Suyeong Station bar in Busan: sashimi platter and seafood kimchi jeon

I met up with a friend I hadn't seen in a while and was craving sashimi so badly, so we headed to Sintongyeong Gul Gukbap (신통영굴국밥) near Suyeong Station — a great bar for a proper drink. It's a seafood specialty spot near Suyeong Station in Busan, serving oyster gukbap (rice soup), sashimi bibimbap, mulhoe (cold raw fish soup), and more.

Where is Sintongyeong Gul Gukbap, and what are the hours?

Sintongyeong Gul Gukbap sits right by the entrance to Paldo Market. It's an easy 6-minute walk from Exit 3 of Suyeong Station, so access is great.

• Address: 24 Suyeong-ro 725beon-gil, Suyeong-gu, Busan (224m from Suyeong Station Exit 3)
• Hours: Mon–Sat 11:30–24:00
• Closed Sundays
• Groups welcome, takeout, delivery, reservations

What's on the menu at Sintongyeong Gul Gukbap?

This is exactly the kind of place near Suyeong Station you want for a drink. There's oyster gukbap, sashimi bibimbap, mulhoe, and all sorts of options — they even have gul tteokguk (oyster rice cake soup) and maesaengi gul gukbap (seaweed oyster soup), which I'd never heard of, so I'm definitely trying those next time.

Signature anju (drinking snacks) include jeoneo hoe (raw gizzard shad), jeoneo muchim (seasoned gizzard shad) and grilled jeoneo. There's also a raw shrimp set, a jeoneo trio set, flounder sashimi, and a seafood platter. Braised octopus and wild-caught assorted sashimi are all great as anju or as a full meal.

The fish tank is kept really clean. It's full of gizzard shad, shrimp, and other seafood.

The banchan (side dish) spread

The banchan (side dishes) at this spot near Suyeong Station come out looking so appetizing and carefully made. There's salad, danmuji (pickled radish), baek-kimchi (white kimchi), cucumber, carrot, fish cake salad, beondegi (silkworm pupae), and mideodeok (sea pineapple). Wow — every single one was genuinely delicious, and the mideodeok especially hit the spot for me. I barely eat seafood normally, but everything here looked so fresh that I'm definitely trying more seafood dishes next time.

Medium assorted sashimi and seafood kimchi jeon: enough for three?

Finally, the main dish we'd been waiting for — a generous assorted sashimi platter. We also ordered the savory, crispy kimchi jeon (kimchi pancake) on the side.

The plate came piled high with gorgeous sashimi. Even though we ordered the medium size, the portion was hefty enough to comfortably feed three of us.

It was mostly flounder and blackfin flounder, and the texture was wonderfully chewy and springy — probably because it was so fresh.

It's a shame to eat just one glistening piece at a time. You really need to stack three pieces into one bite to get the true taste of Busan-style sashimi.

The sashimi is also amazing wrapped in lettuce — try a piece with makjang (spicy fermented sauce) and a slice of spicy pepper on top. It's an umami explosion, a real specialty.

Thanks to the generous portion, the three of us left completely stuffed and happy. It's plenty for a group to enjoy sashimi to their heart's content without holding back.

We also ordered the seafood kimchi jeon as a side. It's crispy with seafood packed into every bite, and it paired perfectly with the sashimi.

The seafood kimchi jeon we ordered alongside the sashimi platter turned out to be a hidden gem. The outside was crispy like a cracker while the inside stayed moist, and every bite gave you plump, chewy squid. The tangy-spicy kimchi base loaded with generous chunks of savory squid made it the perfect thing to snack on between bites of sashimi.

With good sashimi and crispy kimchi jeon on the table, soju became inevitable. I can't drink much myself, so I made do with just one glass, but my friends who came along said the anju was so good they kept going strong. If you love to drink, this might just be the ultimate pairing!

Free maeuntang after the sashimi

At Sintongyeong Gul Gukbap, once you finish your sashimi, a spicy maeuntang comes out as a free service. Filling up on sashimi and finishing with a warm bowl of maeuntang made for the perfect full meal.

Evening atmosphere and seating near Suyeong Station

True to a local favorite, the inside was already packed with neighborhood regulars. The vibe was friendly yet lively, and I felt like I'd found a genuine local hotspot.

Visiting in the evening, I saw so many locals coming in. Watching everyone gathered together chatting over a drink and sashimi confirmed this is a well-loved local spot.

Inside there's plenty of seating — tables for two, tables for four, and group seating — so it'd be great to visit with friends, a partner, or family.

This restaurant near Suyeong even keeps its fish tank spotless — come check out this local sashimi favorite in Suyeong, Busan.

Is Sintongyeong Gul Gukbap worth a visit?

• A seafood specialty spot near Suyeong Station, Busan
• A relaxed, locally loved atmosphere backed by neighborhood regulars
• Known for fresh ingredients and clean, carefully prepared banchan
• Free spicy maeuntang served when you order sashimi