that's great for dropping in briefly before heading home, and it's my again-and-again spot lol. I think I'll be back next time too!

For a bar near Yeonsan Station in Busan, I recommend Samajama Yeonsan Direct Branch as a round-two izakaya when you want skewers.