Saturday lunch with brass bowls at a Mapo raw fish restaurant

Even on a weekend, my son was stuck studying at his academy, but I still managed to pull him out for a Saturday lunch family gathering at a Mapo raw fish restaurant. He's always loved sashimi since he was little, and a friend recommended a newly opened, great-value fresh raw fish place in Mapo called 'Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada.' No need to think twice — my husband, son and I headed straight over.

Location and hours of Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada near Daeheung Station

• Name: Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada
• Location: 1st floor, Bonghwa Building, 104 Baekbeom-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul (81m from Exit 3, Daeheung Station, Line 6)
• Amenities: Wi-Fi, separate men's/women's restrooms, baby chairs, group seating available
• Hours: Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri 17:00–23:00 (last order 21:30)
• Sat, Sun 12:00–23:00 (break 14:30–16:30 / last order 21:30)
• Closed: Every Tuesday
• Parking: Next-door building lot ₩2,500/30 min, or a lot slightly downhill for ₩2,000/30 min

The storefront and the entrance tank

The blue signboard looks cool and inviting even from a distance, and just from its length I figured the interior must be spacious too. The flower wreaths out front made it obvious this place had just opened.

There's a fish tank right by the entrance. Peering in, I could see gizzard shad announcing the arrival of autumn and lively shrimp swimming around. The shrimp were big, and the gizzard shad were just the right size to eat bones and all. Getting to try so many kinds of raw fish and seafood on a Mapo raw fish restaurant family gathering felt satisfying just from looking at the tank.

In red tubs, sea cucumbers and octopus were each piled up generously, the sea squirts looked fresh, and the abalone and clams were all still moving.

Overall the interior was clean and the tables were spaced generously, making it feel like a comfortable spot for a family gathering at Mapo Bada — and it'd work well for a work dinner too.

A white-toned interior

The moment we sat down, my son blurted out, 'It smells like that scent you only get at raw fish restaurants near the coast.' Probably the salty sea smell coming from the tiger shrimp and other seafood, haha.

Even arriving late after his academy let out on a Saturday, we still couldn't grab a window seat — it was that full. True to a freshly opened place, the white-toned interior was spotless, without a trace of the stickiness typical of raw fish restaurants. Bright and pleasant, it really felt like the perfect spot for a Mapo raw fish restaurant family gathering.

The menu board and the foghorn call bell

Just as we sat down to order, a loud 'HOOOONK!' suddenly blared through the restaurant and startled us all! It turned out that pressing the table call bell triggers a foghorn sound. Such a fun touch that really captures the 'Mapo Bada' (Mapo sea) vibe — the whole family burst out laughing.😆

The Mapo Bada signature set spread

A full table spread you'd normally only expect at a traditional Korean course meal — and here it was, at this Mapo raw fish restaurant family gathering spot, Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada.

When the signature set we ordered finally arrived, filling the whole table, I was amazed — every single side dish came in an elegant brass bowl (nossgeu-reut). Served in such neat brass bowls, we felt like honored guests, and the food looked even more appetizing.

Abalone intestine porridge (jeonbok naejang juk)

As part of the base spread, we first had the warm, gut-soothing, rich abalone intestine porridge to ease our empty stomachs. It seemed like they used plenty of abalone intestines and simmered it properly, because the moment I took the first spoonful, a savory aroma filled my mouth. Not salty, mild and comforting — the kind of flavor you'd only expect at a dedicated abalone restaurant.

Tofu kimchi (dubu kimchi)

Tofu kimchi at a raw fish restaurant, of all things — probably prepared for people who can't eat sashimi. The stir-fried kimchi had a deep flavor that could easily earn this place a reputation as a Daeheung-dong pub too. Makes me crave some makgeolli.

Cold pork belly with wild chamnamul greens

Cold pork (naeng jeyuk) tossed with fragrant chamnamul greens, served before the sashimi — surprisingly delicious. The meat was as tender as any specialty restaurant, without a hint of gaminess. Paired with the sweet-and-sour seasoned chamnamul, the texture was great too, and I'd really recommend it for a Mapo raw fish restaurant family gathering.

Seasonal seafood: live shrimp sashimi and autumn gizzard shad

Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada is a restaurant specializing in the freshest and most honest expression of the sea's seasons through raw fish and seafood.

My husband was most impressed by the live shrimp sashimi! Can you see how translucent and glossy it looks?

Savory gizzard shad sashimi announcing the start of autumn. The seasonal gizzard shad sekkoshi, sliced bones and all, had such a fun crunchy texture, and the more you chewed, the more that distinctive oily richness of autumn gizzard shad burst out.

Crispy on the outside, moist on the inside, and the salty seasoning was perfect. My husband enjoyed it so much he chewed through it from head to tail, leaving nothing behind. There's a reason people say even a runaway daughter-in-law comes home for this dish. Getting to taste gizzard shad this early, right at the doorstep of autumn, made me feel like coming to Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada for our Mapo raw fish restaurant family gathering was a genius move.

Assorted seafood platter

An assorted seafood platter with sea cucumber, scallop, abalone, and sea squirt beautifully arranged. The fresh sea fragrance was fully intact, and a light dip in chojang (vinegared chili paste) felt like swallowing the ocean whole. With such freshness, there was no fishy smell at all, just a clean finish.

The scallop sashimi and live shrimp had an unbelievably natural sweetness. In your mouth, they had a springy bite before melting away — a taste you simply can't get without absolute freshness. Even full, I couldn't put my chopsticks down. Spicy chojang and sweet seafood — a combination that's always the truth.

Salt-grilled live tiger shrimp

Shrimp that were still flopping around alive. The live tiger shrimp, steamed to perfection over a pot of coarse salt, had me confused for a second whether I was in the middle of Seoul or at the shores of Daebudo! The plump, meaty texture and sweet juices of the shrimp gave us a real taste of fresh, seasonal seafood at this Mapo raw fish restaurant.

Butter-grilled shrimp heads

The staff took the leftover shrimp heads and brought them back fried up salty as butter-grilled (fried) shrimp heads. One bite and the rich buttery flavor and crunch burst through — my husband raved, 'If I brought coworkers here for dinner, this alone would knock out a few bottles of soju.' If you're looking for a Daeheung-dong pub for a dinner gathering with colleagues or friends, remember this dish!

Live octopus and assorted fried dishes

Wriggling live octopus — I didn't even get to taste it. It quietly arrived as a side dish and apparently went straight into the kids' mouths. Given it came from the red tub in the tank room, I could guess without even trying it — it must have been chewy and fresh.

The fried dishes at this Daeheung Station raw fish restaurant, Mapo Bada, also came out crispy on the outside, tender inside.

I honestly felt bad for the basic side dishes because we barely touched them 😭. We finished the octopus completely, but left the fish cake, corn salad, and kimchi untouched. Not because they weren't good — the main dishes were just so delicious and generous in portion that there simply wasn't room left!

The distinct savoriness and refreshing quality of the shrimp came together for a clean finish.

Final verdict: how it worked as a family gathering spot

Our weekend lunch at Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada, a raw fish restaurant near Daeheung Station, with the whole family was nothing short of perfect. At a place where freshness is everything, we really got to experience the natural sweetness of seasonal gizzard shad and live shrimp, and the food, free of overpowering seasoning and true to the ingredients' own flavors, left my stomach feeling comfortable even after the meal. Especially with the elegance of the brass bowls and the clean white-toned interior, I don't think there's a better spot to bring your parents for a Mapo raw fish restaurant family gathering.

Even my hearty-eating son and my picky husband both enjoyed the meal so much that we already agreed to come back for dinner with drinks next time. If you want to enjoy fresh seafood in a comfortable, clean setting, this place is definitely worth a visit. You won't regret it!

For parking, the lot in the building right next door charges ₩2,500 per 30 minutes, and there's another lot slightly downhill that charges ₩2,000 per 30 minutes.