Tartar-sauce boiled shrimp at a Jeonpo sashimi restaurant: Rigo Susan

Here's my visit to Rigo Susan Jeonpo Station Main Branch, where I got to enjoy sashimi and a huge spread of side dishes near Jeonpo Station.

Where is Rigo Susan Jeonpo Station Main Branch, and what are its hours?

Rigo Susan Jeonpo Station Main Branch is at 13 Jeonpodae-ro 216beon-gil, 1F, Busanjin-gu, Busan. It's open Sunday through Thursday from 17:00 to 01:00, and Friday and Saturday from 17:00 to 02:00, with last order one hour before closing.

I was craving sashimi near Jeonpo Station and found this place while searching around — the vibe already had me sold before I even walked in.

Open-front pocha seating at Rigo Susan, from two people to a big group

Rigo Susan Jeonpo Station Main Branch has its entire front open, giving it more of an outdoor pocha (street tent bar) feel than a typical sashimi restaurant. The exterior is clean and the space itself is pretty large, so it's easy to drop by casually.

Tables range from seats for two or four up to spots for larger groups. When I visited, I saw plenty of couples eating together as well as groups of 6 to 10 people.

It seems like a solid pick for anyone in Jeonpo looking for a spot for a work dinner or group gathering.

We ordered the small assorted sashimi platter.

The side dishes that fill the table before the sashimi arrives

One thing I personally loved about Rigo Susan was how much food showed up before the main dish even arrived.

Most sashimi restaurants give you a few basic side dishes while you wait for the fish, but here the table was set quite generously, so there was plenty to snack on while waiting for the main.

Everything from tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) to corn cheese, cold udon, fried snacks, rolls and okonomiyaki (savory pancake) came out together. Apparently the lineup changes a little day to day, so the basic side spread might look different each visit.

The tteokbokki was spicy-sweet and I kept reaching for more, and the cold udon was cool and refreshing enough that I found myself grabbing bite after bite.

The best bite: boiled shrimp dipped in tartar sauce

Personally, the tastiest thing was the boiled shrimp. It's good on its own, but dipped into the tartar sauce it worked way better than I expected. It was also a nice way to whet the appetite before the sashimi arrived.

With so many dishes served as standard, the table felt completely full even before the main course showed up.

What comes on the small assorted platter: flatfish, mullet, sea bream, salmon

And finally — the main dish! The sashimi we'd been waiting for arrived.

Rigo Susan's sashimi is made from seasonal live fish — flatfish, herring, sea bream, salmon and more — that's been aged before serving. We got to try several kinds together, and the portion was generous enough for two people.

Getting a variety instead of just one type of fish made it fun to compare textures and flavors bite by bite.

The salmon in particular felt like the flesh was still full of life, soft yet with a satisfying bite. The flatfish had that signature chewy texture I really enjoyed.

Why Jeonpo is a good place for sashimi and a drink

Unlike the quiet sashimi restaurant vibe you might usually picture in Jeonpo, Rigo Susan Jeonpo Station Main Branch has a much more relaxed, casual atmosphere, which I liked.

It's a good pick if you want a casual drink and sashimi with friends in Jeonpo, or if you've got a group who wants to share a variety of side dishes together. If you've been searching for an aged sashimi spot near Jeonpo Station, this place offers not just the texture of the fish but a whole spread of side dishes to go with it.

Next time, I'd love to come back just to see what the day's rotating side dishes look like. If you want that outdoor-pocha vibe in Jeonpo along with a hearty spread of sides and aged sashimi, Rigo Susan Jeonpo Station Main Branch is worth a visit.

• Near Jeonpo Station
• Open, outdoor pocha-style atmosphere
• Seating for couples up to large groups
• Wide variety of standard side dishes
• Aged sashimi: flatfish, herring, sea bream, salmon and more