Yeoksam-dong terrace restaurant for cuttlefish sashimi: Sokcho Ojingeo

When the weather's this good and you can actually enjoy an outdoor terrace with a cool breeze, you have to jump on it right away! A little later in the season and that window closes for good, sob. I was craving fresh sashimi so badly that I headed straight to Sokcho Ojingeo Eosijang Yeoksam Branch, famous as an outdoor terrace spot near Yeoksam.

Where is Sokcho Ojingeo Eosijang Yeoksam Branch and how do you get there?

Sokcho Ojingeo Eosijang Yeoksam Branch is on the 1st floor of 337 Nonhyeon-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, very close to a bus stop, so it's easy to get to by public transit. Being right near Yeoksam Station also makes it a great spot for work dinners or any kind of gathering.

The first thing that caught my eye right at the entrance was a big sign about same-day sourcing from the origin! For a raw seafood restaurant, freshness is the single most important thing, right? They say they carefully select only fresh seafood delivered the same day from the source, so my confidence in the food's quality shot up before I'd even walked in.

What is on the menu at Sokcho Ojingeo Eosijang?

Sokcho Ojingeo Eosijang Yeoksam Branch had a wide range of both meal dishes and sashimi. It seemed like a great place for groups to each pick something different. They also have a lunch menu, so it looked like local office workers stop by often too.

I read through the menu boards set up on the walls and at every table. From seasonal live fish sashimi to all kinds of seafood, fried dishes, and stews, there were so many great drinking snacks that I happily agonized over what to order for a while. The menu lineup was solid and the value for the price was excellent too. After much deliberation, we ordered the restaurant's signature flying fish roe cuttlefish sashimi along with the spicy fish bone stew, a must-have soup dish here.

Cuttlefish sashimi with flying fish roe, served with no wait

Finally, the star dish of the day arrived: the flying fish roe cuttlefish sashimi! These days, most famous restaurants serving cuttlefish sashimi with flying fish roe have insane waits that make you hesitant to even try, but at Sokcho Ojingeo Eosijang Yeoksam Branch I got to enjoy this stunning, gorgeous-looking dish with zero waiting stress — genuinely moving, haha. Seeing it piled up so generously made my mouth water instantly!

The plate came piled high like a tower with fresh crunchy vegetables, chewy cuttlefish sashimi, and popping flying fish roe. Up close, the freshness of the ingredients was even more obvious. There wasn't a hint of the fishy taste cuttlefish can sometimes have — just a sweet, chewy texture that got better the more you chewed, and combined with the popping roe and the crisp vegetables, this trio of ingredients was seriously insane together. A totally different charm from regular sliced raw fish!

Why wrapping the cuttlefish in seaweed is the way to eat it

When you order the flying fish roe cuttlefish sashimi, they also give you crispy, savory seaweed (gim) to wrap it in. Following the owner's recommended combo, I piled cuttlefish sashimi, roe, and vegetables generously onto a sheet of seaweed and took a big bite! The savoriness of the seaweed exploding in my mouth, the chewy cuttlefish, and the sweet-spicy sauce with the roe all came together for an explosive burst of flavor. It's so good that your spoon and chopsticks don't get a moment's rest — genuinely addictive. If you visit, I highly recommend wrapping it in seaweed!

How was the spicy seodeori maeuntang broth?

We also added the spicy fish bone stew (seodeori maeuntang) as a side dish for soju, and it came out bubbling away. The fish bones had a decent amount of meat still on them, and with the water dropwort and vegetables, the broth got spicier and more fragrant the longer it simmered. The broth was so clean and rich that the soju just kept going down! Even though I was already full, the spicy kick that clears your head kept me picking up my spoon until the very last bite, haha.

What the outdoor terrace is like in the evening

With the weather this nice lately, Sokcho Ojingeo Eosijang Yeoksam Branch keeps its outdoor terrace wide open, so we got to fully enjoy the proper outdoor dining mood. Instead of a stuffy indoor space, enjoying great seafood and a drink under the open sky with a cool, refreshing breeze washed away all the everyday stress — such a happy, healing time. The restaurant was clean and the tables were spaced generously, so the whole meal felt comfortable.

Who should come to this Yeoksam-dong terrace restaurant?

With the cool, atmospheric outdoor terrace, the freshness of the source-direct flying fish roe cuttlefish sashimi, and the spicy fish bone stew that really hits the spot, every dish was on point — it was such a satisfying, feel-good day out! The freshness of every ingredient was a given, and on top of that, the generous portions and friendly staff made it enjoyable from start to finish.

It's perfect for grabbing a casual drink with coworkers after work, and just as great for a weekend or evening date, or a get-together with close friends. Especially in cooler weather, sitting on the outdoor terrace enjoying cool seafood alongside a spicy, rich broth has a special feeling you don't easily find elsewhere.

If you're looking for a real outdoor dining vibe near Yeoksam Station with a nice breeze, a genuinely fresh and chewy cuttlefish sashimi spot with no fishy taste, or a proper Yeoksam-dong sashimi restaurant or pocha with a deep, spicy broth to go with your drink, I confidently and strongly recommend Sokcho Ojingeo Eosijang Yeoksam Branch! I'm already planning a 200% return visit soon to try more seasonal seafood dishes.