Sushi izakaya in Hapjeong: half-eel rice bowl date, Sushi Sakaba
In short
Sushi Sakaba Hapjeong is a sushi and Japanese izakaya near Hapjeong Station Exit 3 in Mapo, Seoul, recently reopened after a renovation. On a date, the writer and her boyfriend shared the 12-piece Hap sushi set (24,000 won) and the half-eel boyang eel rice bowl (19,000 won), and the double-layered sashimi, generous eel and pudding-soft chawanmushi stood out. Sushi Sakaba Hapjeong is a satisfying choice when omakase feels like too much but you still want quality sushi.
Good to know
- Getting there
- Hapjeong Station Exit 3 · 5-min walk (store listing, Oct 6, 2026)
- Location
- 2F, 38 Dongmak-ro 3-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul (5-minute walk from Hapjeong Station Exit 3, second floor of the Pochakaya building)
- Hours
- Daily 11:30–23:50 (break time 14:30–17:00)
- Hap sushi set (12 pieces)
- 24,000 won
- Boyang eel rice bowl (half eel)
- 19,000 won
- Coca-Cola Zero (can)
- 2,500 won
- Other
- Reservations via Naver, high oil price relief payment accepted, separate men's and women's restrooms
- Price reference
- ₩24,000 ≈ $18 · ₩19,000 ≈ $14.5 · ₩2,500 ≈ $1.9 (2026-10-20)
as written by the visitor on Jun 11, 2026
Omakase is so pricey that it's hard to go unless it's a special occasion 🥲 Then I heard about a Japanese place in Hapjeong where you can get an omakase-like meal without the burden, so I went with my boyfriend! It's Sushi Sakaba Hapjeong (스시사카바 합정), a Hapjeong sushi restaurant that recently reopened after a renovation 🤍
Where is Sushi Sakaba Hapjeong, and what are the hours?
Sushi Sakaba Hapjeong is at 38 Dongmak-ro 3-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the 2nd floor of the Pochakaya building, about a 5-minute walk from Hapjeong Station Exit 3. It's open daily 11:30-23:50, with a break time of 14:30-17:00.
- Location: 38 Dongmak-ro 3-gil, 2nd floor, Mapo-gu, Seoul (5-minute walk from Hapjeong Station Exit 3)
- Hours: Daily 11:30-23:50 (break time 14:30-17:00)
- Naver reservations: yes
- High-oil-price relief subsidy: accepted
- Separate men's and women's restrooms: yes
It's on the main Hapjeong street, so finding it wasn't hard! It's on the 2nd floor of the Pochakaya building.
The celebrity autographs were the first thing I noticed when we walked in..! It felt like a stamp of approval for a good restaurant, so my expectations went up right away haha
Is Sushi Sakaba Hapjeong a good place for a date?
The inside of Sushi Sakaba Hapjeong is calm and upscale overall. The lighting is soft and it isn't noisy, so it was comfortable to eat there!
The window seats are really nice 🫶 The weather was cool that day, so the windows were open. If you're looking for a date spot in Hapjeong, I think you'll be happy with the atmosphere too.
Aren't the water cups adorable? 🍣 They have sushi drawn on them, and I wanted one so badly that I even searched for where they're from haha
What did the two of us order?
At Sushi Sakaba Hapjeong we ordered the signature Hap sushi set with 12 pieces (₩24,000), plus a half-eel Boyang rice bowl (₩19,000) to recharge our energy 🐷🤍 To drink, a can of Coca-Cola Zero (₩2,500).
- Hap sushi set, 12 pieces: ₩24,000
- Boyang eel rice bowl (half eel): ₩19,000
- Coca-Cola Zero can: ₩2,500
What's in the Hap sushi set (12 pieces), and how does it taste?
The 12-piece Hap sushi set at Sushi Sakaba Hapjeong was neatly plated and had a nice variety. I mean, the look of it is insane..! The plating was so clean and pretty that taking photos was half the fun. And it was way more generous than I expected!! 🫶
What I liked: they bring a paper listing each type of sushi! Being able to check which fish you're eating makes it taste even better .. 🫶
See how good the fish looks..! 🤍🧡 The sashimi was fresh and clean, with no fishy taste!
Some pieces even had the fish layered in two slices!? Maybe that's why the sushi alone felt so hearty.
The quality for the price is so good that when omakase feels like too much but you still want good sushi, I think this set is more than satisfying 🥹👍
Is a half-eel rice bowl too small?
The half-eel Boyang rice bowl (₩19,000) at Sushi Sakaba Hapjeong came with big pieces of eel even though it's only half an eel. The eel bowl was better than I expected!!! Honestly I didn't expect much from a "half" portion, but when it came out the eel was piled on in big pieces!
The sauce isn't overly sweet: salty with a gentle sweetness, which goes perfectly with rice 👍
Since seaweed came with it, I tried wrapping the rice and eel in it, and it tasted much better than eating the rice and eel alone! Definitely try it when you visit 😌
Side dishes and chawanmushi (steamed egg custard) that come with the set
The side dishes that come with the set were really good too 🤤 The chawanmushi (steamed egg custard) was the softest, most pudding-like one I've ever had..! I heard the owner came from overseas fine dining, and the care and flavor in every little thing is no joke.
Who would I recommend Sushi Sakaba Hapjeong to?
Omakase prices are just too much, but at Sushi Sakaba Hapjeong I got omakase-level Japanese food at a reasonable price! The atmosphere was great too, so it was a satisfying meal. Next time I'd like to come in the evening for sashimi and a highball 🍶🤍
- Anyone looking for a lunch company-dinner spot in Hapjeong
- Anyone looking for a Hapjeong date spot with a good atmosphere
- Anyone looking for a blind-date spot near Hongdae and Hapjeong
- Anyone looking for a clean, good sushi restaurant in Hapjeong
- Anyone looking for an izakaya near Hongdae and Hapjeong
Where it is
38 Dongmak-ro 3-gil, 2nd floor, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea서울특별시 마포구 독막로3길 38 2층
Sushi Sakaba Hapjeong: hours, menu and prices →
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