Six-cut flounder sashimi at a Gimpo sashimi pub: Cheonmakjip Janggi

Autumn is right around the corner~ What comes to mind first when you think of fall? For me it's shrimp (daeha) haha. Grilled shrimp is great but such a hassle to eat... so I decided to console myself with other seafood instead, and headed to a place in Gimpo that basically everyone already knows. If you say you don't know it, you might as well be a spy!

This is already my Nth visit, and every single time I go I'm sooo satisfied that I never hesitate to come back. It's practically an urban legend in Gimpo's food scene — there's no one who's been once and not gone back, only people who've never been at all! No more chit-chat, let's get into it. Reviewing 'Cheonmakjip'.

Where is Cheonmakjip Janggi Branch? Hours and parking

Cheonmakjip Janggi Branch is located at 1F, 23-5 Gimpohangang 1-ro 78beon-gil, Gimpo-si, Gyeonggi-do. It's open from 5:00 PM to 3:00 AM, and while parking is available on the building's lot, it's limited.

• Location: 1F, 23-5 Gimpohangang 1-ro 78beon-gil, Gimpo-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Hours: 5:00 PM – 3:00 AM
• Note: menu items change with daily arrivals, so keep that in mind!
• Parking: available on-site but limited

Cheonmakjip Janggi Branch: street-tent look outside and in

Even the exterior gives off a deep sea-breeze scent~ Shrimp and gizzard shad are in season, so I really had to try them.

Besides seasonal seafood, there's a wide variety of other seafood too.

There's a tank out front, and it looks like whatever's swimming in there gets cooked up fresh right away~

They write up the day's fresh arrivals like this. Somehow 'arrived today' just makes me want it even more haha.

Step inside and it really feels like a street-food tent. In a place like this you have to be careful not to get completely wasted. But maybe tonight it's okay?...

It's a place where the mood practically demands a drink. Tonight the soju's probably going to taste sweet.

The menu at Cheonmakjip Janggi Branch: daily catch and seasonal dishes

Here's the menu. From seafood to pojangmacha-style anju (drinking snacks), there's a wide range of dishes. No fighting over what to order here — everyone can eat happily together.

Daily arrivals and seasonal menus change often, so it's good to keep that in mind before you go~

Complimentary sides: cucumber and bean sprout soup

Here are the basic side dishes. I much prefer this kind of thing to popcorn or macaroni snacks. I think I ate about 30 pieces of cucumber alone that day haha. The bean sprout soup paired perfectly with a shot of soju too.

Giant flounder sashimi served in six different cuts

That day I ordered the giant flounder sashimi at Cheonmakjip Janggi Branch. When I come here I usually order either giant flounder or red seabream sashimi, and it's never once disappointed me. It's genuinely so good.

The color's gorgeous too, right? I'm a total amateur when it comes to sashimi so I don't know the names of each cut... but let me show you the close-ups one by one.

So it comes out divided into six different cuts total. Whatever anyone says, my favorite has to be the fin — glistening with fat, so rich and glossy. Take a bitter shot of soju, then a bite of that fin loaded with fat, and the bitterness just melts away, leaving the savory flavor of the sashimi lingering in your mouth. I really love that feeling.

Draft beer at a sashimi restaurant, plus chodari-bap for DIY sushi

We kicked off with draft beer for the first round, then naturally moved on to soju after that. It's rare to find draft beer at raw fish restaurants, which is always a bit of a letdown — but Cheonmakjip Janggi Branch fills that gap too, so how could I not keep coming back.

You absolutely must order the chodari-bap (vinegared rice with toppings). With this, you can turn it into hand-rolled sushi to fill up on sashimi, and it works as an anju too — two birds, one stone.

This is how you eat it. The drinks just go down so smoothly. You'll fill up too, so there's no reason not to order chodari-bap. The satisfaction is honestly fantastic, just fantastic.

Walk out full and happy, and there's even a standing sign out front greeting you cheerfully on your way out.

Is Cheonmakjip Janggi Branch worth it for seafood and drinks in Gimpo?

Cheonmakjip Janggi Branch is already so famous in Gimpo that most people will have heard of it at least once. And like I said, there's no one who's been once and not gone back haha — I have to admit it myself. Once you go, you'll be satisfied on every front — taste, service, everything — and end up going back N times.. If you especially love to drink, you'll be over-the-top satisfied. Highly recommended for fellow draft beer fans like me.

Looking for good seafood in Gimpo? Want a place to grab a drink with seafood? Ready to properly enjoy seasonal seafood? Looking for a bar with plenty of anju besides just seafood? 'Cheonmakjip' is my recommendation.