Daeheung Station izakaya with a sashimi aging cabinet: Mulgogijip

Why Mulgogijip, an aged-sashimi izakaya near Sogang University

Mulgogijip (물고기집) is an aged-sashimi izakaya (Japanese-style pub) near Sogang University, close to Daeheung Station. I got hooked on aged sashimi after eating it with friends in Jonggak, so lately I'm eating it really often. This time I was looking for a place near Sogang University with a nice atmosphere for a drink, and ended up at the izakaya Mulgogijip.

Where is Mulgogijip? 3 minutes from Daeheung Station Exit 4

Mulgogijip is about a 3-minute walk from Daeheung Station Exit 4.

Open seats overlooking the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail

The first thing I noticed as I walked into Mulgogijip was the open seating where you can see outside. The space looks wide open, so it doesn't feel stuffy at all. These days it's been rainy and cool in the evenings, and I'm drawn to places with an outdoor-market vibe, so having a drink in a seat overlooking the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail was really lovely.

An izakaya where you can see the sashimi aging

Unusually, Mulgogijip lets you see the sashimi aging right inside the restaurant. It's all visible through clear glass, which made me trust it even more, and I thought, "Wow, they're serious about aged sashimi here."

Mulgogijip seating and atmosphere

Inside Mulgogijip there are tables for four and bar-style counter seats (dacchi). We sat comfortably at a table. The mood is quiet and tidy overall, so I think people looking for an izakaya near Sogang University or a date-night bar near Daeheung Station would like it too.

Mulgogijip menu and prices of what we ordered

You order by QR code at Mulgogijip, and for reference I grabbed the menu from Naver Map. We first ordered the dry-aged sashimi moriawase and two glasses of Yebisu draft beer.

• Dry-aged sashimi moriawase - ₩39,000
• Yakitori 4-kind course - ₩18,000
• Corn potato salad - ₩12,000
• Yebisu draft beer - ₩12,000 × 2 glasses
• Saero - ₩6,000 × 3 bottles

Complimentary starter: cabbage and tuna

Once you order by QR code, a staff member brings the complimentary starter. It was cabbage with tuna, crunchy with a tangy kick, a nice light way to wake up the appetite before the sashimi, and it felt like it settled my stomach first.

How is the Yebisu draft beer?

The Yebisu draft beer we ordered first arrived. It's a premium Japanese beer I'd wanted to try once, but not many places sell it. Mulgogijip had it on the menu, so I ordered it right away. The foam was really soft and it went down clean, with a gentle, nutty malt flavor lingering afterward.

Dry-aged sashimi moriawase: what's on the platter and how it tastes

Mulgogijip's dry-aged sashimi moriawase (₩39,000) came with flounder, sea bream, mullet, tuna, salmon, abalone and amberjack. I was really curious what dry-aged sashimi would taste like.

Flounder sashimi topped with abalone liver

First I tried a piece of flounder with a little abalone liver on top. The rich, nutty aroma of the liver spreads first, then comes the clean flavor and chewy texture of the flounder, and I just wanted to keep it in my mouth, T_T

Aged sashimi with ginger-mixed soy sauce

I tried the other pieces one by one too. Maybe because it's aged at low temperature, the texture is bouncy overall, but the flavor has a depth, as if it's been refined, so I savored each piece more. I like to loosen a little ginger into the soy sauce and eat the sashimi with it. The ginger's sharp, fresh aroma brings out the clean taste of the fish even more, and it all finishes much more cleanly.

How is the 4-kind yakitori course served?

Mulgogijip's four-kind yakitori course (₩18,000) came with tsukune (chicken meatball skewer) and three cuts of the day. The charcoal aroma hit as soon as it arrived, and my expectations went up right away.

Taking a bite, the outside has a gentle smoky char and the inside is cooked moist and tender, so the texture was really good. Each cut has a slightly different texture, which made it fun to eat, and the seasoning was nicely salty, perfect with drinks.

Corn potato salad: a good side dish?

Mulgogijip's corn potato salad (₩12,000) is corn salad topped with carrot-flecked potato salad and finished with a sprinkle of green onion. The corn had a sweetness that pops with every bite, so the texture was good, and the potato salad was fluffy yet smooth, which I liked. It's easy to eat in light bites, so it works well as a side with the sashimi or yakitori.

Mulgogijip: final verdict

Mulgogijip, the izakaya near Sogang University, is a place to enjoy aged sashimi in a quiet, upscale mood. The open seats with a view of the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail gave it a great atmosphere, and being able to see the fish aging was quite impressive. From the sashimi to the yakitori and the side dish, I was satisfied overall, so if you're looking for a nice izakaya near Sogang University, it's worth a visit :)