Seongsuilgu: Top Izakaya in Seongsu for Sashimi & Sukiyaki

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Looking for a great vibe in Seongsu,

while searching for an izakaya,

I ended up visiting

Seongsu Ilgu,

which is famous for its delicious sashimi.

Seongsu Ilgu is located slightly off

the bustling main street of Seongsu,

giving it the vibe of **a hidden gem known only to those in the know.**

I made a reservation in advance before visiting,

and since there aren't many seats,

I **recommend making a reservation**

**if you plan to visit during evening hours.**

What's more, there's a Catch Table waiting machine

right in front of Seongsu Ilgu,

which suggests that as a popular izakaya in Seongsu,

you might encounter **a wait**

on weekends or weekday evenings.

If there's a wait,

the dining time is

limited to **2 hours and 30 minutes**.

I had no idea it was this popular,

but it turns out many celebrities like fromis_9, QWER, Kwanghee, and Choi Jun

have visited this Seongsu izakaya too?!

It's a real celebrity hotspot!

The overall ambiance features

a deep wood-toned Japanese izakaya aesthetic,

with subtle lighting, making it perfect

for **a date in Seongsu or a quiet drink**.

It seemed like a great fit! :)

I made a **reservation for two at 5:30 PM**,

and since it was early evening,

we were able to enjoy our meal

in a relatively relaxed atmosphere.

After a little while, customers arriving after work

started to trickle in, and the place

filled up quickly!

As a privilege of visiting early,

we snagged a **window seat**,

which felt like the royal treatment!

All the dishes on Seongsu Ilgu's menu looked so delicious,

so I pondered for a bit...

Since there were two of us girls,

I figured two dishes would be enough, so we initially ordered:

**Ilgu Sashimi (for 2) ~$28**

**Saba Bouzushi ~$17**

That's what we ordered first,

but it was so delicious that

we ended up ordering another dish later!

For basic side dishes (banchan),

we received **pickled radish** and **cabbage salad**!

The crunchy texture of the fresh cabbage,

along with the light dressing,

really whetted our appetites.

Ilgu Sashimi

First up on the menu was

Seongsu Ilgu's signature dish,

​the Ilgu Sashimi!

Featuring flounder, salmon, tuna, spear squid, sweet shrimp, and more,

this diverse sashimi platter

was beautifully balanced.

Each piece had a distinct texture and flavor,

making every bite an exciting experience!

For a two-person serving,

you get three pieces of each type!

(A one-person serving comes with two pieces each.)

Initially, we enjoyed it as-is,

but after a few bites, we tried squeezing some lemon over it,

to savor it in two different styles!

It's a fantastic way to experience more flavors.

The most memorable sashimi piece was

this one!

It had flying fish roe (tobiko) as a base,

topped with mackerel sashimi.

The popping texture of the tobiko,

contrasting beautifully with the tender sashimi,

made me exclaim, "Oh?! What is this?!"

It was truly a special sashimi experience!

Saba Bousushi

Personally, the dish I was most excited for was

the Saba Bousushi.

Also widely known as mackerel stick sushi,

it had a moment of popularity,

but lately, it's surprisingly hard to find places

that serve it!

I'd heard it's quite a labor-intensive dish,

so I was thrilled to find an izakaya

that served Saba Bousushi after such a long time!

Seongsu Ilgu's Saba Bousushi had absolutely no fishy taste,

and the balance between the rich mackerel flavor and the sushi rice

was simply perfect.

Eating it wrapped with the gamtae (seaweed) that came with it

was incredibly delicious.

It offered a charm completely different from sashimi,

making it a dish I felt was definitely worth ordering

at Seongsu Ilgu!

Beef Sukiyaki

Honestly, we only planned to order two dishes

since there were just two of us,

but it was so delicious that we decided to order one more, haha!

As we had been mostly enjoying cold dishes,

we decided to order a warm one too,

which was the Beef Sukiyaki.

With its sweet yet savory

Japanese sukiyaki-style broth,

tender beef,

and fresh vegetables,

it was a fantastic pairing with sashimi!

Whisking the egg yolk

and dipping each piece of meat into it,

it was absolutely heavenly!

After enjoying our delicious meal

and heading to pay and leave,

the owner mentioned they had just returned from a trip to Japan

and surprised us with a gift (?!)

When we got home and opened it,

it was Umaibo (chocolate flavor)!

Even the surprise gift

was full of that authentic Japanese izakaya charm!

And just as we were about to leave,

it suddenly started pouring rain, which caught us off guard...!

But then the owner told us we could take an umbrella, and we were so touched!

The owner must be an angel...

If you're looking for an izakaya with delicious sashimi in Seongsu,

then Seongsu Ilgu will definitely be a satisfying

choice.

The sashimi quality is excellent,

and unique dishes like Saba Bōzushi

are truly captivating!

The quiet izakaya atmosphere makes it perfect for a date

or a drink with 2-3 people,

and the owner was incredibly kind.

After receiving such a wonderful surprise gift,

I'd love to stop by again the next time I'm in Seongsu

just to say hello!