Mangwon-dong mulhoe restaurant in Seoul, ₩50,000 for two: Mapo Bamdada

A seafood restaurant near Mapo-gu Office Station — Mapo Bamdada is the place when you're craving cool, refreshing mulhoe (cold raw seafood soup) near Mangwon-dong.

My friend and I hadn't met up in a while, and while trying to decide what to eat for lunch, we both wanted raw fish and seafood, so we headed to Mapo Bamdada.

Where is Mapo Bamdada, and how far is it from Mapo-gu Office Station?

Mapo Bamdada is 227m from Exit 4 of Mapo-gu Office Station — walk about 200m in a straight line and you'll see the blue sign. I already liked raw fish and seafood, so I'd been looking for a good seafood restaurant and came across this place; being close to the station made it easy to find.

Coming out of Exit 4 of Mapo-gu Office Station, it's just a short walk away, so it wasn't hard to find at all.

The first thing that caught my eye as soon as I arrived was the tank out front. Looking inside, it was full of all kinds of seafood — live squid, fish, live octopus, abalone, sea squirt, and sea cucumber.

There was also a sign at the entrance for a weekday lunch special, and I thought it might be worth trying that next time.

What Mapo Bamdada feels like at weekday lunch

Inside, the overall vibe was relaxed, and even during weekday lunch hours a few tables were already eating. It wasn't loud or crowded, so it was a comfortable place to chat with my friend while we ate.

What comes with the 50,000 won seafood mulhoe for 2-3 people?

What we ordered that day was the seafood mulhoe for 2-3 people at ₩50,000! I like raw fish too, but that day I really wanted a mulhoe loaded with lots of different seafood, so I ordered this straight away haha.

While we waited, the side dishes started arriving one by one. Soy sauce marinated shrimp came out, along with a salad and a mini mulhoe. Even before the main dish arrived, I kept sneaking spoonfuls haha.

We also ordered soju. It was nice being able to clink glasses with my friend and drink casually.

And then, finally, the mulhoe we'd been waiting for arrived. But the bowl was way bigger than I expected haha.

Photos might not really capture the size, but in person it's quite large.

There were plenty of vegetables piled in the bowl too, so it looked appetizing just to see it. Looking at the seafood on top one by one, there was abalone, live octopus, sea squirt, and sea cucumber — several different kinds.

How do the abalone, sea squirt, live octopus and sea cucumber taste?

The abalone was firm and chewy in a good way,

the sea squirt had a strong, distinctive aroma that paired well with the mulhoe.

The live octopus had that lively chewy texture, which was fun to bite into,

and the sea cucumber was crunchy in a way that suited my taste too. The menu mentioned gaebul (spoon worm) as well, but it wasn't included when I visited — I think the composition probably changes a bit depending on the day's seafood supply. Still, with abalone, live octopus, sea squirt, sea cucumber and more piled generously on top, I never felt like anything was missing while eating.

The mulhoe broth with somyeon noodles added

And you can't have mulhoe without the thin noodles (somyeon) haha. I put the noodles into the mulhoe and took a bite — the sweet and tangy broth combined with the seafood's texture, and it worked better than I expected.

Piling on a piece of abalone, then some live octopus, then some sea squirt, each had such a different texture that eating it was genuinely fun.

Is the 2-3 person mulhoe enough for two people?

Mapo Bamdada's seafood mulhoe for 2-3 people was more than enough for two people to eat until full. In particular, the broth wasn't too strong-tasting and had a nice sweet-and-tangy balance, which made it good for mixing in the noodles too.

The portion was quite generous overall. Since it's meant for 2-3 people, I thought at first there might be some left over between the two of us, but once we actually started eating, we finished it feeling completely full haha. If you like seafood, I think you'll be satisfied when you factor in the portion size too. With several side dishes and a hearty main mulhoe, it felt like a solid, filling meal overall.

Who will like Mapo Bamdada's seafood mulhoe?

Mapo Bamdada is open daily from 12:00 to 1:00 AM, so it also seemed like a good spot for an evening drinking session. We visited for lunch, but since the restaurant stays open late, I thought it would be nice to come back in the evening for raw fish with a glass of soju.

It's a good place to come eat with a friend, and also seems fine for a group enjoying seafood dishes with drinks. If you're looking for a seafood restaurant near Mapo-gu Office Station, or a seafood spot around Mangwon-dong, Mapo Bamdada seems like a solid choice. It's especially well suited to anyone looking for a generous mulhoe loaded with a variety of seafood all at once. I enjoyed my meal that day, and next time I'd like to come back for the raw fish menu instead of mulhoe.

Mapo Bamdada address, hours and details

• Address: 1F, 146 World Cup-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea (서울 마포구 월드컵로 146 1층 마포밤바다)
• Transit: 227m from Exit 4, Mapo-gu Office Station — about a 200m straight walk to the blue sign
• Hours: Daily 12:00 – 1:00 AM
• Takeout available / Delivery available / Reservations available / Group dining available
• Separate men's and women's restrooms