Gwanghwamun sushi for a Chuseok family meal: four Elephant Sushi sets

What did you all do this Chuseok holiday? I went out over the holiday weekend to see the Lee Dae-won exhibition at Deoksugung Palace 🌸

This moving exhibition was even free during the holidays!

I'll write more about the exhibition in the next post. Now that I've fed my soul, time to feed my body, right? After eating beef the whole holiday, I was craving fish today, so the decision was made: nearby Elephant Sushi. It's been all over Instagram as aiming to be one of Seoul's top three sushi spots, using fresh live fish delivered daily and top-grade ingredients to satisfy both foodies and office workers alike 👍

A neat, generous meal — Elephant Sushi was perfect for a family outing

Where is Elephant Sushi Gwanghwamun, and where do you park?

Elephant Sushi Gwanghwamun is directly connected to Exit 2 of Gwanghwamun Station (Line 5) in the basement of the KT Tower, so access is really convenient. We walked over from Deoksugung Palace and came in from above ground.

There's a gorgeous KT media art installation by the escalator down to the basement. I think Starbucks should move into the KT basement next haha. Even on the weekend it was quiet with hardly anyone around.

📍Parking info — parking is available 🚗✅. With a meal, the first 120 minutes are free, then ₩3,000 per additional 70 minutes, up to ₩60,000 max.

Inside Elephant Sushi Gwanghwamun: the entrance and the dining room

The restaurant isn't overly large, but it has a clean, warm wood-toned interior overall.

The whole dining zone in the KT basement is way more pleasant than your average department store food court. Elephant Sushi 🍣 has been getting word-of-mouth buzz as a favorite near the nearby US and Australian embassies. True to its reputation as a Gwanghwamun lunch sushi spot popular with employees from big companies nearby, the space is split into solo-friendly bar (dachi) seats and tables for four, making it great for a cozy meal and conversation. The staff greeted us kindly too, which made me happy ❣️

Ordering two Elephant Sushi A sets and two B sets for the family

We'd walked a lot and were hungry, so let's order quickly. Today I wanted to eat a good amount, so we got two Elephant Sushi A sets and two B sets — went a little all out.

✅️ Make sure to grab your 3 potato croquettes for writing a Naver review ✔️✔️✔️

The potato croquettes were so soft, crispy outside and tender inside — delicious.

The miso soup and fresh cabbage salad that came out as a palate cleanser were refreshing and got the appetite going. The soup was deep and warm, putting us in a good mood even before the sushi arrived.

What comes in the Elephant Sushi A set: flounder, salmon, tuna and sea urchin

And finally, the main event: the Elephant Sushi A set arrives. Wow, what an amazing spread.

The Elephant Sushi sets come with somyeon noodles as a base. The set was packed with flounder, salmon, tuna, shrimp, egg, and more, and the thickly cut slices had a chewy, fresh texture. The salmon sushi in particular was soft with absolutely no fishy taste, and it was a hit with everyone in the family.

Personally, I thought the sea urchin sushi was the best of all. Rich and savory, like cheese from the sea — absolutely the best 👍👍👍

The Elephant Sushi sets basically come with somyeon noodles included.

Eating just sushi can feel a bit unsatisfying, but the noodle broth included in the set was clean and really tasty.

The Elephant Sushi B set, the best-looking plate of the meal

The salmon maki roll was so huge it spilled off the plate lol

Elephant Sushi's approach to toro and seasoned sushi rice

Wow, just look at the glossy sheen on the toro tuna belly.

There wasn't a single piece that wasn't delicious. The amount of rice (shari) and the vinegar seasoning weren't overdone, so they never got in the way of the fish's (neta) natural flavor. The thick cuts had a chewy, fresh texture.

✔️ You can also pay with Seoul Pay for a nice discount. If you're out enjoying the sights and events at Gwanghwamun Plaza and craving sushi, don't go anywhere else — head to Elephant Sushi, the go-to sushi restaurant near Gwanghwamun Station 😋

Elephant Sushi Gwanghwamun / B109-5, 178 Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea

🐘 Thanks to Elephant Sushi, it was a fun and filling Chuseok.