Jeongja Station seafood bar: clam soup with wild makhoe, Pohang Makhoe

There are days after work when I randomly crave sashimi. This time I went to Pohang Makhoe near Jeongja Station in Bundang, Seongnam, for dinner. If you're looking for a good Jeongja bar or a light-but-proper sashimi dinner spot in Bundang, this one's worth keeping in mind. It was a great time to visit too, since fall is when sashimi really hits its stride.

Where is Pohang Makhoe, and what are its hours?

Pohang Makhoe is located at 135 Jeongja-illo, Building D, 1st floor. It's less than 600 meters from Jeongja Station Exit 3, so it was easy to find even when meeting up on the Seongnam side. It's open from 4:00 PM to 11:00 PM, a good window for an early dinner that carries into a second round.

If you're looking for a bar-and-sashimi combo in Seongnam, the location makes it easy to get to. If you're weighing a few candidates for a Jeongja bar, this one's worth adding to the list.

Ordering the 39,000-won wild makhoe and 22,000-won clam soup

This visit I ordered the wild makhoe (자연산 막회, ₩39,000) and clam soup (조개탕, ₩22,000). Makhoe supposedly got its name from fishermen on boats who cut the fish they'd just caught with minimal prep and ate it right away, roughly, or "makhoe" style.

Fish brought in daily from Jukdo Market in Pohang

This place gets its wild fish shipped in daily from Pohang's Jukdo Market, caught by Pohang fishing boats early that same morning. The lineup changes with whatever comes in each day — on my visit it was red flounder, mixed white fish, and gizzard shad. They served the gizzard shad two ways, boneless and bone-in, which made for a fun texture comparison.

Being wild-caught, the flavor was clearly good, and since it was gizzard shad season, the fish was incredibly savory. People often say fall gizzard shad is rich and nutty because the fat content rises, and this was exactly what that meant. The boneless version went down smooth while the bone-in version had more bite, so you can pick based on preference. Personally I preferred the boneless. Getting fresh sashimi at a reasonable price made this feel like a solid choice among Jeongja bars, a proper Bundang sashimi dinner spot.

How do you eat makhoe the Pohang way?

The owner personally showed me how to eat makhoe. The Pohang way is to put the sashimi in a large bowl, mix it with vegetables and chojang (vinegar-chili sauce), then wrap it in lettuce and eat it as a wrap. It has a different appeal from eating sashimi piece by piece, and it went really well as a drinking snack. The crunch of the vegetables plus the sweet-and-sour chojang kept me reaching for another wrap. It might feel unfamiliar at first, but after one bite I understood why people in Pohang love eating it this way.

Spicy clam soup and the nautical-style interior

The clam soup is made with clams and mussels, and the broth was really spicy and refreshing.

Taking a spoonful of broth between bites of sashimi cleaned my palate nicely, making it a great way to close out a Bundang sashimi dinner. It also pairs perfectly with a shot of soju, so this will stick in my memory as a good Jeongja bar. The interior is simple but has a marine-look design touch that makes it feel like you're eating by the sea.

Is 61,000 won for two good value at Pohang Makhoe?

For a Bundang sashimi dinner with friends, ordering both sashimi and soup fills out the meal nicely. The two menu items together came to 61,000 won this visit,

and considering we got both wild sashimi and soup, the price didn't feel heavy at all. Since the fish lineup changes daily, there's also the fun of getting a different combination every time you visit. This suits anyone choosing a Bundang sashimi dinner based on both freshness and price.

The service stood out too. The owner was very kind, explaining everything about the day's fish and how to eat it, so even as a first-time visitor I felt completely at ease. Before gizzard shad season ends, I'd like to come back if I have a gathering in the Bundang, Seongnam area. I can confidently recommend this to friends looking for a Jeongja bar in Seongnam.

Who Pohang Makhoe suits, and what to check before you go

I'd recommend this place to:

• Anyone who wants to try whatever wild fish came in that day
• Anyone who wants to eat sashimi in a different way
• Anyone who wants a spicy soup with a shot of soju

This is a place to keep in mind when you want a light drink and some sashimi with friends or coworkers in Bundang, Seongnam. A couple things to check before visiting: it's closed every Sunday, and also closed September 24–26 for the Chuseok holiday. If you're searching for a Jeongja bar in Seongnam, check the schedule before you go.