Yongin seafood restaurant: live squid set and spicy stew, Mr. Squid

What kind of restaurant is Mr. Squid Yongin Bojeong Branch?

Hi, it's Zoey! I'd been craving chewy, fresh sashimi for a while, so I headed to Mr. Squid Yongin Bojeong Branch in Bojeong-dong, a place where you can enjoy squid as the main event along with all kinds of seafood :)

There's parking for about 2 cars right in front! Sitting by the open window seats in the cool weather, eating sashimi... honestly, just thinking about it makes me so happy~!

Out front, lively squid and seafood are swimming around in the tank haha. It's a place where squid is the star alongside other seafood dishes, so it always caught my eye whenever I walked down the cafe street~ haha. Squid especially is a food where the texture and taste can vary a lot depending on the ingredient used, so this time I wanted to properly enjoy fresh live squid rather than frozen, which is why I chose Mr. Squid Yongin Bojeong Branch!

Weekday evening mood and seating at Mr. Squid

Even though it was a weekday evening, the place was completely full! That's the mark of a real restaurant ~~~ It felt like the kind of place where you'd hang out chatting comfortably over good food rather than have a quiet meal~!

What comes in the squid live set and spicy stew order

First off, the menu is really varied and great value for money!! Since squid is the main focus, there was fun in choosing, and having set menus meant we could enjoy several dishes together instead of just one squid item alone. After some thought, since we came to properly enjoy squid, we ordered the squid live set (squid sashimi + live fish sashimi + fried squid) and the spicy stew! Starting with fresh seafood from the live set and finishing warm with the spicy stew made for such a satisfying meal at Mr. Squid >.<

There's a place that gives you 8 pieces of fried shrimp if you join their review event?! And lately a lot of people are coming for the autumn specialty, salt-grilled king shrimp!!! Word's already out that they do a great job with it,,, now I'm curious too, so that's next on my list -!

The side dishes come out generously too! Turns out they're also a seaweed soup expert haha.

How chewy is the squid sashimi?

The first thing that caught my eye was the squid sashimi. With squid, freshness really needs to show visually first, and this looked so plump and appetizing that I wanted to grab a piece right away. Squid can easily end up chewy in a bad way, but here the springy, chewy texture that squid is known for really came through. I dipped a piece lightly in vinegared gochujang sauce, and as always, squid and that sauce never fail as a combo. The tangy-sweet sauce paired well with the squid's clean flavor, and the more I chewed, the more I enjoyed that distinctive squid texture. Most importantly, it never felt tough — just pleasantly chewy. I think anyone who already likes squid would enjoy it even more because of this texture. I started out dipping it in the sauce, but partway through I wanted to taste the squid on its own, and it was clean and light, so I kept reaching for more. Fresh seafood really does let the ingredient's own flavor shine through without needing much seasoning. If you like sashimi and squid both, this might be the first thing you reach for in the squid live set~

Alternating between squid sashimi and live fish sashimi

It wasn't just squid sashimi — the set also came with live fish sashimi, which made it feel even more substantial. Switching back and forth between the two, the textures and overall flavor profiles were different, so it was much more varied than eating just one type of sashimi.

There was real enjoyment in alternating between the chewy, bouncy squid sashimi and the light, tender fish sashimi. It was good dipped in the sauce, and also worked well with soy sauce or the side dishes depending on your taste. Wrapping it in a perilla leaf made it even richer,,, no wonder this place is always busy whenever I walk down the cafe street!!

Free steamed egg and the spicy fish stew finish

We also got a complimentary steamed egg ~~~~ so fluffy and soft, it was so good ㅠㅠ. Adding one warm steamed egg dish made the whole table setting feel even more generous. Pairing something soft and mild with the more assertive flavors of sashimi and fried dishes was such a good combo!!!

After enjoying the live set for a while, we finished with the spicy stew that had been waiting. After seafood, you weirdly start craving a rich, spicy broth — and that combo is basically an unwritten rule.

One spoonful of the hot broth and it was spicy yet clean, wrapping up all the seafood flavors from before so neatly. Honestly,,, this is the best spicy stew of my life!! It would've been a huge mistake not to order it,,, the broth was that clean and legendary!! Enjoying fresh squid first and finishing with hot, spicy broth made for the perfect flow to the meal!!

Is Mr. Squid Yongin Bojeong Branch worth a visit?

The biggest appeal of the squid live set we ordered this time is that you get to enjoy squid sashimi, live fish sashimi, and fried squid all at once. Adding the complimentary hot steamed egg and finishing with the spicy stew made for a much more filling meal than expected. With chewy squid sashimi, light fish sashimi, and crispy fried squid all offering different textures at one table, it's a great setup for a group to share. If you want to enjoy a variety of seafood dishes in one sitting, go treat yourself to a delicious spread at Mr. Squid Yongin Bojeong Branch~~~