Gwangalli sashimi restaurant by bus from Busan Station: Geumrang

My boyfriend and I finally got away on a Busan trip together after ages, and our first stop was Gwangalli, where the sound of the waves greets you. Before we even unpacked, we headed to Geumrang Hoetjip (금랑횟집), a local Gwangalli favorite near Millak Waterside Park. We wanted a proper hoe-jeongsik (sashimi set meal) in Busan, so I'd been searching carefully for days to pick it. Spoiler: the overwhelming spread and gorgeous ocean view made it a perfect first meal for the trip.

Where is Geumrang Hoetjip Gwangalli Main Branch, and how do you get there from Busan Station?

Geumrang Hoetjip Gwangalli Main Branch is at 17-5 Gwanganhaebyeon-ro 344beon-gil, Suyeong-gu, Busan, on the 6th floor of Marine Rich. It is open daily from 11:30 to 22:50, with last order at 21:25. Luckily there's a bus from Busan Station to Millak Waterside Park, so we could go straight there by bus.

After getting off the bus, we used Naver Map directions to find Geumrang on the 6th floor of Marine Rich, and found it right away.

What are the atmosphere and the Gwangan Bridge ocean view like?

The first things that caught my eye as we walked in were the many Blue Ribbon marks and celebrity autographs. The walls were covered with signatures, so many that you'd know who they were just from the names.

Go through the inner door and, beyond the big windows, you get Geumrang's pride: a Gwangan Bridge view spread out like a painting. If you're looking for an ocean-view sashimi restaurant in Gwangalli, this is a view you shouldn't miss.

In the daytime you can enjoy the sparkling sunlit water and blue sea, and at night the romantic view of the Gwangan Bridge lit up, so I couldn't think of a better date spot. There are airy hall seats and also private rooms where groups can eat quietly, so it looked perfectly suitable for gatherings or company dinners too.

How much is the Subyeon Hansang course, and what comes with it?

We ordered the Subyeon Hansang course (수변한상), ₩60,000 per person. It's Geumrang's best-selling menu: wild mixed sashimi as the main, plus a nonstop parade of side dishes (seukkidashi) too numerous to count, including steamed abalone, mero steak, gonowata (sea cucumber innards), sannakji tangtangi (chopped live octopus) and marinated shrimp.

One tip if you plan to visit: go very hungry, with an empty stomach. We came all the way from Seoul to Busan and reached the restaurant at 2 p.m., so we were already starving, and still the sheer amount left us speechless.

First round: abalone porridge, seasoned raw fish and buckwheat noodles

The course starts with warm abalone porridge. Just as we were soaking in the sea view after ordering, it arrived, and the rich, nutty flavor of abalone innards gently soothed my empty stomach and really got my appetite going before the main meal.

Next came hoe-muchim (seasoned raw fish salad) with buckwheat noodles, with a great balance of sweet, sour and spicy sauce. Mixing crunchy fresh vegetables, chewy fish and bouncy buckwheat noodles together made a wonderful appetizer.

Live octopus, marinated shrimp, steamed abalone and raw shrimp sides

Before the sashimi even arrived, the table was already loaded with so many side dishes it looked ready to collapse. Seafood plates kept coming until there was hardly any empty space, and I couldn't stop exclaiming.

The wriggling sannakji tangtangi proved its freshness, chewy the moment it hit my mouth with a pleasant sea aroma. The marinated shrimp (saeu-jang) was not salty, just pleasantly sweet, and the steamed abalone was tender, not tough, all of it high quality. The raw shrimp was so fresh that I'd honestly never seen shrimp that lively in my life.

Hot iron-plate dishes like butter-grilled scallops

Hot iron-plate dishes slipped in between the cold, fresh seafood, so the course never got monotonous. The butter-grilled scallops were beautifully browned, the rich buttery flavor and the scallop's natural sweetness blending perfectly and melting in my mouth.

Even if you're with someone who doesn't really enjoy raw fish, the quality of the side dishes alone makes for a filling, satisfying meal.

What fish come in the wild mixed sashimi platter?

The highlight of the Subyeon Hansang, the wild mixed sashimi, had masukkawa (skin-blanched) sea bream, sea bream, greater amberjack, rockfish, mulchi (slender-ish local fish), sea bass and engawa (flounder fin). While we were enjoying the lavish side dishes, the platter finally made its grand entrance, and true to its long reputation as a Gwangalli local favorite, it was made only of seasonal live fish sent straight from the source, with exceptional sheen and freshness.

From the skin-blanched sea bream to thick-cut amberjack, rockfish, mulchi, sea bass and the prized engawa, the plating was like a work of art, and eating with my eyes first was half the fun.

The fish was cut thick and generous, so each bite filled my mouth. The masukkawa sea bream, with only the skin lightly blanched in hot water, had chewy skin and tender flesh at once, and the texture was art. The fatty mulchi and engawa were crunchy with each bite, wrapping my mouth in rich, melting sweetness.

The most memorable bite: dipping fish in gonowata

What impressed me most at this Geumrang meal was the gonowata (sea cucumber innards). I was skeptical at first, but dipping white fish deep into the rich, concentrated sea-flavored gonowata set off a salty, heavy burst of savoriness. My worries vanished and I was hooked, eating it again and again the way the table's instructions suggested.

Can you get a sashimi refill at Geumrang?

If you run short of sashimi, Geumrang gives you one free refill on a small plate! With such generous hospitality even big eaters will leave full, a true value champion.

Finishing the course: mero steak, roe rice and spicy fish stew

After the sashimi come mero steak (Chilean sea bass), corn fritters and flying fish roe rice, and the meal ends with spicy fish stew (maeun-tang; you can choose clear jiri-tang instead). The tender mero steak soaked in sweet special soy sauce, the crispy fried corn, and the rice loaded with popping flying fish roe all comforted my stomach.

The spicy, refreshing maeun-tang was the perfect finale to such a varied meal. The broth was so good that my boyfriend, who had already put his spoon down saying he was full, picked it back up.

How was Geumrang as a first meal in Busan?

At Geumrang we enjoyed the grand open Gwangan Bridge ocean view, fresh live sashimi and high-quality side dishes all at once, and it started our Busan trip off perfectly. If you want a place with a reasonable price, a table piled so full it nearly bends, and a romantic mood, I recommend it. It was an unforgettable, satisfying meal at a long-established Gwangalli local favorite.