Steamed blue crab with roe rice at Ansan sashimi bar Susanjang Seonbu

Now that the evenings are getting cooler, I've been craving good side dishes and a drink after work more and more. I already love seafood, so I end up visiting raw fish restaurants and seafood spots around Seonbu-dong pretty often.

This time I went to Susanjang Seonbu, a place known for its variety of seasonal food, from sashimi to seafood dishes to drinking snacks. Having lived in Seonbu-dong and tried most of the raw fish restaurants nearby, this one felt less like a place you go just for sashimi and more like somewhere you can pick and choose your way through a first round and a second round.

Where is Susanjang Seonbu? Diamond Building at Seonbu Plaza

Susanjang Seonbu is located at 17 Seonbu-gwangjang-ro, 109-ho, Danwon-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do. It's near Seonbu Plaza, so it's not hard to find, and it's a convenient spot if you're planning a meal or drinks in Seonbu-dong.

Dat-jji counter, tables and a group room: seating at Susanjang Seonbu

Once inside, the space was more neatly arranged than I expected. What I especially liked was that the seating wasn't all one type.

There are dat-jji seats as well as regular tables, so it looked great for anything from a light solo drink to dates, friend gatherings, or bigger team dinners.

The complimentary starter: grilled flatfish

A nice light bite to enjoy while waiting for the main dishes

Once we sat down, grilled flounder came out first as the standard side dish. The standard side dish really matters at raw fish restaurants and izakayas, doesn't it? Having something simple to nibble on before the main dishes arrive makes it easier to settle into a drinking session, and the grilled flounder was perfect for picking at little by little while waiting for the rest. It was lightly grilled and easy to eat without feeling heavy.

Susanjang Seonbu also has a wide range of dishes made with seasonal ingredients and fresh seafood, so it was fun just browsing the menu. Beyond the sashimi selections, there are teppan-style dishes and various drinking snacks, so it seemed like a great fit for people who'd rather pick a variety of small dishes than order a lot of sashimi upfront.

What we ordered at Susanjang Seonbu and what it cost

Today's snacks

We ordered two dishes that day: green onion steamed crab for ₩36,000 and the Susanjang mini seafood platter for ₩43,000.

Both dishes were pretty exciting for us since we both love seafood. I was especially curious about the green onion steamed crab, since it's a seasonal dish.

Green onion steamed blue crab, 36,000 won: two crabs and crab-roe rice

Green onion steamed crab, ₩36,000. A seasonal menu item!

It's a dish where two flower crabs are steamed together with green onion, and as soon as it landed on the table, a subtle green onion aroma drifted up. The green onions were tucked in between the crabs, and it looked really appetizing.

The crabs were packed with plump meat, so it was fun picking the meat out. Eating crab does take some effort, but that's part of the fun, isn't it? Once you pull the meat out, it's clean and light while still carrying that distinct crab flavor, and the green onion steamed alongside it added a subtle fragrance that paired well.

Personally, I felt the aroma worked better when eaten together with the green onion rather than the crab alone, and topping the accompanying rice with the crab roe was a real treat! If you like seasonal dishes, choosing menu items by season like this seems worth doing.

What comes on the Susanjang mini seafood platter, 43,000 won

Susanjang mini seafood platter, ₩43,000. And the dish that let us try a bit of everything was the mini seafood platter.

True to its name, it was arranged so you could sample several kinds of seafood at once. The sashimi included flounder, sea bream, and giant croaker, plus small portions of sea squirt, sea cucumber, abalone, and scallop.

I liked this kind of arrangement, where you get to try small amounts of many types rather than eating a lot of just one kind of sashimi. The flounder, sea bream, and giant croaker each had slightly different textures, so it was fun trying them one by one.

Beyond the sashimi, sea squirt, sea cucumber, abalone, and scallop all came together too, so you could taste a variety of seafood evenly on one plate. If you're someone like me who enjoys sampling different kinds of seafood, this kind of composition is a welcome one. It was especially nice when ordering multiple dishes feels like too much food — this way you get to taste a little of everything.

What is the atmosphere like at Susanjang Seonbu?

A place good for quiet conversation while eating

I've been to quite a few seafood places in Seonbu-dong, but what stood out to me this time was the atmosphere. It wasn't too loud, and the mood felt right for chatting while eating, which seemed like it would suit dates or drinks with friends well.

The dat-jji seats looked good for a solo drink or a light one, while the regular tables suited two people or small groups. The group seating was also set up nicely, good for larger gatherings or team dinners.

Susanjang Seonbu also has dishes made with seasonal ingredients, teppan dishes, and various drinking snacks beyond the sashimi menu, so there'd be plenty of choices whether you come for a first-round meal or keep going into a second round. Rather than a place that's just about sashimi, it felt like somewhere you could pick dishes to match the mood of the night.

Looking for a seafood restaurant in Seonbu-dong, Ansan?

Having lived in Seonbu-dong and visited quite a few raw fish restaurants around here, what I especially liked about Susanjang Seonbu this time was the range of menu choices. If you love seafood like I do and want both sashimi and seasonal seafood dishes, there's a lot of fun in picking through the menu.

On this visit we tried a seasonal dish with the green onion steamed crab and got a good variety of sashimi and seafood with the mini platter, and I'm glad we ordered both together. What I liked most was being able to sit comfortably and chat rather than being in a busy or loud atmosphere. Being able to choose your seat depending on the occasion — solo drinks, a date, friends, or a team dinner — also felt like a real plus.

Susanjang Seonbu: address, hours and prices

• Address: 17 Seonbu-gwangjang-ro, 109-ho, Danwon-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea (Seonbu-dong 1070-2, Diamond Building)
• Hours: 17:00 – 01:00 (last order 00:00)
• Ordered menu: Green onion steamed crab ₩36,000, Susanjang mini seafood platter ₩43,000

If you're looking for a good spot in Seonbu-dong, Ansan, where you can enjoy not just sashimi but seasonal seafood and a variety of side dishes together, put Susanjang Seonbu on your list. Next time, I'd like to try another seasonal dish!