Suyu sashimi bar date: squid sushi and wine-glass beer at Bunko Suyu

Today I visited Bunko Suyu, a good-value omakase-style bar in Suyu. The atmosphere is great and it's close to Suyu Station, so I really recommend it as a date spot.

Location and opening hours of Bunko Suyu

Bunko Suyu is on the 2nd floor at 34-4 Dobong-ro 87-gil, Gangbuk-gu, Seoul. It's open Fri–Sat 17:00–01:55 and Sun–Thu 18:00–01:55.

What's the atmosphere like at Bunko Suyu?

Bunko Suyu is an izakaya (Japanese pub) near Suyu Station that feels like it was lifted straight out of Japan. Apparently it's one of the well-known spots for people who come to the Suyu Station area a lot, right? It was my first time, and I liked the mood so much that I'm introducing it as a date spot~~

It really felt like a Japanese izakaya had been transplanted here. I'd only ever seen vintage posters like these in Japan, and you can tell the owner put a lot of effort into building the atmosphere.

For a date, go for the counter seats

At Bunko Suyu, Jam Eonni (the blogger) sat at the dodge counter seats, where you can watch the cooking and it's a nice setting for talking. If you come with a partner or friends, I recommend these counter seats~

Table setting and bottled beer in a wine glass

The basic setting at Bunko Suyu was a Korean melon (chamoe) salad, seasoned bean sprouts and barley tea. The melon salad was a little unusual, but it was subtly sweet and delicious!!

I was craving beer, so I ordered a bottle, and they served it in a pretty wine-glass-like glass, so I got to drink my beer in style haha. It definitely has a vibe, right?

Bunko Set: what's in it and how much?

The Bunko Set is ₩32,000 per person and comes out like a course: salad, sashimi, sushi, menchi-katsu (minced-meat cutlet), crab innard pasta and jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup). Bunko Suyu is known for a good-value omakase using aged sashimi. From the menu it looked like ordering the Bunko Set brings everything out omakase-style, so we ordered the Bunko Set for two.

You get to try a variety of Bunko's best dishes, and the value, the mood and the plating are all so pretty~~

First: juicy katsu

The first thing out in the Bunko Set is katsu (breaded cutlet). It's a bit like tonkatsu, but so sooo tender and juicy inside. I wanted one more of these haha.

You can tell just from the photo, right? The meat is dense and moist, packed full, and filling your mouth with it went great with the beer. It was hot, so beer to cleanse the palate haha.

Second: shrimp, squid and egg sushi

Second came the sushi! Shrimp, squid and egg sushi, and it was SO good T_T

The shrimp was plump and the squid was so chewy it clung to the mouth. The egg sushi was sweet and, eaten last, so tender and delicious that I was happy haha. The rice was well seasoned too; it crumbled a bit, which made it slightly hard to eat, but every grain stood out and it was tasty, really!!

Third: abalone innard pasta

Third came the abalone innard pasta. They explained it's a rich pasta made only from the innards of domestic Wando abalone. It was fragrant and pleasantly chewy, full of abalone innard aroma with none of the fishy smell. It was my first time trying it, and it's a delicacy you keep reaching for.

It was an omakase where you can taste the sea haha. It goes so well with drinks, and the portions were all so big that I was starting to get full here.

Fourth: aged sashimi

Next came the aged sashimi! Isn't the plating so pretty? T.T Served using a traditional Japanese aging method, the flesh was so chewy and fresh that I was surprised. I fully vouch for it as a Suyu good-value izakaya. If I need a drink in Suyu, I'll come back.

Can you feel the freshness just from the photo..?

Last: sweet, nutty jjamppong

The last course of the Bunko Set was jjamppong! But it wasn't the jjamppong flavor you usually know; it was sweet and nutty. A taste that suits the style of the whole menu~~ The portion was so big that I ate it holding my belly.

It had lots of fresh bean sprouts too, so it tasted fresh.

Is Bunko Suyu a good bar for a date?

Bunko Suyu isn't a loud place; it's quiet and good for talking, with a feeling of being in Japan, so I think it works for acquaintances, partners and friends alike. The shop is clean, and the owner is proud of the food, so I could eat with confidence.

Besides the signature set there are plenty of side dishes too, like soba, pollock roe, katsu and yurinki (fried chicken in sauce). The mood is good, the portions generous and the value great, so I'll visit again when I'm in Suyu. With tasty food and a good atmosphere, the drinks go down easily too. If you're in Suyu, I recommend stopping by once!! That's the end of today's date with Jam Ajeossi too!!