Songdo sushi restaurant with fish-shaped fish cake udon: Sushi Doku

Sushi Doku The Songdo: arriving at opening to skip the lunch wait

Sushi Doku The Songdo is a sushi restaurant on the 2nd floor of Onesta Mall in Songdo, Incheon — the kind of place where being even a little late for lunch means a long line. Sushi Doku The Songdo is exactly that place.

I'd tried to go once before and gave up because of the crowd waiting outside. This time I made up my mind and showed up right at opening time. Thanks to that, we walked straight in without waiting and got to enjoy delicious sushi at a relaxed pace with my daughter — haha.

Sushi Doku is the most beloved sushi spot in Seoul, drawing 230,000 visitors a year. Now it's just as loved as a Songdo, Incheon restaurant.

Almost the moment we walked in, a lot of other people arrived too, and before long every table was full. This is clearly why it's such a popular spot in Songdo.

Inside Sushi Doku The Songdo and who needs a reservation

Stepping inside Sushi Doku The Songdo, I loved the clean, upscale feel overall. The tables are neatly arranged and the atmosphere is comfortable.

One thing to note — for groups of 6 or more, a Naver reservation is required.

The space isn't huge, but the interior design keeps it from feeling cramped, which I liked even more. The lighting also set a nice mood — the kind that really works for the space.

Premium sushi set at Sushi Doku The Songdo, with wasabi and without

Looking over the menu, we ended up ordering the premium sushi set (명품스시정식) that day — one with wasabi added, one without.

Even sushi lovers sometimes can't handle wasabi, so being able to choose to suit each person's taste was great for eating with my daughter. Ordering to match your own palate turned out to be more convenient and nicer than I expected.

Once you order, the chefs make everything fresh right there.

At Sushi Doku The Songdo, everything is handmade by the chefs the moment you order, which makes it taste even better.

What comes on the premium sushi set tray

After a short wait, the food finally came out — wow.

The second I saw the full spread laid out on the table, I understood a little why so many people flock here — haha.

It wasn't just sushi — side dishes came along with it too, so it all looked pretty generous at a glance.

With colorful sushi pieces lined up neatly on one plate, how could you not take a photo? — haha. My daughter took one look and said, "This looks so good," and immediately started snapping photos of how pretty it all looked. This kind of thing is basically made for Instagram — haha.

Japanese steamed egg and udon with a fish-shaped fish cake

Japanese-style chawanmushi (steamed egg custard)~

Eating the soft chawanmushi bite by bite alongside everything else — such a happy moment~^^

Nemo? The fish-shaped fish cake is so cute, right?

This place isn't just about the sushi — why is the udon this good too? Every single dish here is delicious, and now I really understand why people wait in line for this.

The tempura to eat mid-meal

Crispy tempura popped up here and there through the meal, resetting my palate each time so I could eat happily all the way to the end. The tempura was delicious too!

Salmon and eel sushi on the set

Do I even need to say anything about the sushi?! This place is truly a top sushi restaurant in Songdo. As a salmon lover, that signature soft, savory flavor just melted through my mouth~

Thick, plump eel~ The sweet glaze and soft texture worked so well together that I enjoyed it right to the last bite.

Every piece of sushi tasted different, so there was fun in picking and wondering, "What should I try next?"

The otoro sushi you get for a receipt review

And then the otoro sushi you get for leaving a receipt review! Getting a melt-in-your-mouth top-grade tuna sushi as a review perk — you'd be crazy not to do it, haha.

What am I supposed to do with you~~ It was genuinely thick and delicious, one piece just wasn't enough!^^ Finishing off even the complimentary sushi left me full and in an even better mood!^^

Plum tea to finish, plus tips on the Songdo lunch wait

One last thoughtful touch from Sushi Doku The Songdo — they even set out mouthwash, floss and toothpicks. I was tempted by that sushi keyring, haha.

Ah — but the real final touch is the warm plum tea.

It seems like this place basically always has a wait unless you arrive right at opening. So it's worth reserving ahead and being prepared to wait. There's also a break time, so be sure to check that!

While waiting, it's worth checking the menu board posted outside.

This time, I finally got to enjoy properly delicious sushi at Sushi Doku The Songdo, the place I'd once had to walk away from. Arriving right at opening and getting seated without waiting was great, and honestly, seeing the premium sushi set laid out in full before we even started eating already won me over — and after trying each piece, I understood exactly why everyone calls this a Songdo favorite~^^ Definitely a place I'd love to visit again.