Jongno seafood restaurant spicy ramen after work: Parang Haenyeojip

Today I'm writing about my visit to Parang Haenyeojip Jongno Branch, famous as a Jongak Station seafood spot, haha! Raw shrimp is in season right now, and my friends are all soju fanatics... so after work, my high school friends and I went out for a long-overdue good meal, hehe.

Parang Haenyeojip Jongno Branch: location, hours and reservations

• Location: 37 Ujeongguk-ro 2-gil, 1F, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: 16:00–1:30 (or 2:00) — hours vary by day, so check in advance
• Parking: streets are very narrow, so use a nearby public parking lot
• Reservations: available via Naver Reservation

I found this place while looking for somewhere for seafood or sashimi near Jongak Station, and it looked like a good spot for a casual drink with friends too, so I booked through Naver and went. We showed up around 6:30 pm on a Thursday after work. Since we'd reserved, I wasn't worried about not getting a seat, hehe. But when we walked in, the place was almost completely full! Guess that's what happens during the after-work rush. If you're planning to go, booking on Naver ahead of time is a must!

What is the atmosphere like inside Parang Haenyeojip?

The moment I walked into Parang Haenyeojip Jongno Branch, the unique interior caught my eye. The whole place has this feeling of being inside a ship? I oddly felt like I'd become the captain of a boat, hahahaha.

That said, since the place was nearly full that night, it felt pretty loud overall. We hadn't seen each other in a while and wanted to actually talk, but sitting in the middle of the room made it a bit hard to hear each other! This isn't really a spot for a quiet meal and conversation — it's more suited to a loud, rowdy night out drinking with friends or coworkers.

The menu and how ordering works

Here's the full menu at Parang Haenyeojip Jongno Branch, haha. Ordering is done through a table-order kiosk, which was convenient — no need to keep flagging down staff, you can just look at the menu and order right away.

What three friends ordered for dinner

We ordered three things total: raw shrimp sashimi for 40,000 won, stone octopus and haenyeo bossam (Korean-style boiled pork wrap) for 34,000 won, and spicy seafood ramen for 12,000 won. Split between the three of us, the portions were just about right.

Raw shrimp sashimi, 40,000 won

The first thing that came out was the raw shrimp sashimi! It looked fresh just from the visuals, and it tasted just as fresh — clean, with none of that fishy edge. You could really feel the springy texture that raw shrimp has, and it went down clean with no off flavors. Freshness matters most with seafood, and everything here definitely felt fresh. Also, I tried fried shrimp heads for the first time, and they were delicious.

Stone octopus with haenyeo bossam, 34,000 won

Next was the stone octopus and haenyeo bossam! I liked that the plating came out clean and neat. The bossam was tender and the kimchi was tasty, and eating it together with the stone octopus made for a pretty great combo! The bossam especially was soft rather than dry, which made it delicious. It's a good option when ordering two full sashimi dishes at a seafood place feels like too much — and it was easy for the three of us to share and pick at.

Spicy seafood ramen, 12,000 won

Surprisingly, the spicy seafood ramen was the standout. We were there for sashimi and seafood, so we figured we'd cap things off with a ramen — but it was way better than expected, honestly surprised me, haha. It's packed with seafood, so the broth was incredibly refreshing, and it lived up to its name with a proper spicy kick. The clean, savory flavor from the seafood really soaked into the broth, so it wasn't just spicy ramen — it had that distinct clean seafood-ramen taste.

Feels like getting cured from a hangover in real time

That's how my friend put it, haha.

Also, I saw a soju called Busan Galmaegi for the first time that night, and for someone like me who drinks maybe 3-4 times a year, it was way too bitter 🤣 I think I should just give up drinking altogether at this point.

Is Parang Haenyeojip Jongno Branch worth a visit?

Turns out Parang Haenyeojip is already well known as an aged sashimi spot. So I'd recommend it to anyone looking for an aged sashimi restaurant in Jongno, or a seafood restaurant near Jongak Station!

• Taste: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (fresh and delicious!! especially recommend the spicy seafood ramen)
• Price: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (decent for sashimi dishes, though a bit more volume would've been nice!)
• Space & atmosphere: ⭐️⭐️.5 (a bit loud, which actually makes it good for a work dinner, but so-so for real conversation)
• 💛Would I return: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Next time I want to try the sashimi menu!!