Sujokgwan

About

Sophisticated seafood pocha in Sinsa-dong serving seasonal Korean raw fish, sea urchin, and meat dishes curated by restaurateur Ik-hoon Seo.

Tucked into the backstreets of Sinsa-dong near Apgujeong Station, Sujokgwan operates at the intersection of a modern Korean pub and a polished seafood bar. Created by restaurateur Seo Ik-hoon—the mind behind raw-bar mainstays like Pearl Shell and Hannam-dong's Dozen Oyster Bar—the venue shifts its repertoire constantly to mirror Korea’s seasonal maritime harvest, drawing crowds for both intimate dinner dates and late-night rounds of drinks. The kitchen’s rhythm follows the calendar. Summer spotlights finely prepped conger eel (*anago*) sashimi served alongside vinegared sushi rice for hand-rolled bites, as well as chilled plates of chewy amberjack (*jaetbangeo*). As autumn edges in, the menu pivots to seasonal gizzard shad (*jeoneo sekkosi*), alongside live shrimp offered both raw and salt-grilled. Across any season, raw towers of sea urchin (*uni*) paired with sweet shrimp (*amaebi*) remain a perennial target—often selling out by late evening—alongside thick slabs of aged flatfish, bluefin tuna, and amberjack. Guests wrap spoonfuls of rich uni and firm fish in perilla leaves and roasted seaweed between sips of meticulously poured draft Heineken or bottles of Ilpoom Jinro. Yet the menu reaches far beyond the raw bar. Traditional drinking staples anchor the hot dishes, spanning braised, steamed, and fried preparations alongside hearty meat courses like tender LA galbi and pork bossam. Seasonal drinking snacks, such as tangy mustard-tossed summer chicken salad (*chogye-dakmuchim*), break up richer seafood courses, while sea snail cold noodles (*chamsori bibim-guksu*) and beef-tendon fish cake soup (*seuji-eomuktang*) routinely close out the table. With private rooms and a warmly lit dining room that effortlessly handles lingering conversations, Sujokgwan offers Gangnam an unpretentious, ingredient-driven perch for ocean catches and drinks without the stiffness of formal sashimi courses.