Ansan izakaya for beef tartare and uni: Gisul

I found Gisul (기술), an izakaya, while looking for somewhere to have a drink in Gojan-dong, Ansan. The bar food was high quality and the atmosphere was lovely, so I’m going to share my honest review of this Ansan drinking spot that would also work well for a blind date, date night, or get-together!

Gisul in Gojan-dong, Ansan: atmosphere and seating

Basic information

Gisul is near Jungang Station. It is tucked into a quiet alley, but when I visited at about 6 p.m. on a Saturday, it was already completely full!

I made a reservation just in case, and there was a name tag with my name on it and even a single flower waiting for me!!! Such thoughtfulness... I was touched. 🥹

The cute basic table setting included a chopstick rest, water glass, and small plates. Gisul does not have that many tables—just over 10 for groups of two to four—so it felt pleasantly spacious overall.

Gisul is said to be a sister restaurant of Yuksul, Banwolga, and Samsikine!! Maybe that is why the menu felt a little similar, too.

Gisul’s menu and complimentary snacks

The menu is wonderfully varied, from the Gisul Hansang, centered on mungtigi (thick-cut raw beef) and yukhoe (Korean beef tartare), to Western, Korean, and Japanese dishes. There are side dishes and desserts, too, so it is easy to choose according to your drinking-party preferences.

They also have pretty much every kind of alcohol you could want, including whisky, traditional Korean liquor, beer, and soju.

The complimentary snacks were pretzels and crackers. They came with seasoning sprinkled on top, and that savory saltiness was a perfect match for beer!

Suntory draft beer and Munbaeju

Gisul, near Ansan Jungang Station, takes enormous pride in its draft beer. They say the draft lines are kept very clean and that they have a beer master, too!!

So I ordered the Suntory Premium Malt’s draft beer (₩9,000). Wow... the foam was incredibly creamy and clean! There was none of that distinctive metallic taste, and it was crisp overall. If you love beer, definitely try one as your first drink. Highly recommended!!!!!

For our alcohol that day, we chose Munbaeju (₩22,000)! This traditional liquor has a pronounced pear aroma, but at 25% ABV, it is fairly strong. They also brought a proper kettle and cups for the traditional liquor.

Cheers to getting through the week~ 🍻

How should you eat the Gisul Hansang?

For our main food, we ordered the Gisul Hansang (₩59,000). It is mainly made up of yukhoe and yuk sashimi (thinly sliced raw beef), with salmon included as well.

It also came with vegetable rolls, gamtae gimbap (seaweed rice rolls wrapped in delicate seaweed), smoked cheese, and seasoned minari, so the spread was more substantial than I expected!

There was a great variety of sauces and side dishes, too: wasabi, sesame sauce, sesame oil dipping sauce, yuk sashimi sauce, gamtae, aged kimchi, dried shredded squid and radish, and pickled gungchae stems!

Doesn’t the yuk sashimi look fresh just from its color alone!!! It genuinely had zero gamey smell and was full of beefy flavor, so it was absolutely delicious.

The yukhoe was seriously delicious when dipped generously in the soft-boiled egg sauce in the center. It was savory and sweet, and it went so beautifully with the beef tartare.

One side even explains how to enjoy the Gisul Hansang properly. I piled plenty of yukhoe, generously dipped in the soft-boiled egg sauce, on top of the gamtae gimbap~ The gimbap was seasoned just right, and it was truly delicious with the yukhoe.

Yuk sashimi with a half portion of uni

We also ordered a half portion of uni (sea urchin roe) for ₩17,000. I debated whether to get the uni or not... but that hesitation was a luxury!!

Putting yuk sashimi and uni on gamtae was seriously delicious... The uni was nutty and rich with a gentle ocean aroma, while the yuk sashimi added its beefy flavor and chewy texture, making it such a wonderful combination. Uni lovers, you have to try this pairing!!

The salmon was also delicious with the onion mayo that came alongside it. It tasted clean with no fishiness, and the salmon’s characteristic richness really came through.

Final thoughts on Gisul, an izakaya in Gojan-dong, Ansan

On our way out, they gave us each a Haribo gummy, so I went home in such a good moodddd.

The Gisul Hansang, centered on yukhoe and yuk sashimi, was generously composed and the quality of the meat was satisfying. In particular, the gamtae gimbap topped with yukhoe and soft-boiled egg sauce, and the yuk sashimi paired with uni, were delicious and made excellent drinking food.

The atmosphere was neat and the tables were comfortably spaced, making it a good option for a blind date, date night, or a small gathering. Above all, the draft beer is so well maintained that beer lovers should also try the Suntory draft beer as their first drink!

Recommended if you are looking for a bar in Ansan. Great-quality food, a varied alcohol selection, one free bottle of corkage, and kind staff.

👉 If you want a drink with yukhoe and yuk sashimi in Gojan-dong, Ansan, I recommend Gisul!