Jongak Station sushi with 6,000-won shrimp tempura udon: Choe Uyeong

The weather lately keeps pulling me out somewhere. On days like this, you kind of have to go to Cheonggyecheon, so I headed out to Jongno to meet friends I hadn't seen in a while. We always end up eating meat whenever we meet, so this time we picked sushi for something different! Among the options, we went for Choe Uyeong Sushiya, known for being good value and clean, haha.

• 📍Location: Basement floor, 7 Jongno 5-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
• ⏰Hours: Daily 11:00–21:30 (break time 15:00–17:00)
• 🚗Parking: 2 hours free in the building

Where is Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch, and what does it look like outside?

Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch is on the basement floor of a building near Jongak Station Exit 1. The entrance already gives off that clean sushi restaurant vibe!! I noticed a lot of people coming specifically because they'd searched for a good sushi spot in Jongno!!

There's a menu board out front too, with sashimi, sushi sets, kaisendon, and even à la carte sushi — so many options!! I was already stressing over what to order before even walking in, lol.

Inside: solo seats and partitioned four-person tables

The moment I walked into Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch, what caught my eye was a whole row of solo dining seats!! Since there are so many office workers in Jongno, it seems to get a lot of solo lunch visits too.

There are also various table sizes, 4-person and 6-person, haha. Since there were partitioned 4-person tables, we sat there!

They even use handmade soy sauce here!! It's a perfect match with the raw fish, quite a memorable sauce!! Next to it were pickled radish and ginger, haha.

Then they give you miso soup as a default, plus a soy sauce dish and a small bowl!

What three of us ordered and what it cost

You order through the kiosk at your table! The three of us ordered the following.

• Premium sushi (15pcs) ₩19,000
• Premium kaisendon ₩19,000
• Mixed sushi (12pcs) ₩12,000
• Seared brisket sushi (5pcs) ₩9,500
• Shrimp tempura udon ₩6,000
• Non-alcoholic (0.0% ABV) yuzu soda

We ordered the non-alcoholic yuzu soda just to feel a bit festive while eating sushi, lol. It was refreshing, and it cleared the palate perfectly with every bite of raw fish — felt like it reset my mouth!!

The 6,000-won shrimp tempura udon, split three ways

The shrimp tempura udon at Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch is ₩6,000. Wait, is this really the quality you get for 6,000 won...!? The steaming broth alone looked insane, lol.

The portion was generous too, so it split perfectly among the three of us!! And there were even three shrimp in it... (=destiny)

What comes in the 19,000-won premium kaisendon

This is the premium kaisendon (seafood rice bowl)! It had a pretty solid lineup — salmon, shrimp, tuna, fresh raw fish, and more!

With all those different kinds of raw fish packed in, it was a total visual flex just looking at it!! Taking the first bite, unlike nigiri, you get to control your own rice-to-fish ratio, which is a fun way to eat, haha.

Wrapping the rice and fish that came with it in seaweed, then topping it with wasabi and the handmade soy sauce, is an unbeatable combo.

The quality of the raw fish was great too, and there was even egg and shrimp tempura inside, so it was fun mixing and matching bites, haha. And then came out the full spread of sushi, lol. Looking at it all lined up, it felt like some kind of sushi conquest.

Premium sushi 15pcs vs mixed sushi 12pcs: which is worth it?

The premium sushi is 15 pieces for ₩19,000, and the mixed sushi is 12 pieces for ₩12,000. Sushi heaven, honestly ㅠㅠ Isn't the visual amazing? Especially with those thick cuts of fish — exactly my style.

The premium sushi was gorgeous as expected!! Fresh raw fish, tuna, shrimp, gunkan rolls, even eel — such a packed lineup that it was fun picking through piece by piece.

And this here is the mixed sushi set! A just-right lineup with exactly what you'd want, and a good price too, so it seemed like a popular choice for solo diners, haha.

The rice and toppings were nicely balanced, so the taste was great and the texture when chewing was just right too. My personal number one has to be the tuna nigiri!!!

Seared brisket nigiri, 5 pieces for 9,500 won

We also had the seared brisket sushi partway through the meal, which felt like a nice change of pace. With a light smoky char and savory flavor, throwing in some meat while eating sushi was such a perfect combo!! Sushi and meat both — such a satisfying meal!!

Final verdict on Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch

From the packed premium sushi to the loaded premium kaisendon, and even the standout seared brisket sushi — I'd recommend this place to anyone looking for a good sushi restaurant near Jongak Station or in Jongno!! It's also close to Cheonggyecheon and connected to Starfield Avenue, so accessibility is great too~ Perfect if you want a quick, satisfying meal! With good solo seating and a clean interior, it's a sushi place that works well whether you come for lunch or dinner!