Day drinking at Mangwon-dong sashimi bar with free sides: Mapo Bamdada

This was truly my first time ever going to Mapo-gu Office Station. I'm not that familiar with the Mapo/Hongdae area, but I had business nearby (Oktoberfest) so I went for daytime drinks with my boyfriend, Yeoljeongman.

The daytime drinking menu: seasonal raw shrimp sashimi. Generous portions and excellent complimentary side dishes at this Mangwon-dong seafood restaurant, Mapo Bamdada~~~

Where is Mapo Bamdada and when is it open?

Mapo Bamdada is on the 1st floor at 146 World Cup-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, open daily from 12:00 to 1:00. Come out Exit 4 of Mapo-gu Office Station and walk straight for about 3 minutes.

I gave the tank out front a good look. Quite a few big squid in there. A Mangwon-dong seafood spot that also serves live squid.

Inside Mapo Bamdada: how big is the place?

The inside of Mapo Bamdada is fairly modest, with about 7-8 tables. But having a restroom inside the restaurant makes it the perfect spot for people who are drinking.

What's on the menu at Mapo Bamdada?

Mapo Bamdada offers everything from omakase sets to mulhoe, seafood, a la carte dishes, and set menus. There are also various events, so there's the fun of getting extra freebies.

Free side dishes: soy sauce shrimp, mulhoe, braised kodari and clam soup

Ordering the raw shrimp sashimi at Mapo Bamdada, the complimentary spread came out all at once. Whoa.

Soy sauce shrimp and mulhoe!

Braised kodari (dried pollack) piled high with bean sprouts.

The mulhoe's seasoning was sweet, tangy, and refreshing — the kind of flavor that makes you want to mix in some somyeon noodles.

The kodari was moist with a good, meaty texture too. With the spicy seasoning added, it really wakes up your appetite.

Then a bubbling hot stone pot arrived! I thought it might be radish soup, but it was actually clam soup packed with plump clams. Spicy and hot — total soju food.

My girlfriend peeling the soy sauce shrimp for me. So sweet. (Okay, I actually ordered her to.) Love you, Yeoljeongman~

The soy sauce shrimp is also sold separately, and it's worth ordering. The slight sweetness and saltiness calls for soju too. So good!!!!

How the raw shrimp sashimi arrives at Mapo Bamdada

At Mapo Bamdada, the raw shrimp sashimi is caught right after you order, then briefly frozen and aged before serving. By the time we'd worked through the hearty side dishes, it finally showed up. It took a little while to arrive, but that's because they catch it fresh right when you order and then age it — the visuals were absolutely gorgeous.

Wait, how many shrimp is this. Even the heads came out fried crisp.

Cheers—

At this Mangwon-dong seafood restaurant, the raw shrimp sashimi doesn't just come plain. Two kinds of spicy sauce to dip (probably sriracha and chipotle), plus pickled radish, wasabi, and flying fish roe.

The best way to eat raw shrimp sashimi: chipotle sauce and flying fish roe

First, plain with soy sauce. Springy and sweet — this is the taste of the season!!! If you're looking for raw shrimp sashimi in Mangwon-dong, go to Mapo Bamdada.

I had no idea why that sauce was even on the table, but according to my mukbang-expert boyfriend Yeoljeongman, dipping it in chipotle sauce then piling on flying fish roe is the current trend!!!

Whoa. Spicy plus garlicky plus the pop of the fish roe — the raw shrimp sashimi never gets boring.

And apparently wrapping it in seaweed with aged kimchi is also trending these days? We didn't have seaweed or aged kimchi, but I used the chamnamul (aster) salad and baek-kimchi that came as side dishes instead, and it was also delicious.

Dipping it in sriracha alone is nicely spicy too.

Honestly, the head is the real main event with shrimp!! Peeling off the helmet — everyone knows that trick by now. Fried crisp on the outside, but the innards inside are moist and nutty. This is exactly why you eat raw shrimp!! Ahh.

KakaoTalk channel roulette perk at Mapo Bamdada

Add Mapo Bamdada's KakaoTalk channel and you get to spin a roulette wheel — this is how I got a free sea squirt! If you're lucky, you might win an omakase set or abalone. But honestly, sea squirt is all I need.

We ended things with Yeoljeongman, having eaten happily and somehow walking out wearing an apron.

Recommended if you're looking for raw shrimp sashimi in Mangwon-dong, Mapo. Even if not, recommended if you want a good Mangwon-dong seafood restaurant for daytime drinking. Recommended too if you just feel like eating sashimi. The friendly staff made it even better — Mapo Bamdada, a Mangwon-dong favorite. The end 🌊