Raw fish restaurant in Busan with free bone soup, TV baseball

My wife had been singing about wanting super-fresh sashimi for days, so I went searching for raw fish restaurants near Pukyong National University and Gyeongseongdae stations — and stumbled onto a genuine gem.

Autumn means one thing to me: gizzard shad sashimi at its nuttiest peak. I picked this place — Sintongyeong Gyeongseongdae Branch, in Nam-gu, Busan's Daeyeon-dong — purely off its photos while searching for gizzard shad spots, and here's my honest review!

Location and hours at Sintongyeong Gyeongseongdae Branch

• Location: Daeyeon-dong, Nam-gu, Busan (near Gyeongseongdae/Pukyong National University Station) — super convenient for anyone getting around on foot!
• Hours: 14:00 - 01:00 (closed every Wednesday)
• Highlights: seasonal live-fish sashimi, a generous spread of basic side dishes (sukdishi), free bone soup with any sashimi order, big-screen TV baseball broadcasts

The menu is packed with options — assorted sashimi, deluxe combos, seafood sets, plus seasonal picks like gizzard shad, live shrimp, giant amberjack, and oysters. We ordered the small gizzard shad sashimi for ₩40,000, plus sea cucumber for ₩15,000 — my wife's favorite seafood!

A restaurant vibe with baseball on the big screen

Walking in, the place felt cozy yet lively — perfect for dropping by after work or class.

What really stood out was the owner's touch of playing baseball games on a big TV inside the restaurant! My wife is a huge baseball fan, and she was thrilled to sip soju, eat great sashimi, and watch the game at the same time. It's also a great spot for sports fans near Gyeongseongdae/Pukyong National University to gather, cheer, and enjoy sashimi together. Busan people love baseball — if you're craving food while watching a night game, I recommend Sintongyeong Gyeongseongdae Branch!!

"Wait, all this is just the basic side dishes?" — a table-breaking spread of banchan

Not long after we ordered, the side dishes started filling the table — and they just kept coming, endlessly. It was the kind of spread that has you reaching for your soju glass before the main sashimi even arrives!

• Basic banchan: braised quail eggs, sweet candied sweet potato, aged baek-kimchi, seasoned pickled radish, salty periwinkles, palate-cleansing green grapes, japchae (glass noodle stir-fry)
• Special dishes: crispy buchujeon (chive pancake), sweet and nutty corn cheese, seasoned braised fish, self-serve sushi rice with two portions and wrap vegetables

My wife and I have really different tastes, and it was great that there was so much variety. She devoured the piping-hot corn cheese and japchae, while my absolute favorite was the mulhoe (cold raw fish soup) that came as a basic side. Even as a basic dish, it was generously packed with raw fish, and pairing it with the icy broth was perfectly refreshing.

Autumn's gizzard shad sashimi (small) and sea cucumber — how were they?

Finally, the main event arrived! They cut the live fish fresh the moment we ordered, and the freshness really showed.

First up, the sea cucumber (₩15,000)! Generous portion, with that satisfying crunch and the best briny sea aroma. I'd recently picked up seafood at Namcheon Beach Market, and comparing quality to price, Sintongyeong absolutely holds its own — great value.

And then, today's star — gizzard shad sashimi (small, ₩40,000)! Even as the 'small' size, the portion was plenty for two. It came topped with finely julienned perilla leaf, and the combination of the shad's signature nutty oiliness with the fragrant perilla was a match made in heaven.

Boneless? Sekkoshi? How they slice it

We didn't specify how we wanted it sliced, and it came out boneless, thin, and neatly prepared! It was great for enjoying that soft, nutty flavor without bones — if you prefer the sekkoshi style (sliced with tiny bones for crunch), just ask the owner when ordering and they'll cut it your way. I want to try sekkoshi next time!

Complimentary assorted fried snacks and spicy bone soup fragrant with banga herb

While we were enjoying the sashimi and sea cucumber, a plate of freshly fried assorted snacks arrived as a complimentary service!

Sweet potato fritters, fragrant perilla leaf fritters, and nutty crab fritters! They'd cooled off a bit by the time they reached us, which was a small letdown, but picking at the crispy fritters between bites of sashimi was still a nice treat.

My wife and I love pairing sashimi with a hot soup, and it turns out Sintongyeong Gyeongseongdae Branch gives you a free bone soup with any sashimi order! (Just ask a staff member and they'll bring it right out.)

Bubbling away on the tabletop burner, the stew had that classic Gyeongsang-do style — a subtle fragrance from banga herb, with a spicy, deep broth that was pure art. The broth was so good I wanted to order a bowl of rice, but I was already too full to manage it.

We cleaned every last bit — from the basic banchan to the gizzard shad, sea cucumber, and stew! We were so full we walked home to help digest, and it was a genuinely happy walk.

Final verdict: who is this for?

There are plenty of raw fish restaurants around the Pukyong National University/Gyeongseongdae area, but I'd strongly recommend Sintongyeong Gyeongseongdae Branch for the following people!

• Anyone who values a generous, delicious spread of side dishes (mulhoe, corn cheese, fried snacks, and even free stew)!
• Anyone who wants fresh, seasonal sashimi and seafood at a reasonable, great-value price!
• Baseball fans who want to sip soju while watching a game on the big screen!

The friendly owner made the meal even more enjoyable. If you're looking for a great raw fish restaurant near Daeyeon-dong/Gyeongseongdae, definitely give this place a visit!