# Gangnam izakaya second round: Suntory draft beer and sweet shrimp - By Juwon (https://superchart.com/en/@weekday-rice-stops/) - Written Sep 8, 2026 - Updated Sep 16, 2026 - Local places › Restaurants › Gangnam, Seoul - Sponsored: This post was written as part of a paid visit sponsorship at the venue. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@weekday-rice-stops/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@weekday-rice-stops/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi/index.md) · [日本語](https://superchart.com/ja/@weekday-rice-stops/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi/index.md) ## In short Sakai is an izakaya in Gangnam, Seoul, tucked in an alley 6 minutes on foot from Seolleung Station Exit 2. This visit was a second-round stop after dinner elsewhere, ordering Suntory draft beer for ₩10,000, potato salad for ₩8,000, and an assorted sushi plate including sweet shrimp — worth booking ahead for the counter seats next time. ## Good to know - **Location**: 6-minute walk from Seolleung Station Exit 2, tucked in an alley - **Address**: 1F 101, 15 Yeoksam-ro 67-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea - **Seating**: Counter (dachi) seats + table seats — reservations recommended for the counter - **Suntory draft beer**: ₩10,000 - **Potato salad**: ₩8,000 - **Ordering method**: Check the Post-it notes listing what's available that day, then write your order on a blank Post-it - **Price reference**: ₩10,000 ≈ $7.3 · ₩8,000 ≈ $5.9 (2026-09-16) *as written by the visitor on Sep 8, 2026* ![Signature photo of Sakai, a Seolleung izakaya](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi-01-ffs8o-1200.webp) Today I'm bringing you my review of Sakai, a Seolleung favorite. ![Wide shot of a sushi plate at Sakai](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi-02-1y96n-966.webp) ![Sakai's clean, tidy interior vibe](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi-03-15m7o-966.webp) The sushi quality here is great and the vibe is clean and tidy, so let me walk you through it in detail. ## Getting to Sakai from Seolleung Station, and what's the inside like? ![Exterior of Sakai tucked in an alley](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi-04-1n6xr-966.webp) It's a 6-minute walk from Seolleung Station Exit 2. A hidden gem tucked away in an alley. ![View of the counter seats inside Sakai](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi-05-hu3wc-966.webp) We didn't book ahead, so the counter seats were full and we got seated at a table instead. ![The table seat we were shown to at Sakai](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi-06-1l33w-966.webp) At Japanese restaurants I always try to grab a counter seat, so this was a bit of a letdown ㅠ_ㅠ Next time I'll book ahead and sit at the counter. ## Sakai's menu, prices, and how to order ![Photo of Sakai's menu](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi-07-8fy8y-966.webp) ![Sakai's sushi menu lineup](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi-08-oyqoa-966.webp) ![Sakai's side dish menu](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi-09-83c09-966.webp) ![Sakai's drinks menu](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi-10-gwxlt-966.webp) The lineup is huge, right? Not everything is available every day though — what's on offer that day is written on Post-it notes. You order based on those. ![Blank Post-it notes and pen for handwritten orders](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi-11-11d0q-910.webp) They also gave us blank Post-its and a pen, so we wrote our order by hand and handed it over. It's been a while since I ordered this way instead of on a tablet ^-^ ![A glass of Suntory draft beer at Sakai](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi-12-r2cys-966.webp) Suntory draft beer, ₩10,000. Since this was our second stop after already having dinner, we just kept it simple with a glass of draft each. That smooth Japanese draft beer taste is always good, no matter when you drink it. ## From potato salad to sweet shrimp, the taste report ![A plate of potato salad at Sakai](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi-13-1gw6k-966.webp) Potato salad, ₩8,000. I personally love potato salad so much that whenever I see it at an izakaya, I always order it. ![Close-up of potato salad topped with bacon](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi-14-o14j1-966.webp) Perfect as a light starter. It's packed with cucumber, onion, and egg inside, plus a generous topping of bacon, giving it great savory depth. ![Assorted sushi from Sakai served on one plate](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi-15-1hlsz-966.webp) The sushi we ordered came out neatly arranged on one plate — salmon, egg, flounder, patterned squid, sea bream, and more! I loved being able to pick one piece at a time according to my mood. ![Close-up of nigiri sushi including salmon and flounder](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi-16-uufgf-966.webp) The rice portion was just right and everything was so fresh it melted in my mouth — really delicious. ![Remaining sushi on the plate](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi-17-15h1y-966.webp) We were already full so we couldn't eat much, but I think next time it'd be perfect to come here as our first stop for a proper meal plus drinks. ![Sweet shrimp sushi at Sakai](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi-18-1hz4i-966.webp) My personal favorite — sweet shrimp ★ ![Close-up of sweet shrimp sushi topped with sauce](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi-19-du2v2-966.webp) I always eat sweet shrimp wherever I go, and paired with the sauce here it was really delicious. Make sure to try at least one piece of this. ![Final table photo at Sakai](https://img.superchart.com/images/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi-20-uxkyq-966.webp) If you're looking for a Seolleung favorite or a Seolleung izakaya, give Sakai a try. That's it for my honest review of Sakai. Address: 1F 101, 15 Yeoksam-ro 67-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea, Sakai ## Where it is - Sakai (사카이) - 1F 101, 15 Yeoksam-ro 67-gil, 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/@weekday-rice-stops/seolleung-izakaya-draft-beer-sweet-shrimp-sushi/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt