Osan conveyor sushi, weeknight family revisit: Special Sushi

Why we came back to Special Sushi Osan Branch for a weeknight family dinner

Special Sushi Osan Branch (특별한초밥 오산점) is a conveyor sushi restaurant on Seongho-daero in Osan, and this was my family's second visit, on a weeknight evening with my husband and son. We'd jump out of bed in the middle of the night for Japanese food, so sushi is serious business for us, and this is the place I'd call our sushi home at last. We went to this Osan spot that already has a great reputation.

It was actually our second visit. My husband and I stopped by by chance once before and were so happy with the quality that I'd kept it in mind.

Honestly, so many sushi places are opening these days, but it's surprisingly hard to find one where the freshness of the fish and the seasoning of the rice both hit the mark for the price. Special Sushi lives up to its name, with something different from other places, and on this second visit too, the whole family enjoyed the meal from start to finish.

What are the atmosphere and seating like at Special Sushi Osan Branch?

Even on a weeknight evening, Special Sushi Osan Branch was lively with diners. The exterior already gave off a clean, modern Japanese restaurant feel, and inside, the cozy yet airy interior still stood out.

The tables are nicely spaced, so it works for a family meal with a child like ours, a date, or a small get-together. The staff greeted us very kindly, just like last time, so we were in a good mood from the moment we walked in.

Menu and how conveyor sushi ordering works at Special Sushi

The menu at Special Sushi Osan Branch has a really wide range: single-piece sushi, seasonal items, seafood, meat, steak, rolls, gunkan (warship-style rice rolls) and tempura. We sat down and looked through the menu carefully.

Then we dug in, looking at the rail packed with gorgeous sushi. The biggest strength of this Osan favorite is the conveyor system, where you pick only what you want from the many plates going around. And if what you want isn't on the rail right now, they make it fresh on the spot after you order, so you get moist sushi that hasn't dried out. I really liked how convenient that is.

My son loved the warm broth from the start

Once you sit down at Special Sushi Osan Branch, hot broth (jangguk) comes out by default. It was rich and savory, and great for a child too. My son, who's usually picky, said the broth alone was delicious and wouldn't put his spoon down. Then we started taking the sushi we wanted off the rail, one plate at a time.

Yukhoe sushi and marinated salmon sushi: how thick is the fish, and is there any fishy smell?

We started with the yukhoe (seasoned raw beef) sushi and the marinated salmon sushi that caught our eye first, and wow, the fish was sliced long and thick, and the chew was just perfect. It was springy, with a subtle sweetness that spreads the more you chew. It was amazing. My husband is sensitive to fishiness, but he said it was so perfectly clean that he couldn't taste any fishy smell at all, and he kept marveling as he cleared his plate. They must handle their ingredients very carefully.

The rice and sushi vinegar at Special Sushi

The rice here is really something. The air pockets between the grains are well preserved, so it loosens softly the moment it's in your mouth. The sushi vinegar (chodaeri) is neither too sour nor too sweet, a golden ratio that doesn't mask the natural flavor of the fish. The portion of rice isn't heavy either, so even after several plates I never got tired of it and kept going.

Salmon sushi, steak sushi and futomaki: my son's thumbs-up

I picked salmon sushi, steak sushi and futomaki (thick seaweed rolls) off the rail for my son, and the little guy gave me a big thumbs-up, saying it was delicious. The salmon sushi especially leaves a nutty flavor and melts the moment it hits your mouth, and the crunchy onion on top with the special sauce seems to cut right through any greasiness.

Shrimp sushi and aged kimchi flounder sushi: ordered fresh when not on the rail

The shrimp sushi and aged kimchi flounder sushi I wanted weren't on the rail, so I ordered them separately, and sure enough, the plump, springy flesh was a real charm. I picked my own combination right down to the last piece and ordered whatever wasn't there, so there was never a dull moment and it was a perfect dinner.

Value for money at Special Sushi Osan Branch, and a weekend reservation tip

Special Sushi lets you eat your fill of high-quality sushi at a reasonable price, so it's good value too. With fresh, high-grade ingredients and a convenient system for ordering exactly the sushi you want, I think on weekends it would be a good idea to reserve ahead on Catch Table before you go.

Finishing with tempura, udon and melon

At Special Sushi Osan Branch we also made sure to eat the fried items, and they were really piping hot and so tasty, so definitely order them.

We finished with udon and melon. It was a perfect meal, and I recommend Special Sushi Osan Branch as a real hit with a wait even on weekdays.