Korean pub in Sadang for a date: barley doenjang raw fish at Sisibibi

You know those days when you finish work and want a casual drink with really good snacks? This is the place I think of on those days, so let me introduce it. It's a Korean pub in Sadang called Sisibibi (시시비비)!

Hours: daily 19:00-24:00 (weekends until 01:00)

What kind of bar is Sisibibi in Sadang?

Sisibibi is already pretty famous in Sadang. A friend told me they even held their wedding invitation get-together here. Let's do ours here too~

The restroom is inside the venue, which is sooo nice~

When we got there, exactly one window seat was left for the two of us. Lucky me~~~

Sisibibi menu and weekday traditional liquor discounts

Menu

There's a wide range of drinks, and you can pick traditional liquor or makgeolli (milky rice wine) to suit your taste. There are even special discounts on traditional liquor depending on the day of the week, so it's perfect for a night out!

Barley doenjang hoe-muchim with boiled octopus ₩36,000 Spicy red egg soup ₩8,000 Igangju

The signature dish here is the barley doenjang hoe-muchim (raw fish seasoned with barley soybean paste) with boiled octopus. Doesn't the name alone sound like a lot of care went into it?

The complimentary snacks were cabbage and gungchae (stem lettuce), fresh veggies that work as a palate cleanser. I liked that.

Barley doenjang hoe-muchim for ₩36,000: how did it taste?

The barley doenjang hoe-muchim with boiled octopus costs ₩36,000, and it comes out as a full spread. The sight alone overwhelmed me.

The fish seems to be amberjack (buri), and it was seriously good.

It's chewy yet cut thick, so every single bite spreads a nutty flavor through your mouth.

Wrapping it with the veggies mixed in is also insanely good. The fragrant minari (water dropwort) balances it so well.

Igangju tastes like ginger, so I switched to soju

I was curious about Igangju so I ordered it, and it turns out the "gang" is the gang in ginger... It tasted of ginger, so I switched to soju, haha.

Because the fish is tossed with barley doenjang, it's savory and sweet at the same time, with way more depth than plain raw fish. Whoever came up with this combo is a genius, right? Hahaha

Isn't the boiled octopus tough?

And the boiled octopus!! I normally don't like tough octopus, but the octopus at Sisibibi was really tender.

Not tough at all, it almost melts as you chew. They must time the boiling perfectly. Even people who dislike octopus for being chewy should be fine here.

Spicy red egg soup, ₩8,000

Please try the spicy egg soup we ordered too~ The broth is spicy while the eggs float all fluffy, and a spoonful between bites of raw fish warms you up and cleanses the palate. It's packed with bean sprouts, too, and most places only sell clear egg soup, so I liked that this one is spicy and different.

Raw fish as a drinking snack and soup to finish is a perfect match. It was a bit bland for me, so I added some salt, and only then was the egg soup complete.

Highly recommended for people who like their food on the mild side.

Why I recommend it as a Sadang date bar

Honestly, ₩36,000 for this quality is great value!!!! The fish is fresh, the octopus is tender, and the barley doenjang sauce ties it all together, so it was a real treat, nothing like a standard raw fish platter!!

Sisibibi is close to Sadang Station so it's easy to reach, and the atmosphere is really good. The lighting is soft, and it feels less like a neighborhood pub and more like a proper Korean pub?! It's perfect for a drink and snacks after work. I came on a date and the mood was so good~ I recommend it to anyone looking for a nice Korean pub in Sadang!!!! Next time I want to go hungry and order a ton of snacks, haha