Gangnam sushi bar with Post-it nigiri orders and sake: Sakai

You know those days when you get off work and want just one drink? A whole platter of sashimi feels like too much, but having only beer feels a little sad. I found a place that comes to mind on exactly those days: Sakai, a sushi sakaba near Seolleung Station 🩵

A sushi sakaba is a Japanese-style sushi pub where you pair sushi with a drink. Here, you can choose the sushi you want piece by piece and order only as much as you feel like having.

A Seolleung sushi sakaba where you choose each piece

To give you the conclusion first

• The fun of choosing sushi one piece at a time ⭐️
• The snow crab and chutoro are absolute musts ⭐️
• Add a bottle of sake for the perfect Seolleung izakaya course ⭐️

Location and hours

It is at Unit 101, 1F, 15 Yeoksam-ro 67-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. It is about a six-minute walk from Exit 2 of Seolleung Station. Tucked into an alley, it was great for a quiet drink.

Hours are daily from 17:00 to 01:00, with last orders at 00:00. Sakai is regularly closed on the first Tuesday of every month, and Naver reservations are available.

When you walk in, the counter seats and a showcase full of fish are the first things that catch your eye.

There were sake bottles lined up by the hanji (traditional Korean paper) lattice window and warm wood-toned lighting. It genuinely felt like stepping into a little sushi restaurant on a Japanese side street.

There are table seats as well as counter seats, so I sat at a table. It was just right for two people to have a cozy conversation.

How to order sushi with a Post-it note

The ordering system here was seriously cute. There are Post-it notes and pens beside the menu, so you write down the sushi you want yourself.

Rather than eating only a preset sushi selection, you get to choose exactly what you feel like having that day 💜

Flounder, red sea bream, uni, salmon… as I wrote them down one by one, a whole Post-it note was full before I knew it, haha.

There is also a separate notice for the day’s limited menu based on what came in, so checking that first is the pro tip 👉

Nigiri and side-menu prices

Nigiri prices are per piece. Egg or bonito starts at ₩2,900, and most pieces are around ₩3,700, so it was easy to pick and choose without feeling pressured.

I ordered flounder (hirame) ₩3,700, red sea bream (madai) ₩3,700, salmon ₩3,700, gizzard shad (kohada) ₩3,700, flounder fin (engawa) ₩4,500, sweet shrimp (amaebi) ₩4,500, scallop (hotate) ₩5,300, medium-fatty tuna (chutoro) ₩6,100, and snow crab (zuwaigani) ₩9,000. Those are all per piece!

For sides, we had four pieces of aji fry (fried horse mackerel) for ₩15,000, Ippaku Suisei sake 180 ml for ₩18,000, and Suntory beer for ₩10,000.

A tasting where the snow crab and chutoro stood out

You have to have a glass of sake, right! It felt like all the day’s fatigue melted away, haha. Then, when the long-awaited first plate arrived, it was beautifully arranged with flounder, sea bream, engawa, gizzard shad, scallop, and salmon. The colors were so pretty that I spent ages taking photos.

The flounder and sea bream were clean-tasting yet pleasantly chewy, while the engawa released its rich oil as I chewed. The gizzard shad had shimmering silver skin and a lightly vinegared finish that made the palate feel fresh! And the highlights of the day were the snow crab and chutoro.

The snow crab was piled on in moist, flaky strands, and its sweetness burst out with the first bite. It was so good that I will definitely order it again next time!! The chutoro had just the right amount of richness and melted in my mouth. Following it with a sip of sake made me genuinely, genuinely happy ⭐️

And Sakai’s signature sweet shrimp! It was chewy and gently sweet, so I could see why it is a signature item. Highly recommended!!!

This aji fry was honestly delicious too. It was perfect to have after the sushi!!! There was not a single bad plateㅠㅠ The best.

Things to know before visiting

• Check the day’s limited menu first: limited dishes made with ingredients that arrived that day are posted separately.
• Do not skip the snow crab and chutoro: I recommend ordering a generous amount from the start.
• Dinner-only spot: it opens at 17:00 and stays open until 01:00, making it great as a second stop.
• Check closure dates: Sakai is closed on the first Tuesday of every month and September 21–27.
• Naver reservations available: if you want counter seating, I recommend reserving ahead.

Final thoughts

This was Seolleung sushi with everything just right: the fun of choosing one piece at a time, fresh sushi, and a glass of sake. The time spent writing down each order on a Post-it note became a memory in itself 💛

I recommend Sakai to anyone who wants a light drink after work, wants to choose only the sushi they want, or is looking for an atmospheric date spot or quiet second stop in Seolleung. The key combination is snow crab, chutoro, and a bottle of Ippaku Suisei. If you are looking for a Seolleung izakaya, I really, really recommend Sakai ⭐️