Three adults skip the fish stew after this Mapo sashimi set

Shrimp and gizzard shad are in season right now, so I wanted to eat them at their absolute best — which took me to a restaurant near Daeheung Station. It's a solid pick if you're looking for a sashimi or seafood restaurant near Daeheung Station, and being able to try a whole range of seasonal fish and seafood in one sitting fit exactly what I was after.

200% chance I'll come back to Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada

Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada's hours and location

• Monday 17:00 – 23:00
• Tuesday: closed
• Wed–Fri 17:00 – 23:00
• Sat–Sun 12:00 – 22:00
• Address: 104 Baekbeom-ro, 1F, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Parking: call ahead

A packed sashimi restaurant near Daeheung Station in Mapo

Fall gizzard shad has a rich, nutty flavor as sashimi, and grilled over fire its oily aroma really comes alive — it's the fish everyone thinks of this time of year. 😀 I heard that ordering the signature set at Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada gets you a sashimi platter, mixed seafood, gizzard shad sashimi and grilled gizzard shad, plus raw shrimp, live octopus, and salt-grilled shrimp all at once, so I went to check it out. The staff were super friendly, and the place had gotten popular enough by word of mouth that there was a wait — full of energy. Seemed like a great atmosphere for drinking too.

Mapo Bada's ₩151,000 signature set — too much for fish stew after, even for three adults

The set comes with salt-grilled live shrimp, raw shrimp, gizzard shad sashimi, a four-fish sashimi platter selected fresh that day, grilled gizzard shad, chamnamul (aster) cold beef salad, plus abalone intestine porridge, tofu kimchi, fried food, and sushi.

Fish stew can be ordered separately, but the three of us adults were already so full from the signature set that we didn't get to try it.

There was also a good variety of à la carte dishes and drinks.

Fall means gizzard shad — the daily four-fish sashimi platter

If you're here for September's seasonal seafood, gizzard shad is hard to skip. Getting both the sashimi and the grilled version meant I could compare the same fish raw and cooked, which was a nice touch. The menu says the four-fish platter is selected daily from flounder, sea bream, rockfish, sea bass, and spotted fish. ✔️ The day I visited, the gizzard shad sashimi was firm and beautifully deboned — really delicious. True to the restaurant's name, it seems the fish varies with what's in season. Each fish had a different texture — some firm and chewy, some soft and melting, some with a lingering hint of sweetness — so it was fun comparing bite by bite. Seeing the live fish swimming in the tank made me trust the freshness even more.

Mixed seafood with a deep ocean flavor

The abalone, scallop, sea cucumber, and sea squirt came out chilled, as if freshly prepped, and the texture on the first bite was excellent. The abalone and sea cucumber were satisfyingly crunchy, and the sea squirt wasn't bitter at all and had a nice springy bite — a completely different kind of chew from the sashimi.

Golden-grilled seasonal gizzard shad, chamnamul cold beef, and live octopus

The skin was grilled golden enough to eat bones and all, with a nutty aroma hitting first, while the flesh underneath was moist and rich with oil. Every bite brought out more of that distinctive gizzard shad nuttiness — a proper taste of fall.

Live shrimp, salt-grilled while still moving

The live shrimp, cooked on a bed of coarse salt, held moist juice inside the shell, weren't too salty, and had firm, springy meat — not tough at all. Even the shrimp heads were packed with meat.

Fresh raw shrimp sashimi without a trip to the sea

Without having to travel all the way to the coast, we got to try raw shrimp sashimi so fresh the flesh was almost translucent. The meat had a clean sweetness on the tongue. Since I'd specifically wanted to eat gizzard shad and shrimp together in Mapo this September, this was one of the standout dishes of the meal.

Warm dishes woven in between the sashimi

Abalone porridge, steamed egg, fried food, seaweed soup, sushi, side dishes. The abalone porridge had that savory intestine flavor soaked deep into the rice, warming me right up. The steamed egg was soft and moist, and between the crispy fried food, seaweed soup, and sushi, I left feeling properly taken care of.

Opening event: draft beer for ₩2,000

As part of the opening event, draft Cass was ₩2,000. I was driving so I couldn't have any, but the fridge was stocked with a wide variety of drinks.

To sum up

• Restaurant near Daeheung Station, Mapo
• Sashimi restaurant recommendation near Daeheung/Mapo Station
• September seasonal seafood
• Fall gizzard shad sashimi and grilled gizzard shad
• Live shrimp, raw shrimp sashimi, and salt-grilled shrimp restaurant

We got to properly enjoy September's seasonal seafood — gizzard shad and shrimp — along with a fresh sashimi platter, all in one place. No need to travel all the way to the coast when you can eat this much seasonal gizzard shad, raw shrimp, and a variety of sashimi and seafood near Daeheung Station in Mapo. My husband already said he wants to come back here for a work dinner or fall gathering. If you're looking for a restaurant or sashimi spot near Daeheung Station in Mapo, come enjoy the fall seasonal menu. 😄