Haeundae hagfish and sashimi restaurant: Hyejane San Gomjangeo

I visited Hyejane San Gomjangeo Main Branch (혜자네 산곰장어 본점), a great hagfish spot in Haeundae, Busan. I brought my mom along and looked for a good hagfish and grilled-shellfish restaurant in Haeundae Traditional Market!

With fresh seafood delivered every morning, friendly service, and generous portions, it was a place I was really happy with. Let me tell you about the delicious time my mom and I had, haha.

Is it good for groups at Haeundae Market?

Located near Haeundae Station and inside Haeundae Market, Hyejane San Gomjangeo Main Branch can accommodate around 100 to 200 people. There are plenty of group tables, making it perfect for get-togethers or company dinners, and pets are welcome too. Just be sure to bring proof of vaccination! The restaurant was clean, and even the water jug on the table was so cute and totally my style, haha.

Side dishes and ordering the hagfish sashimi set

Once seated, neat little side dishes that go beautifully with the meal are set out. We had silkworm pupae, corn salad, pickles, green soybeans, ssamjang (seasoned dipping paste), sea snails, and sirak-guk (rustic soybean-paste soup). For the serious drinkers, this alone would probably finish a bottle of soju, right?

We ordered the “mild pre-grilled seasoned hagfish + sashimi set” for ₩78,000, one of the two most popular mix-and-match sets! My personal little thrill was seeing Saero flavors like apricot, omija, and hardy kiwi, along with fruit soju such as Lemon Tok Tok. The Saero omija was calling my name... but I resisted, haha.

How were the sashimi and complimentary seafood?

Not long after ordering, beautifully plated sashimi arrived along with complimentary shrimp, chopped live octopus, and sea squirt as the main extras! Even though they were complimentary, the freshness was no joke.

The sashimi was cut neither too thick nor too large—just the perfect one-bite size—so it was great to wrap two slices at a time. Thinly sliced cucumber came alongside the plate, and pairing that crisp, refreshing cucumber with sashimi was unexpectedly delicious 🥒🐟! Dipped in chojang (sweet-tangy red chili sauce) or soy sauce and wrapped up, it was an explosion of savory flavor.

Do you have to grill the hagfish yourself?

Before taking the hagfish away for its first grilling, the staff let us see its wriggling live condition with our own eyes. Since it is live hagfish delivered every morning, it definitely gave me confidence in the freshness.

It first comes out partially grilled, then the staff stir-fry it on the grill and cut it all up into easy-to-eat pieces. You can simply relax and eat without worrying about burning this tricky-to-grill hagfish, so no worries even if grilling is not your thing!

It came generously stir-fried with green onion and onion in the sauce. The crunchy texture was lovely, and because we chose mild, the seasoning was not too intense. Wrapped in fragrant perilla leaf, it was absolutely thumbs-up delicious, haha.

Receipt-review event fried rice

The obvious finale to grilled hagfish is fried rice (₩3,000)! We joined the receipt-review event shown on the table tablet and received the fried rice as a complimentary service. The staff quickly stir-fried it in the remaining sauce, and the seasoning was just right.

We wrapped it in perilla leaf too, and lightly cooked the leftover chopped live octopus from the complimentary seafood on the fried-rice grill before placing it on top. That was another special treat!

What I liked about the visit

• A spacious Haeundae Market restaurant that welcomes pets; vaccination verification is required.
• We could check the live hagfish ourselves before its first grilling.
• The staff cut and stir-fried everything, making for an easy meal.
• Joining the receipt-review event can get you complimentary fried rice, drinks, alcohol, and more.

Everything—the taste, portions, and service—was great! I recommend Hyejane San Gomjangeo Main Branch to anyone who wants to properly enjoy delicious hagfish, grilled shellfish, and sashimi in Haeundae! 💖