Late-night Busan bar: shrimp topped with beef tartare at Yuumangju

Between Seomyeon and Jeonpo, the new bar Yuumangju Seomyeon Branch

Hi, this is Woo-to! Today I'm bringing you my review of Yuumangju, a Seomyeon bar I visited a little while ago. The main menu lineup was so solid that I spent ages deciding what to order, haha. It just opened recently so there's no wait yet, but it's one of those Seomyeon bars that's steadily gaining a reputation by word of mouth!

Yuumangju Seomyeon Branch sits right in the middle of the hot spot between Seomyeon and Jeonpo! It's on the main street of Seomyeon itself, and it connects straight to Jeonpo next door, so it's great for a first round before moving on somewhere else!

These days, trendy bars all seem to have a photo zone right at the entrance, haha. Yuumangju, this new Seomyeon bar, has a fun mirrored space right at the door! I bet if you turn on your flash and take a photo there, you'd get a pretty hip shot, lol.

The mood inside around midnight on a weeknight

I visited late on a weeknight! Even close to midnight there were still quite a few customers scattered around, so I tried to take photos avoiding those spots as much as possible! In the photos the inside of Yuumangju Seomyeon looks a bit bright, but in person the dark tones and lighting give it a somewhat private feel! Even though it's not a private room, once you sit at your table it almost feels like your table is the only one that exists.

The menu at Yuumangju Seomyeon

Here's the menu board at Yuumangju, this new Seomyeon bar! The main menu was lined up with such solid dishes that I really struggled to decide what to order...! After a long deliberation, I went with the Yukhoe & Shrimp Jang-Kal Bibim, which has both my friend's favorite raw beef tartare (yukhoe) and my favorite raw shrimp, haha.

For the side menu there was everything from pasta to spicy kimchi udon, doenjang hot-pot rice, cheese-loaded potato pancake, bingsu (shaved ice dessert), and even rice balls. Every single side dish looked delicious, so it seems like a great spot to come with a group and order whatever everyone's in the mood for and share!

The basic side dish is a garlic baguette! Crispy and savory — exactly the taste you'd expect, haha.

Since the food was so solid, I ended up ordering somaek (soju mixed with beer)... I really just meant to have a light beer... but that plan failed...

So what does the Yukhoe & Shrimp Jang-Kal Bibim taste like?

While I was pouring the somaek and waiting, the main dish came out fast! It's one big plate with bibim kalguksu (mixed knife-cut noodles), yukhoe, and shrimp topped with flying fish roe, all together, haha.

The yukhoe comes out slightly frozen at first! Once you break the egg yolk over it and mix well, then wait just a bit, it transforms into something moist and tender, haha.

I was already licking my lips while mixing it, haha.

Next up, the seasoned shrimp! On top there's flying fish roe that pops in your mouth. The sauce was rich and savory, and the shrimp's springy texture and sweet flavor were especially good — my favorite dish at Yuumangju, this Seomyeon bar!!

The bibim kalguksu noodles are amazing too...! The sauce has that sweet-and-tangy flavor with a bit of spice, and it even tastes like buldak (fire chicken sauce)...!!! Buldak lovers absolutely have to order this!!

This is the yukhoe my friend ate so happily!! I think this would taste great even eaten on its own like a yukhoe bibimbap. The sauce is delicious and the yukhoe gets moist as it melts, so it was really satisfying.

Look at the size of these shrimp, so hearty right?! That springy texture... I can't forget that sweet shrimp flavor...

The peaceful combo: beef tartare piled on shrimp

Then my friend and I got into an argument over whether the beef tartare or the shrimp was better, and I came up with a new idea

It's this: the peaceful idea of piling beef tartare on top of the shrimp and eating them together!! No need to argue over which is tastier — just add something delicious to something else delicious!!

I highly recommend this combo...! If you go to a bar in Seomyeon, stop by Yuumangju and try this combo before you leave...

Add in the egg garnish too and the savory, smooth flavor gets amplified even more!

One-line review of Yuumangju, a recommended Seomyeon bar ✨

Highly recommend the Yukhoe & Shrimp Jang-Kal Bibim!!! The atmosphere is nice and spacious, good for get-togethers, and it's not loud or rowdy at all, so it's easy to talk — a new Seomyeon bar worth checking out!