Kaisendon in Mapo, Seoul with thick sashimi: Makise Hapjeong

A filling kaisendon meal in Hapjeong before the fireworks festival

Before enjoying the World Fireworks Festival this time, I visited Makise Hapjeong, a great kaisendon spot in Hapjeong. I’d been craving kaisendon for ages, so I looked around and ended up coming here haha. It was just perfect for having a filling, delicious meal before heading to the fireworks festival!

Makise Hapjeong visitor information

• Hours: Tuesday–Sunday 11:30–21:00
• Break time: 15:00–17:00
• Last order: 20:30
• Regular closing day: Monday
• Parking: Nearby Prugio commercial public parking lot

The exterior—and we went straight in with a reservation

This is what the exterior looks like! There was also a waiting list in front of the restaurant, but we had reserved ahead, so we could go straight in without waiting haha. Makise is a place that makes kaisendon its main dish—it's even listed as the recommended menu—so I was even more excited. I was so curious about how it would look and taste, and we went right in to check out the menu!

Spacious seating with a Japanese feel

The interior was decorated cozily overall! There were Japanese-style items dotted around, plus a One Piece flyer, so it was fun to look around. The whole place had such a strong Japanese feel that it really made me feel like I’d come out for kaisendon, which I loved!

As we went farther inside, the space was more spacious than I expected~ It had a cozy mood while still offering plenty of seating. There were bar-style seats as well as standard tables for four, so it looked good whether you’re dining alone or visiting with a group!

As soon as we sat down, we had a glass of water and cola first haha. Since we were heading to the fireworks festival afterward, I was already excited to eat some delicious kaisendon!

Ordering the Set Menu A for two

The menu had more variety than I expected! The signature dishes were kaisendon and sakedon (salmon rice bowl), and there were also rice bowls such as mackerel pressed sushi, yellowtail rice bowl, yellowtail salmon rice bowl, ebi katsu rice bowl, and tuna salmon rice bowl. For sides, they had fried shrimp, cheese fries, and chicken karaage, so it looked easy to pick according to your taste!

The two of us ordered Set Menu A for two. It came with two kaisendon bowls, two cheese fries, and cola, and it was ₩45,000 haha. Since it let us have kaisendon plus a side dish, this was the set we chose!

Kaisendon topped with 13 pieces of sashimi

The kaisendon finally arrived, and it looked so good! It included 13 pieces in all: two kinds of white fish, tuna, salmon, two kinds of seasonal sashimi, shrimp, spear squid, ankimo (monkfish liver), and more. Every slice of sashimi was piled on nice and thick, so it looked fresh and delicious just from looking at it haha. Above all, all the colorful varieties of fish made it really pretty! Soup was served with the kaisendon too, making it a satisfyingly filling meal.

What is the best way to eat kaisendon?

There was also a guide on how to enjoy kaisendon! They recommend putting rice and wasabi on your spoon, then topping it with whichever sashimi you want and eating it all in one bite like sushi. This way, you can enjoy the rice and sashimi together in one bite, and it tastes even better haha.

They also said that if there’s a sashimi you try and remember as especially delicious, they’ll give you one piece of sushi! Oh, and they recommend not mixing wasabi into the soy sauce in advance; instead, put wasabi directly on the sashimi separately.

Cheese fries dipped in honey

The cheese fries we ordered came out right away too! Seeing them set beside the kaisendon, the full spread looked seriously appetizing haha. Adding those golden cheese fries made everything look even more abundant!

The cheese fries came with honey! They were good on their own, but when I dipped them into the honey, the sweet honey and cheese fries worked together better than I expected haha. It was a side dish I kept reaching for!

The cheese fries had mozzarella inside, and the cheese stretched so well! The outside was crisp, while the inside was full of savory, chewy mozzarella, so the flavor was really lovely haha. Dipping them into honey especially added a sweet, nutty taste that made them even better!

Sashimi paired with rice and seaweed

Following the recommendation, I put wasabi on the rice, lightly dipped the sashimi in soy sauce, placed it on top of the rice, and ate it like sushi! It was so delicious this way, with the sashimi, rice, and wasabi all coming together in one bite haha. The lightly seared salmon in particular was soft and moist, so it really stayed with me. I could taste salmon’s distinctive rich flavor too, and enjoyed it so much!

They also serve seaweed sheets! I wrapped rice and sashimi together in seaweed, and the seaweed’s savory flavor made it delicious in a totally different way haha. Eating it sushi-style with wasabi was tasty too, but I personally really loved the seaweed-wrap combination, so I’d recommend trying it!

I also wrapped salmon with rice and wasabi in seaweed, and of course it was delicious haha. Then I tried tuna, which I really love, with a little wasabi, and it felt like it just melted in my mouth—it was so good. Overall, the sashimi was fresh and thick, and I left very satisfied. I think I’ll come here whenever I’m reminded of the kaisendon I had in Japan haha. They also sell yellowtail rice bowls, so when yellowtail season comes around, I’ll have to visit again for one!

A Hapjeong kaisendon spot I want to revisit

Overall, the sashimi was thick and fresh, and I had such a delicious meal haha. I was satisfied enough to want to come back whenever I’m reminded of the kaisendon I ate in Japan! I especially loved being able to enjoy the various sashimi with rice, wasabi, and seaweed however I wanted. Since they also sell yellowtail rice bowls, I’ll have to come back for one when yellowtail season arrives haha. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for good sushi or kaisendon in Hapjeong, or a nice atmospheric spot for a date in Hapjeong!