Hongdae seafood restaurant: all-grilled king prawn set, Eosa Chulto

Why autumn grilled king prawns at Eosa Chulto Hongdae Branch?

I went to Eosa Chulto Hongdae Branch (어사출또 홍대점), near Hongik Univ. Station, to eat seasonal autumn grilled king prawns. Once autumn rolled around, I really craved plump, hot grilled prawns.

While searching for a place in Hongdae with fresh grilled shrimp, I found Eosa Chulto Hongdae Branch. It already has a great word-of-mouth reputation as a Hongdae raw fish spot, so I headed over quickly, full of expectations.

Getting to Eosa Chulto Hongdae Branch and its live fish tank

Eosa Chulto Hongdae Branch is a short walk from Exit 2 of Hongik Univ. Station, so it was really easy to find. The first thing that caught my eye at the entrance was a huge live fish tank.

The shrimp in the tank were happily zooming around. There were plenty of other live fish too, so the freshness was obvious the moment I saw them.

Eosa Chulto Hongdae Branch location and opening hours

• Location: 1st floor, Hoseong Building, 8 Donggyo-ro 27-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul (258 m from Exit 2 of Hongik Univ. Station)
• Hours: Mon–Sat 11:30–23:00 (last order 22:30 / closed every Sunday)
• About the restaurant: There's no break time, so a daytime drink or a late lunch works any time. The space is spacious and clean, so it's also great for group dinners and get-togethers at a Hongik Univ. raw fish restaurant.

Seasonal king prawn set: can you swap raw prawns for grilled?

The seasonal king prawn set at Eosa Chulto Hongdae Branch is ₩58,000, and if you tell them in advance, the raw shrimp portion can be swapped for grilled king prawns. I ordered the seasonal king prawn set the moment I saw the menu, no hesitation.

The set normally comes as grilled king prawns + raw king prawns + butter-grilled shrimp heads (800 g). We much prefer warm, cooked shrimp to raw, so we told the owner ahead of time and had the raw portion changed entirely to grilled king prawns.

Being able to switch everything to grilled to suit our taste was really satisfying.

How big and how tender were the grilled king prawns?

The grilled king prawns at Eosa Chulto Hongdae Branch had plump flesh and a strong sweetness, and the portion was big enough that the two of us ate without running short. Prawns scooped straight from the tank after we ordered came out filling a whole pot.

As soon as the pot went on the fire, the prawns moved around energetically and cooked up deliciously right before our eyes.

I peeled one right after it cooked and tried it: the flesh was really plump and the sweetness burst out. Above all, the portion was truly big, so the two of us could eat to our heart's content.

How do you order butter-grilled king prawn heads?

At Eosa Chulto Hongdae Branch, you hand the shrimp heads you've collected while eating to the owner, and they cook them as butter-grilled heads. After happily peeling through the bodies, we hit the point where we were getting a little full of them, and that was exactly the moment to ask for the butter-grilled heads.

The freshly stir-fried heads had a subtle butter aroma and were incredibly nutty and rich. Among Hongdae seafood drinking spots, this was a snack that nails both value and flavor.

How was the spicy fish stew (maeuntang) to finish?

The maeuntang (spicy fish stew) at Eosa Chulto Hongdae Branch was a hot, sharp style with a strong instant-ramen-seasoning flavor. As we neared the end of the shrimp and felt a little greasy, we ordered the stew to settle our stomachs.

I brought it to a bubbling boil and tried the broth; the familiar spiciness went down easily, and it let us end the meal on a good note.

If you're looking for a good Hongdae raw fish spot, or you're craving a hearty plate of autumn grilled king prawns, definitely stop by Eosa Chulto Hongdae Branch.

A Hongdae raw fish spot where you can enjoy fresh seasonal king prawns straight from the tank, from grilled prawns to butter-grilled heads, in generous portions! 🦐