Sadang bar wrapping beef sashimi in seaweed with soju: Susan Sadang

Photo by Gongnan-ssi

Susan Sadang Main Branch: the Sadang Station bar known for aged sashimi

It had been a while since I'd set up a dinner with a friend near Sadang Station. We both said we wanted sashimi and soju, so I searched around the area and that's how I found Susan Sadang Main Branch.

I'd heard they do aged sashimi well, so I went without huge expectations, but after eating there I think this is a place I'll remember next time I have drinks near Sadang Station — hence this review.

Walking to Susan Sadang Main Branch from Sadang Station Exit 8, and the mood inside

Coming out of Exit 8 of Sadang Station and walking about 5 minutes down the alley off Nambusunhwan-ro, you'll spot a building with a black exterior and a big '水山' sign in Chinese characters. In front of the entrance are standing signboards with photos of signature dishes like mala odeng (fish cake), buckwheat noodles with sweet shrimp, and raw shrimp sashimi, so even a first-timer can find it easily.

Susan Sadang Main Branch uses both the ground floor and the basement of the building.

The inside has a cozy setup — dim lighting, black walls, red round tables. On one wall there's a big menu board listing signature dishes, cooked items, and drink prices, so it was easy to check the menu while seated.

While I was seated waiting for our order, I noticed staff guiding reservation guests down to the basement, so out of curiosity I went to check it out. The vibe was pretty much the same as upstairs, though the music felt a bit louder, probably because sound echoes more down there.

How to order: table QR code only

Scanning the QR code on the table lets you order, and there were more menu items available than what's posted on the wall, so there was plenty to choose from.

Gwangban-yuksa 48,000 won and soju 5,000 won: what arrives at the table

Most of the other tables were ordering a dish called 'gwangban-yuksa,' made of flounder sashimi and beef yukhoe, so I followed suit. I like both, so there was no reason not to.

• Gwangban-yuksa 48,000
• Soju 5,000

The gwangban-yuksa arrived, made of Korean beef 1++ yukhoe and flounder sashimi.

A white plate arrived with thickly sliced flounder sashimi and vivid red Korean beef yukhoe side by side, along with wasabi, pickled ginger, and lemon. Just the look of it already raised my expectations.

Wrapping the Korean beef yukhoe in seaweed with radish sprouts and eating it together, it went down soft like tuna — the tender texture of fresh raw meat plus the nutty seaweed aroma gave it a different charm from regular sashimi. It was easy to enjoy either as a drinking snack or on its own.

Looking around at the other tables, everyone seemed to be ordering this combo or the odeng dishes along with soju, so we naturally fell into that same mood and had a great time catching up over a long-overdue dinner.

What to know before visiting Susan Sadang Main Branch

The strength of this Sadang Station bar, Susan, is that you can enjoy aged sashimi and yukhoe together in one sitting. In the evenings tables fill up fast, so if you want to enjoy it at a leisurely pace, I'd recommend visiting a bit earlier. There's no dedicated parking lot, so if you're driving, it's probably worth checking public parking lots near Sadang Station in advance.

Being able to enjoy aged sashimi and yukhoe together in that distinct old-school atmosphere made this a place worth remembering for an evening of drinks near Sadang Station.