Seolleung sushi bar for filefish liver and amberjack nigiri: Sakai

An okonomi-style sushi sakaba (izakaya) that stays open till the small hours. 'Sakai'

Hours: 17:00 – 01:00 Break time: none Closed the first Tuesday of every month. No parking, restroom is outside, Wi-Fi available.

Where is Sakai near Seolleung Station?

Down an alley about a five-minute walk from Seolleung Station Exit 1 sits Sakai, a sushi sakaba known for its fresh cuts and precise sushi. It specializes in okonomi sushi, where you pick your own pieces from seasonal ingredients, and stays open late into the night — a proper Seolleung izakaya.

The exterior. Located on the first floor of a clean, sleek-looking building. The entrance is a little tucked away, which I liked — gave it a private feel.

Inside Sakai: counter and table seating

The interior. Wood and white tones with low lighting make it cozy, and with counter seating plus 2- and 4-tops, it works for drinking solo, a date, or a small gathering.

On the table: a small plate, cup, chopsticks, tissue, and a dipping dish. There's no built-in table setup. Since I'd reserved ahead, everything was already set.

Sakai's menu and how okonomi ordering works

The menu. It's made up of nigiri sushi made fresh in front of you, plus sashimi, tsumami (small bites), grilled dishes, and fried items. What I liked here was that they also sell Korean soju. Most izakaya like this only sell sake, not soju.

On a wooden board behind the counter, the available sushi is listed. That day I ordered okonomi style, the shop's signature format — picking out whichever pieces I wanted, one by one.

Seasonal nigiri at Sakai, one piece at a time

First up, filefish. Clean, chewy flesh — really good. Inside was filefish liver, rich and creamy.

Next, jaetbangeo (amberjack). It's in season in summer, and its appeal is the right balance of sweetness and fat.

Scallop. A delicious piece with a deep sweetness that comes through. They tap it lightly with the back of a knife to maximize the sweetness.

Benjari (grunt fish), which I really liked. It's aburi (torch-seared), so the fat rises to the surface. Being in season, the umami was excellent too.

Akami zuke (soy-marinated lean tuna). The neta had that chewy, umami-rich quality, and the sushi rice was squeezed just right, loosening perfectly in the mouth — exactly my kind of balance. The chef is really skilled at nigiri.

My personal favorite: otoro. Soft, juicy, and the fat just bursts in your mouth. Being able to pick your favorite pieces to your taste made this a very satisfying experience.

Aji (horse mackerel). The rich flavor of this blue-backed fish. Shiso leaf on top adds a fragrant note.

Botan shrimp. Rich, deep-flavored innards and a crisp bite of flesh.

Uni. Very generous, creamy, and full of ocean flavor. It spreads richly across the palate with no gas smell — delicious.

Sweet shrimp. Topped with kimizu sauce, an egg yolk-based sauce. The shrimp's sweetness is off the charts, paired with the thick, rich yolk.

Anago (saltwater eel). Torched for a subtle smoky note and a soft, fluffy texture. A clean, mild piece to wrap things up.

Mottled squid. Despite being thick-cut, it's chewy, soft, and bursting with sweetness.

Mackerel miso stew and nambalge crab at Sakai

Sabab miso-ni. Mackerel brushed with miso paste and grilled.

A great piece to enjoy the firm dorsal meat together with the soft, melting belly. The savory saltiness of the miso is the kicker.

Namballge — crab meat already picked out for you.

On top of the crab is tosazu jelly, uni, and capelin roe — a high-end-tasting side dish.

Finished it all. Sakai, a great sushi sakaba near Seolleung Station. Thanks for the meal.

Is Sakai worth a late-night visit?

My honest verdict: Sakai is a sushi sakaba near Seolleung Station specializing in okonomi sushi, where you can pick exactly what you want to eat, to your taste. Usually the quality of a sakaba lives or dies by the chef's nigiri skills, and it clearly shows here that the chef came from a high-end background — the rice loosens gently in the mouth, and the neta on top, aged to just the right degree, really stands out. I came alone, but this place would also work well for a date or a small gathering. If you're craving something special and delicate this weekend near Seolleung Station, definitely check out Sakai.