Sushi and Kansai oden in Hapjeong: 13-piece set & wagyu, Sushi Sakaba

Here is a quick summary of my visit to Sushi Sakaba Hapjeong (스시사카바 합정), a Hapjeong favorite.

• 5-minute walk from Hapjeong Station Exits 3 and 4
• Run by an owner chef who trained in fine dining abroad
• Fresh fish brought in every dawn from the fish market
• Sushi can be ordered one piece at a time
• Recommended: 13-piece Jeong sushi set, Kansai oden soup
• Great for blind dates, dates and group dinners
• A place for both Hapjeong sushi and a Hongdae-Hapjeong izakaya vibe
• A newly renovated Hapjeong sushi spot

Sushi Sakaba Hapjeong is a place near Hapjeong Station where you can enjoy sushi and izakaya (Japanese pub) food together. I found it while searching for a good Hapjeong sushi spot and a Hongdae-Hapjeong izakaya. I went after hearing that the fish is brought in fresh every dawn from the fish market and that the owner chef comes from overseas fine dining.

After visiting, I was really satisfied: the sushi quality was great, the interior has an authentic Japanese feel, and there is a wide range of izakaya dishes.

How to get to Sushi Sakaba Hapjeong, and parking

The restaurant is about 300m from Hapjeong Station Exits 3 and 4, roughly a 5-minute walk. Public transport access is very good.

We came by car. The restaurant recommends the Hapjeong street public parking lot, but it was a weekend and finding a spot was not easy. After circling a bit, we parked in a Sunday-parking-allowed zone across from Olive Young Hapjeong Café Street branch and walked about 4 minutes. If you're planning a Hapjeong date or a Hongdae-Hapjeong izakaya night, public transport is probably easier.

Japanese vibes starting from the exterior

Sushi Sakaba Hapjeong is on the 2nd floor of a building. A standing signboard at the entrance shows the menu, so you can see what they serve before heading up. I liked that.

What stood out most was that you can order sushi by the single piece. Most sushi places mostly sell sets, but here you can pick just the pieces you want, which seemed a big plus.

The Sushi Sakaba logo is stuck on every step of the staircase, which gives it a Japanese tavern feel right away. I stumbled in while searching for a Hapjeong sushi place, but the entrance alone got me excited.

What is the newly renovated Sushi Sakaba Hapjeong like?

Sushi Sakaba Hapjeong is a renovated reopening of a previous Hapjeong sushi restaurant, and it is said to be run directly by an owner chef from overseas fine dining. The first thing I noticed when I walked in was the notice about the renovation.

There are lots of sushi places and izakayas these days, but not many where you can feel the chef's philosophy. This felt less like a place that just sells sushi and more like one trying to bring out the true flavor of food through good ingredients. They say they use fish from the market every morning because freshness matters most to them. Eating there, the fish was in great condition and the aging was excellent.

An interior that feels like Japan

The interior is mostly black and wood tones. It's neither flashy nor too dark, a nicely balanced mood that impressed me. Warm-toned pendant lights hang from the ceiling, and the walls are decorated with Japanese-style posters and props.

It's the kind of atmosphere people looking for a blind-date spot or a Hapjeong date spot would like. The soft lighting makes food photos look pretty and the space feels calm. Tables are spaced widely, so it's good for conversation, and it looked fine for a group dinner too.

An open kitchen that inspires trust

My personal favorite part of Sushi Sakaba Hapjeong was the open kitchen. You can watch the chef make sushi, and the showcase holds the day's fresh ingredients neatly arranged.

Flounder, salmon, tuna, shrimp and more were kept tidy and clean. I think ingredients matter most in food, and this place earned my trust on that point.

What did we order, and how much was it?

On this visit I paid ₩71,200 in total for the 13-piece Jeong sushi set (정초밥세트) and Kansai oden soup, plus six types of single-piece sushi. Here is what I ordered.

• Jeong sushi set, 13 pieces
• Kansai oden soup
• Flounder nigiri
• Salmon apple mayo
• Wagyu nigiri
• Soy-marinated shrimp nigiri
• Vinegared shrimp nigiri
• Egg nigiri

What's in the 13-piece Jeong sushi set?

Soon the star of the day, the 13-piece Jeong sushi set, arrived. Honestly, it looked better in person than in photos. A variety of sushi sat neatly on one plate with lovely colors. The lineup was as follows.

• Flounder
• Tuna back
• Sea bream
• Salmon
• Tuna belly
• Seasonal fish
• Blue-backed fish
• Wagyu
• Sweet shrimp
• Steamed abalone
• Ankimo (monkfish liver)
• Eel
• Futomaki (thick roll)
• Egg nigiri

It offers a far wider range of ingredients than an ordinary sushi set.

🐠 Flounder nigiri

I always start with flounder at a sushi place, because I think it tells you a lot about a restaurant's basics. A subtle sweetness and umami spread the moment it hit my mouth. The aging was good, and the rice was loose enough not to get in the way of the fish. Satisfying from the very first piece.

🐟 Sea bream nigiri

The sea bream was a bit chewier than the flounder. Clean yet refined in flavor. The subtle umami that came up as I chewed was nice.

🧡 Salmon nigiri

The salmon was thickly cut. A rich, nutty fattiness spread as soon as it went in, and the melt-in-your-mouth texture was great. Salmon lovers will be very happy.

🐟 Tuna back & tuna belly

The tuna back was clean and light. The tuna belly, on the other hand, had a totally different charm. It melted softly the moment it went in, with a rich flavor. I could see why so many people love tuna belly.

🌊 Seasonal fish & blue-backed fish

The seasonal fish gives you a different treat each season. The blue-backed fish had that characteristic deep umami. Eaten with wasabi, the flavor came alive even more.

🥩 Wagyu nigiri

For me, this was one of the most memorable pieces of the day. The smoky aroma from the light torching and the juiciness were very appealing. After eating fish sushi, switching to wagyu was a fun change.

🍤 Sweet shrimp nigiri

The sweet shrimp was sweet, just as the name says. The chewy texture and natural sweetness stood out. That texture you only get with real freshness was fully there.

🐚 Steamed abalone nigiri

The abalone's characteristic springiness was alive. A faint scent of the sea rose as I chewed, and the texture was great.

⭐ Ankimo nigiri

Ankimo is commonly called monkfish liver. It's soft with a rich flavor, and it felt a bit like eating a fine dining dish. Personally, I was very satisfied with this one.

🔥 Eel nigiri

The sweet sauce and tender eel went well together. The flavor got richer as I chewed, and it's a taste anyone, young or old, would like.

🍙 Futomaki

This had more presence in the set than I expected. At first I thought it was just a side, but no. The futomaki was packed with various fillings, and one bite brought rich texture and flavor. I liked that it is a proper part of the Jeong set lineup.

Single-piece sushi ordered separately

Since Sushi Sakaba Hapjeong lets you order sushi by the piece, I ordered salmon apple mayo, wagyu, flounder, soy-marinated shrimp, vinegared shrimp and egg nigiri, one piece each, on top of the Jeong set.

🍲 You have to order the Kansai oden soup

The Kansai oden soup (fish cake hot pot) at Sushi Sakaba Hapjeong has a deep, rich umami but is not at all harsh. Sushi was the main draw, so I didn't expect much from the oden, but my mind changed completely after one spoonful of broth. I kept going back for more.

The radish had soaked up plenty of broth, and the fish cake was chewy yet tender. Bean sprouts and chives made the broth even more refreshing. Eating sushi, sipping a spoonful of broth, then going back to sushi was a really great combination.

My honest verdict after visiting

If you're looking for a good Hapjeong sushi restaurant, I think Sushi Sakaba Hapjeong will more than satisfy you.

• Cleaner interior after the recent renovation
• Owner chef from overseas fine dining
• Fish delivered straight from the dawn fish market
• The varied lineup of the 13-piece Jeong sushi set
• Sushi available by the single piece
• Warm, deep Kansai oden soup
• An atmosphere that suits dates and blind dates

Having been there, it's not just a place with tasty sushi; the time spent eating is enjoyable in itself. Whether you want a Hapjeong date spot, a Hongdae-Hapjeong izakaya or a Hapjeong sushi restaurant, it seems worth a visit.

Next time I definitely want to try the assorted sashimi and the Jeju silver hairtail tempura. 100% going back. It was a day I found a Hapjeong sushi place I was happy with after a long time. 🍣✨

Sushi Sakaba Hapjeong location and hours

• Address: 2F, 38 Dongmak-ro 3-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Mon–Sat: 11:30–23:50 (break time 14:30–17:00)
• Sun: 11:30–22:00 (break time 14:30–17:00)