Magok kaisendon restaurant tekka maki and crab croquette: Ilpum Magok

Went to Ilpum Magok with Komong. It's easy to get to from either Balsan Station or Magok Station, and the signature kaisendon quality is excellent, so I've stopped by a few times before. I made a reservation after a while and waited excitedly for the day to come!

Where is Ilpum Magok and what are its hours?

• Location: 228 Gonghang-daero, Unit 112, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: 11:00 - 21:30 / break time 15:00 - 17:30 / last order 20:00
• Closed every Monday

What are the counter seats like, coat hooks included?

Ilpum Magok looks clean and tidy from the outside..! There are plenty of table seats plus counter seats, so it felt like a neat spot whether you're eating solo or on a date for two. Komong and I sat at the counter, and sitting side by side watching the food come out while chatting was really nice.

One small detail I personally loved: there were coat hooks set up right behind the counter seats. Whenever you wear a coat to a restaurant, you always worry about it slipping off the back of the chair or touching the food — this kind of careful thoughtfulness put my mind at ease.

The Ilpum Magok menu: what two people ordered

Let's sit down and look at the menu~ True to its reputation as a Magok kaisendon spot, the kaisendon menu really stands out. There's uni-gidong, sushi, chicken karaage-don, and in winter you can even get seasonal buri (yellowtail) don. Sushi is sold individually, and you can add sashimi as a single item too.

Komong and I ordered the kaisendon, crab cream croquette, and maguro tekka maki (tuna hand roll). After ordering, I noticed the pop-up menu item anko-mo hosomaki (monkfish liver roll) — as an anko-mo fanatic, I thought, I definitely have to try that next time...

Chawanmushi with gamtae seaweed and shrimp

Started with soft chawanmushi (steamed egg custard)! They set out a tray with water, spoon and chopsticks, and the dishes started coming out one by one — chawanmushi first.

It's the soft Japanese-style chawanmushi, but with gamtae (seaweed) and shrimp inside, so it wasn't plain at all — visually or texturally. A great light way to open up the appetite.

Udon topped with chicken karaage

This udon had more presence than I expected! It wasn't just broth — chicken karaage was in there too, making it surprisingly filling.

Eating it alongside the kaisendon made the meal much more varied. If the main dish is seafood — fresh and light — the udon plays the warm, hearty role.

Ilpum Magok's kaisendon, piece by piece

The kaisendon and tekka maki arrive! As expected, the kaisendon... just a marvel the moment you see it. All kinds of sashimi and seafood piled over the rice, so the colors alone are dazzling, and each ingredient has a different texture and flavor even within one bowl, so it's fun to pick around. Anyone hunting for a Magok kaisendon restaurant will probably be drawn in just by this look.

Up close, the quality of every single ingredient is fantastic! First I dip it lightly in soy sauce to taste the sashimi itself. Haha.

Just looking at it makes my mouth water... The salmon, eaten with a touch of wasabi, melted softly in my mouth.

Seaweed + rice + anko-mo = so delicious. I really love eating it this way, TT TT TT TT.

Tuna really has to be eaten with aged kimchi to taste its best! Ah... looking at this photo makes me want it again, haha. Every piece of sashimi was so fresh that I felt good the entire time I was eating.

Crab cream croquette and maguro tekka maki on the side

It felt like a waste to just eat the kaisendon alone, so we also ordered the crab cream croquette! Since there were two of us, we had to get a side too. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, that classic crispy-outside-soft-inside cream croquette style... taking a bite of it midway through the seafood really shook up the texture and had me sighing with delight.

I was curious about the hand roll menu too, so we ordered the maguro tekka maki — no need to say more, it was delicious...!! If you feel like kaisendon alone isn't quite enough, ordering this alongside it seems like a good idea.

Pudding to finish the meal

Right as the meal was wrapping up, they brought out pudding — being looked after that carefully even for dessert made it a good mealtime right to the very end.

The pudding quality was excellent too — even after finishing the kaisendon, hand roll and croquette entirely, we still scraped the pudding bowl clean.

Why Ilpum Magok works for a meal for two

Not just the food, but the whole atmosphere of Ilpum Magok won me over! The place was managed neatly overall and the staff were friendly, so we could stay comfortably through the whole meal.

Visited with Komong and worked through everything from kaisendon to crab cream croquette to maguro tekka maki! The place was clean and the counter seats felt neat, making it good for two, and overall it was a comfortable meal. There are so many kinds of kaisendon and sushi that I want to come back multiple times and try them one by one..!! If you're looking for a place to eat with friends in Magok, a clean date spot, or a Magok kaisendon restaurant, this seems worth a visit. My next-menu wish list: seasonal buri-don, sushi, and anko-mo hosomaki!!

Walked out patting our very satisfied bellies, then had a coffee, took a walk, chatted, shared some mallang candy with Komong, and headed home!! After such a good meal, I think I slept really well that night, hahaha.