After-work izakaya in Suyu, Seoul: 84,000-won set for 3 at Bunko Suyu

It had been a while since I had a get-together in Suyu after work! While looking for a place, I went to Bunko Suyu (분코 수유점), famous in Suyu for its nice atmosphere and generous menu, haha.

Bunko Suyu hours and reservations

Bunko Suyu is open Tue–Fri 18:00–02:00 and Sat–Sun 17:00–02:00, with last order at 01:00. It is closed every Monday.

• 4-minute walk from Suyu Station Exit 7
• Restroom inside the venue (unisex)
• Naver Reservation available
• Welcome sake if you visit after reserving

How to get to Bunko Suyu from Suyu Station

Bunko Suyu is a 4-minute walk from Suyu Station Exit 7!! Keep going straight along the Suyu Station food alley, then turn into the side alley between Myeongnyang Hotdog and싱싱오지어바다 (a seafood shop), and you'll see it right away!!

There's a menu board out front, so you can check the menu first!!

Follow the blue stairs up and you're almost there!!

Bunko Suyu atmosphere and seating

The Japanese-style interior at Bunko Suyu isn't overdone, and it's cozy, so it's a comfortable place to talk!! It felt great for group gatherings and for dates too~

There's also a no-blank lucky draw event (every draw wins), so definitely join in!!

What side dishes come free at Bunko Suyu?

The basic side dish at Bunko Suyu is bean sprout salad. Bunko Suyu... the bean sprouts are insanely good 💗 I don't normally love bean sprouts, but whenever I come here I eat tons of them^^

I don't think this used to be served, but this time they also gave us Korean melon and cherry tomatoes!! Nice as an appetizer before the main meal 👏

Bunko Suyu set for 3: what's in it and the price

The Bunko Suyu set for 3 costs ₩84,000 and includes sashimi, menchi-katsu (breaded minced meat cutlet), crab innard pasta, futomaki (thick sushi roll), and jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup). Whenever I visit Bunko Suyu, I always order the set for 3!! The reason... you get to try lots of different dishes at once!!

• Sashimi
• Menchi-katsu
• Crab innard pasta
• Futomaki
• Jjamppong

The look of the set for 3... amazing!!! Totally... a feast ❣️

Heads up: on the day I visited, the futomaki was replaced with salmon and shrimp sushi and egg sushi! Also, the crab innard pasta and jjamppong are noodle dishes, so they're served on request, paced to your eating speed, so you can enjoy the other dishes at leisure first!!

Menchi-katsu

The menchi-katsu at Bunko Suyu was really crispy outside and moist and juicy inside, and with the first bite I understood why it's a popular dish. Dip it lightly in the sauce and the meat flavor comes out even more, so I kept reaching for it!! If you go to Bunko in Suyu, definitely order this

Sashimi

My top pick among the sashimi was the grilled squid. (I was too busy eating to take individual sashimi photos, sob.) Overall the sashimi was fresh! The slices were a good thickness, so the texture really came through~

Shrimp and egg sushi served instead of futomaki

The shrimp sushi and egg sushi that replaced the futomaki were much better than I expected.

The shrimp was plump and springy, and the egg sushi was sweet and soft, cleansing the palate between bites. In the end I was happy to get a wider variety of flavors!!

Crab innard pasta

The rich, nutty flavor of the crab innards in the crab innard pasta at Bunko Suyu went really well with the cream sauce. It could easily have been heavy, but the right seasoning let me finish it happily, and the sauce soaked into the noodles nicely. A must-recommend if you like crab innards!! (Salty, but addictive)

Jjamppong

The jjamppong, the last dish of the set for 3, impressed me with its spicy, deep broth!! After the sashimi, menchi-katsu and pasta it could have felt a bit heavy, but the jjamppong broth wiped my palate clean. The broth was rich, so it was a perfect way to finish the meal!!

How was the extra chicken neck yuringi (₩16,000)?

The chicken neck yuringi (fried chicken with soy-vinegar sauce) at Bunko Suyu is ₩16,000, and it was fried crispy outside and moist inside, with a really good texture. It wasn't greasy at all, and I enjoyed it to the end; paired with the crunchy vegetables, the flavor tasted even cleaner!! It's a side dish, but very satisfying

Is Bunko Suyu a good group bar in Suyu?

If you're looking for a group bar with good atmosphere in Suyu, Bunko Suyu is definitely worth recommending!!

• A set for 3 that lets you enjoy a variety of dishes at once
• Fresh sashimi and crispy menchi-katsu
• Richly flavored crab innard pasta
• A clean finish with spicy jjamppong
• An atmosphere that suits friend gatherings, company dinners and dates

It was a bit of a shame that the futomaki was swapped for shrimp and egg sushi, but the sushi quality was good too, so it was a thoroughly satisfying meal! If you want a spot in Suyu with both good food and good atmosphere, I recommend visiting Bunko Suyu once~