Seolleung izakaya on a half-day off: 9 kinds of nigiri at Sakai

The weather has been so nice lately that I keep meeting up with friends. This really might be the best-weather year in recent memory! Summer was a bit hot, but it passed quickly, and fall has turned out longer than expected — love it, haha. Temperature and humidity both perfect~

Sakai, a Seolleung izakaya: booking a visit on a half-day off

I had something to do near Gangnam after a while, so I took a half-day off work and went to Sakai, a Seolleung izakaya. It seems popular, so I'd recommend booking ahead!

The outside was just a regular building, but stepping inside gave off real Japanese izakaya vibes, which I loved. It felt like a brief trip to Japan? I go to Fukuoka a lot, and it reminded me of a small drinking spot tucked into a Fukuoka backstreet.

What an early dinner reservation at Sakai is like

I booked a bit earlier than typical dinner hours, so luckily we got a good seat. Closer to peak dinner time, you might have to wait a bit. I was surprised there were three chefs making sushi by hand. I wanted to sit at the counter, but my mom wanted the corner, and I was fine with that too.

Sakai's menu and the specials of the day

The menu is simply laid out, with a Post-it marked 'today's recommendation' so you can spot the specials right away. That day's picks were 'snow crab picked for you,' 'sweet shrimp sashimi with fried heads,' and 'steamed abalone with gejang sauce.' The name 'snow crab picked for you' cracked me up, haha. I thought it was just a sushi place, but there were other side dishes too — now I get why it's called an izakaya.

The dishes and tableware were also full of Japanese vibes. Back in May, I stopped by Imari, a pottery village near Fukuoka, and picked up a few pieces — it had that exact feel. Even the soy sauce dish was pretty.

My mom and I each picked our sushi choices, wrote them on paper, and they got prepared for us. While waiting, I checked out the lanterns hanging from the ceiling. The props, interior, and little decorative pieces all seemed to be brought straight from Japan.

First plate at Sakai: uni, flounder, tuna and salmon

What came out first was uni, flounder, tuna, and salmon.

🍣The flounder had a clean, mild taste with a chewy texture. But the more you chew, the more a subtle savoriness and sweetness comes through.

🍣The salmon clearly had that nutty, soft fattiness. Familiar yet rich in flavor.

❤️Tuna was mom's favorite. Soft, deep savoriness with a subtle fattiness that melted in the mouth. We ordered it again.

❤️Uni is my all-time favorite. A rich sea flavor filled my mouth along with nutty savoriness, and it melted creamily, leaving behind a subtle sweetness. We ended up ordering two more.

Second plate at Sakai: scallop, abalone, mackerel and egg

Second up were scallop, abalone, mackerel, and egg. 🍣The scallop was both bouncy and moist at the same time. Its subtle savoriness had me debating whether to order another.

🍣The abalone was clean-tasting yet grew nuttier the more I chewed. That chewy texture was so appealing.

🍣The mackerel had that distinctive deep nuttiness and oily richness filling the mouth.

🍣The egg roll... fluffy, moist, and sweet enough to feel like dessert, haha. After that, shrimp came out last, but I didn't manage to snap a photo... The shrimp was also sweet and moist, and we polished it off in no time.

Would I return to Sakai? Plus parking and hours

• ✔️Would definitely go back
• 🅿️Parking at nearby E-mart or public parking lot
• ⏰17:00–01:00, last order 00:00

I'll definitely go back if I have another reason to be in the area. It was a nice day to wander around Seolleung after a while. The atmosphere is also good enough for important gatherings or blind dates. Personally, I thought it was a great spot to sit with my mom, have a proper conversation, and eat well.