Dog-friendly Haeundae seafood restaurant with pet chairs: Hyejane San

What kind of place is Hyejane San Gomjangeo Main Branch?

Hyejane San Gomjangeo Main Branch (혜자네 산곰장어 본점) is the biggest clam-grill, hagfish and raw fish restaurant inside Haeundae Traditional Market in Busan, and a hot spot known as a dog-friendly place in Haeundae. Taste, value, atmosphere and dog-friendly service: nothing was missing, so here's my record of a very happy visit.

What's the Haeundae Traditional Market street like? Crowds, romance and even busking

The restaurant sits right in the middle of the Haeundae Market alley, so you feel like you're on a trip from the walk there. These days the market street is full of energy from daytime to night!

The main square that connects straight to Haeundae Beach has lots of people strolling, and at night sweet street busking performances turn the whole street into a romantic festival. Enjoying tasty seafood with lively music and street scenes as the backdrop, I was already excited before even going in.

Location and opening hours of Hyejane San Gomjangeo Main Branch

• Address: 18 Gunam-ro 41beon-gil, Haeundae-gu, Busan, 1st floor
• Hours: 15:00 - 01:00 next day (last order 00:30)
• Groups welcome, reservations, takeout, dogs allowed
• Restroom, high chairs and wheelchair access at the entrance

The restaurant is 408 m from Haeundae Station Exit 3 and about a 5-minute walk from Haeundae Beach, so it's really easy to reach. It's around the middle of the inner part of Haeundae Traditional Market.

Size and atmosphere: can you hold a group dinner here?

With group seating for 100 up to 200 people, it's more than enough for company dinners or gatherings. The spacious restaurant and moody interior gave it an exotic, overseas-resort feel.

The seats are spaced widely so it felt comfortable, and it looked perfectly suited to family meals, company dinners or club get-togethers. I'd heard celebrities and famous people often come here when they visit Busan, and the scale really lives up to that reputation.

A dog-friendly restaurant in Haeundae: is it easy to visit with a dog?

Hyejane San Gomjangeo Main Branch sets up a pet chair and dog-only tableware, and even has a dog-only trash can in front of the restroom. When looking for a good restaurant on a Busan trip with my dog, whether dogs were allowed was what I considered most, and this was a truly dog-friendly restaurant with thoughtfulness for pet owners everywhere.

Of course, checking the pet's vaccination certificate is a must. I always bring mine before visiting.

The staff greeted us so kindly the moment we walked in, and carefully set up a pet chair with a dog-only sign and dog tableware. Thanks to that, our dog Jelly proudly took a spot at the table and could relax comfortably.

Even more touching was the separate dog-only trash can in front of the restroom inside. I've been to many dog-friendly restaurants, but few are this hygienic and carefully set up. The management is clearly thorough, and I was grateful for the consideration.

How is the Hyejane San Gomjangeo menu put together?

They say Hyejane San Gomjangeo gets fresh grilled clams and hagfish (gomjangeo) directly from Haeundae Traditional Market every morning. Based on years of know-how, they cook it carefully to each guest's taste: seasoned, salt-grilled or pre-grilled.

The menu is so varied and generous that choosing what to eat becomes a happy dilemma 🩵

Signature menu: the Pick 2 set, sashimi + grilled clams (small)

The most popular signature menu at Hyejane San Gomjangeo was the "Pick 2 set", which lets you combine various seafood at a reasonable price. You can freely choose any 2 of live hagfish, live fish sashimi, grilled clams, live octopus, seafood stew, steamed clams and abalone, a top value combination.

After some thought we ordered the sashimi + grilled clams combo (small), and it was better than expected. Not long after ordering, the table was laid out so full it looked ready to collapse.

How was the sashimi?

The sashimi in the Pick 2 set is made from fresh fish selected each morning and sliced as soon as you order, and it came out beautifully plated, which drew gasps. There's a nice variety, so picking among the pieces is fun.

Each cut had its own texture, the flesh was very chewy yet had a rich, sticky savoriness. The more I chewed, the more I tasted freshness and sweetness, enough that I thought, this really is a sashimi specialist. Putting a slice of fish on perilla leaf and lettuce, adding a bit of ssamjang (seasoned bean paste) and wrapping it up was so good!

What comes with the grilled clams? Pen shell, scallops and shrimp

The grilled clams at Hyejane San Gomjangeo come loaded on the grill with big pen shell clams, scallops and plump shrimp. Sizzling on the grill, the clams cook and open their shells, and the sight alone puts you in a good mood :)

They gave us plenty of scallops rather than tiny clams, and eating them topped with lots of cheese, the cool, salty clam flavor and the richness of the cheese blended perfectly in my mouth. The shrimp grilled alongside were also full of meat, with a wonderfully springy texture.

Is there a perk for reserving on Naver?

As part of an event the Main Branch is running, they brought us a complimentary drink during the meal! So glad I reserved on Naver beforehand 🍸

The staff were so kind and attentive that I felt treated like a guest the whole meal, and with a little extra like this, there's really no reason not to go to this dog-friendly restaurant in Haeundae, Busan. I could feel why it has been loved by tourists and locals alike for years.