Jeonpo, Busan sashimi bar with fried-food refills: Rigo Susan

Rigo Susan: an aged sashimi bar by Jeonpo Station in Busan

I've been wanting good sashimi and a drink in Jeonpo-dong lately, so I looked around and ended up at Rigo Susan Jeonpo Station Main Branch (리고수산 전포역본점), a Jeonpo bar. It's known as a Jeonpo-dong spot specializing in aged mixed sashimi platters — apparently they get live fish delivered every morning and age salmon, flatfish, rockfish, and other seasonal fish at the optimal temperature.

I like aged sashimi so I went in with high expectations, and not only was the sashimi great, the side dishes that came with it were also so generous that I left properly full for once, haha.

How to find Rigo Susan near Jeonpo Station in Jeonpo-dong

Rigo Susan is near Jeonpo Station, so it was easy to find. There are so many good-vibe bars and restaurants in Jeonpo-dong that it's hard to choose, but this day I was craving sashimi, so I looked up Jeonpo bar recommendations and ended up here.

Looking at the menu, I agonized between the gizzard shad sashimi set and the live fish aged mixed sashimi platter. The gizzard shad had me curious too, but I wanted to try a variety of sashimi this time, so I went with the live fish aged mixed sashimi platter!

What sides come with the aged mixed sashimi platter at Rigo Susan?

Before the mixed sashimi even arrived, I was genuinely surprised by the huge spread of side dishes set out first. I figured a sashimi-specialist bar would just have basic sides, but it turned out to be way more generous than expected, filling up the whole table.

There was everything from okonomiyaki, steamed shrimp, rolled gimbap (seaweed rice roll), tteokbokki (spicy stir-fried rice cakes), udon, salad, corn cheese, and various fried dishes. I tried each one and, surprisingly(?), every single thing was delicious, so I basically cleaned the table that day, haha.

The fried food was the best part — and refills are free

The dish I enjoyed most was the fried food! Crispy on the outside and savory inside like Japanese kushikatsu, it was perfect for eating while waiting for the main sashimi platter. Both the squid fritters and the fries were so good that I ended up ordering a refill 😆

With so many sides on the table, there was never a worry about drinking snacks while waiting for the sashimi, and I loved getting to enjoy so many different flavors.

Inside the platter: aged flatfish, salmon and yellowtail amberjack

Finally, the main event — the live fish aged mixed sashimi platter — arrived. That day's platter had flatfish, salmon, and yellowtail amberjack, served with fresh wasabi, pickled shallots, sushi rice, radish sprouts, ginger, and lemon.

With several types of sashimi on one platter, the colors were pretty and the portion looked quite generous. I started with the flatfish, and maybe because it was aged,

it had a different feel from regular live-fish sashimi. The texture was pleasantly chewy yet soft, with a nice umami flavor. The yellowtail amberjack had a nice savory taste,

and the salmon was so good paired with fresh wasabi. I especially like eating salmon sushi-style, so I put a piece of salmon on the sushi rice and piled on a generous amount of fresh wasabi — this combo was really delicious 🤍

Adding pickled shallots, radish sprouts, or ginger let me enjoy the same sashimi in different ways each time. With so many kinds of sashimi to alternate between bite by bite, the drinks really went down smoothly, haha.

Finishing with spicy fish stew with tofu and sansho pepper

Even after eating my fill of sashimi and sides, something still felt missing, so at the end we ordered a spicy fish stew too. After all, a meal of sashimi feels properly complete when you finish with a hot bowl of soup :)

The stew had tofu and sansho pepper in it, and the broth was refreshing and spicy in a way that hit the spot. Having a drink, eating sashimi, and finishing with warm soup made for a perfect ending.

Is Rigo Susan worth it for a night out in Jeonpo, Busan?

This visit to Rigo Susan Jeonpo Station Main Branch showed it's not just a place for sashimi — it's great for enjoying a generous full spread of sides alongside aged sashimi.

In particular, the live fish aged mixed sashimi platter lets you try flatfish, salmon, and yellowtail amberjack all at once, so it'd suit anyone who likes trying several kinds of sashimi. The sashimi was great, but personally, the side dishes that came with it were surprisingly delicious and left the biggest impression on me.

From crispy fried food to tteokbokki, okonomiyaki, and udon, there's so much variety to enjoy, making it a great spot to visit with a group for drinks.

If you're looking for a place in Jeonpo-dong to enjoy sashimi and drinks together, I'd recommend Rigo Susan Jeonpo Station Main Branch as a Jeonpo bar, Jeonpo-dong aged sashimi spot, and Jeonpo Station bar. 🍻