Nonhyeon Station seafood pocha with bonito jelly sashimi: Sanhocho

Looking for somewhere to have dinner and drinks in Nonhyeon, I ended up at Sanhocho Nonhyeon (산호초 논현점).

There are tons of barbecue joints and izakayas near Nonhyeon Station, but that night I was craving sashimi with drinks rather than grilled meat, so I went searching and landed here.

It looked like a popular spot — already packed.

What the sign outside Sanhocho Nonhyeon says is in season

There's an electronic sign posted outside that tells you what seafood is in season right now.

Looked like raw fish soup (mulhoe) and live squid were in season. The moment I saw "live squid," I decided on squid sashimi, haha.

Never seen conger eel shabu-shabu before, but since mulhoe and squid sashimi appealed to me most, I decided to figure it out once inside.

Inside Sanhocho Nonhyeon: a retro seafood pocha

The Sanhocho logo greets you right at the entrance. Once inside, the vibe is pretty different from the clean, white-toned sashimi restaurants that are trendy lately. Sanhocho has its own retro, relaxed atmosphere, which honestly made it feel great for drinking. If you prefer a lively bar vibe over an overly styled, aesthetic one, this will suit you well.

The phrase "direct from producers nationwide" got me excited about how fresh the seafood might be.

It was a weekday evening, and by the time we sat down and ordered, the place was already full. Given Nonhyeon's nature — lots of people looking for an after-work gathering spot or a second-round bar — this is a solid candidate to keep in mind when searching for a Gangnam bar.

Sanhocho centers on aged sashimi paired with seafood side dishes for drinking — closer to a casual seafood pocha than the quiet, tidy sushi restaurants you'd typically picture.

What we ordered: the pick-3 sashimi set

Today's recommended menu was the pick-3 sashimi combo, so we went with the recommendation, haha.

We ordered a 3-way sashimi platter that included live squid. I personally love mackerel sashimi so that was a must, and added white fish as the finale.

Next time I'll try the Tongyeong platter. Already planning what to order next time, haha.

You can even find the restroom location at the very bottom of the order screen. A perfect setup for introverts!

Side dishes: seaweed, silkworm pupae, salted anchovy sauce, aged kimchi, mayo salad

The side dishes came out first — and there wasn't a single one worth skipping. Seaweed, silkworm pupae, salted anchovy, aged kimchi, mayo salad.

Silkworm pupae (beondegi) is my all-time favorite bar snack, haha. Every time I eat it, I remember buying a paper cup of it for ₩500 as a kid, haha (am I getting old, haha).

How the three sashimi taste: live squid, mackerel, red seabream

Finally, the 3-way sashimi set arrived!

The thick-cut red seabream showed up first and got my appetite going.

The live squid I'd wanted most was cut into perfectly bite-sized pieces.

And of course, mackerel sashimi — can't skip that. Eating mackerel sashimi somehow makes it feel like you're in Jeju.

There was also a bitter seasoned greens side that goes great alongside — sorry, I forgot the name. But wrapped together with seaweed, it's an amazing bite.

So seaweed, rice, and greens all come alongside the aged sashimi.

Bonito flake jelly with sashimi is the real trick

First I tried a light combo of bonito flake jelly plus squid.

So good I went for another bite, haha. Had the exact same combo again.

This combo with mackerel sashimi is the real kicker. Clean, spicy, salty — like five different flavors hitting at once, haha.

The mackerel sashimi was so good I tried yet another combo, haha. This time radish sprouts with bonito flake jelly..! That jelly is truly the kicker.

Finally got around to eating the red seabream — delicious with just a dip of soy sauce. This is what aged sashimi is all about.

Right about when I was on an infinite loop of this combo, a sudden downpour started outside. Ah, so atmospheric.

Finishing with seafood ramyeon

Couldn't resist adding seafood ramyeon, haha. Sashimi first, ramyeon for dessert, right?

Is Sanhocho Nonhyeon worth a visit?

If you're near Nonhyeon Station wanting drinks with aged sashimi and seafood side dishes, Sanhocho Nonhyeon is worth a visit at least once! Personally, what stuck with me was how neatly the aged sashimi was presented, along with Sanhocho's own relaxed atmosphere, haha.

It's a different feel from the sleek, polished sashimi restaurants popping up lately, so if you like that kind of vibe, you'll enjoy it even more. It especially fits when you're searching for a Nonhyeon Station bar or a Nonhyeon bar and craving sashimi over meat, or want seafood and drinks with friends in Gangnam.

When I want aged sashimi and seafood instead of the usual Nonhyeon menu, I think this place will come to mind again. If you're looking for a casual seafood pocha among Gangnam bars, Sanhocho Nonhyeon is worth checking out :)