# Seolleung izakaya free starter: fried sweet shrimp heads at Sakai - By Sohye (https://superchart.com/en/@travel-case-pages/) - Written Sep 18, 2026 - Local places › Restaurants › Gangnam, Seoul - Sponsored: This post was written as a paid visit sponsorship. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@travel-case-pages/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@travel-case-pages/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki/index.md) ## In short Sakai is a Japanese sushi izakaya in Gangnam, Seoul, tucked down an alley 6 minutes on foot from Exit 1 of Seolleung Station. The meal at Sakai opened with a complimentary snack of fried sweet shrimp heads, followed by the day's special of snow crab already picked from the shell, sweet shrimp with kimi sauce (₩4,500), benjari (₩4,500) and mackerel-shiso hosomaki (₩10,000), plus Suntory draft beer and a Kaku Highball. For a solo drink after work or a low-key get-together with seriously good bar food, Sakai is worth the walk. ## Good to know - **Address**: 15 Yeoksam-ro 67-gil, 1F Unit 101, Gangnam-gu, Seoul - **Getting there**: 479m from Exit 1 of Seolleung Station (Suin-Bundang Line); 6-minute walk from Exits 1 and 2, down an alley - **Hours**: Open daily, last order at midnight - **Amenities**: Groups welcome, WiFi, separate men's and women's restrooms, reservations available - **Sweet shrimp with kimi sauce**: ₩4,500 - **Benjari**: ₩4,500 - **Hosomaki**: ₩10,000 (choice of 5) - **Suntory draft beer**: ₩10,000 - **Price reference**: ₩4,500 ≈ $3.2 · ₩10,000 ≈ $7.2 (2026-09-19) *as written by the visitor on Sep 18, 2026* ![Main photo of Sakai izakaya near Seolleung Station](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki-01-ndh4z-1200.webp) 📍 Address: 15 Yeoksam-ro 67-gil, 1F 101, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea (479m from Exit 1 of Seolleung Station) 🕐 Hours: Open every day, last order at midnight 🔴 Amenities: Group seating available / WiFi / separate men's and women's restrooms / reservations possible ## Where is Sakai near Seolleung Station, and what is it like inside? Sakai is a Japanese izakaya tucked into an alley about a 6-minute walk from either Exit 1 or Exit 2 of Seolleung Station. I was hunting for a great after-work beer-and-snacks spot near Seolleung and went in with high hopes for Sakai, which has been getting real buzz lately for its food quality! ![Exterior of Sakai tucked inside an alley](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki-02-p0h51-900.webp) ![Entrance of Sakai, 6 minutes on foot from Seolleung Station](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki-03-1j03r-m-900.webp) The inside had that cozy, simple izakaya warmth going on ![Cozy, simple interior of Sakai](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki-04-lo4u9-900.webp) ![Warm-toned interior of the izakaya](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki-05-z0lei-900.webp) ![Bar table seating good for solo drinking at Sakai](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki-06-d6hdb-900.webp) The bar seating and cozy layout made it look totally comfortable for solo drinking after work near Seolleung ![Larger seating area for groups](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki-07-7vzrp-900.webp) There's also this bigger seating area, perfect for gathering with people who matter after work in a warm, relaxed space! ## What we ordered at Sakai Sakai has a solid lineup, from a daily special using fresh same-day ingredients to a variety of Japanese snacks that grab your appetite ![Sakai's menu of Japanese snacks and sushi](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki-08-ls8ch-900.webp) After some deliberation, I ordered a mix of the famous signatures and dishes that matched my taste! ![Table set with the ordered dishes](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki-09-1yuwo-900.webp) ### The free starter: fried sweet shrimp heads First came the house snack — fried sweet shrimp heads. The batter was thin and nutty, perfect beer food. Each dish arrived carefully served one by one, and just the look of them was mouthwatering! ![Fried sweet shrimp heads, the house snack](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki-10-1soh5-900.webp) ### Today's special: snow crab, picked from the shell for you ![Today's special: crab picked by someone else](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki-11-1hksy-900.webp) Sakai's daily recommendation changes every day, and today's had a clever name — "crab picked for you by someone else." Curious, I ordered it right away! Sweet, softly picked crab meat topped generously with nutty uni (sea urchin) and popping flying fish roe — so luxurious and satisfying ![Crab meat topped with uni and flying fish roe](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki-12-403gf-900.webp) ![Close-up of picked crab meat](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki-13-17uo3-900.webp) The moment I took a bite, a rich ocean aroma and the crab's signature umami spread through my mouth — totally my taste ![A single bite-sized portion of the crab dish](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki-14-1i5jo-900.webp) ![Plate combining crab and uni](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki-15-jah7k-900.webp) ### Sweet shrimp with kimi sauce (₩4,500) ![Sweet shrimp kimi sauce sushi](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki-16-a7u4p-900.webp) ![Sweet shrimp sushi topped with egg-yolk kimi sauce](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki-17-sbcea-900.webp) Sakai has a lot of sushi options too, so I struggled to decide, but this sweet shrimp seemed to be a popular order. Just look at that gorgeous color! The sweet shrimp tossed in a rich egg-yolk-based kimi sauce was chewy and sweet in the best way ![Torch-seared benjari sushi](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki-18-1x802-900.webp) ### Benjari (₩4,500) The lightly torch-seared benjari, with its nutty aroma cranked up, just melted the moment it hit my mouth! ![A single piece of nigiri ordered individually](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki-19-1so2h-900.webp) ![Close-up of Sakai's sushi](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki-20-1cscm-900.webp) Since you can order pieces individually at an affordable price, it was really great for trying a variety of flavors to taste ![Hosomaki with mackerel and shiso](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki-21-s1m2t-900.webp) ### Mackerel and shiso hosomaki (₩10,000) You could pick your hosomaki (thin seaweed roll) from 5 kinds, and I went with a mackerel and shiso combo. I liked that you could choose your own filling based on preference ![Cross-section of the hosomaki](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki-22-tiqv0-900.webp) The mackerel had zero fishiness — just clean, nutty flavor. So good! ![A glass of Suntory draft beer](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki-23-25zwq-900.webp) ### Suntory draft beer (₩10,000) and a Kaku Highball ![Table with draft beer and sushi together](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki-24-h4vte-900.webp) You can't skip a cold, smooth Suntory draft here. Full of soft foam, paired with sushi — need I say more!! Best combo ever After finishing the beer, I also ordered a refreshingly crisp Kaku Highball — made with soda water, so it wasn't too sweet and was really tasty. Felt like all my stress just flew away! ## Final verdict: who should drink at Sakai in Seolleung? Sakai near Seolleung was the perfect spot for a satisfying drink alongside delicate, carefully made Japanese dishes. If you're looking for a proper drinking-food spot near Seolleung Station or want to unwind in a cozy atmosphere, stop by. - Anyone looking for an izakaya near Seolleung Station with perfect drinking-food quality - Anyone who wants fresh seafood dishes like crab, uni, and mackerel with a highball - Anyone who wants a cozy, comfortable spot for solo drinks or a date ## Where it is - Sakai (사카이) - 15 Yeoksam-ro 67-gil, 1F 101, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea - 서울특별시 강남구 역삼로67길 15 1층 101호 - 37.5023593, 127.0528285 - Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EC%82%AC%EC%B9%B4%EC%9D%B4/@37.5023593,127.0528285,17z --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@travel-case-pages/seolleung-izakaya-shrimp-head-tempura-hosomaki/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt