Magok donburi restaurant crab croquette and sakedon: Ilpum Magok

Today's spot is Ilpum Magok, a clean, tidy Japanese restaurant known for kaisendon (seafood rice bowl) in Magok.

I was looking for a kaisendon place in Magok where I could enjoy fresh seafood in a generous portion, and that's how I ended up back at Ilpum Magok! I'd actually visited here before, paying with my own money, and had such a good memory of it that I wanted to come back haha. The gorgeous look of the bowl piled high with sashimi and seafood grabs your attention right away, and the ingredients are fresh too — a Japanese restaurant worth a visit if you like kaisendon haha. This time I ordered kaisendon, sakedon, and crab croquette to make it a really filling meal!

Where is Ilpum Magok, and what are the hours and parking?

• Closed on Mondays
• Tue-Sun 11:00-21:30
• Lunch last order 14:00 / break time 15:00-17:30 / last order 20:00
• Parking available

Ilpum, the kaisendon spot in Magok, sits on the first floor of Magok Reader's Tower. Coming out to the front of the building, you can spot the sign and entrance without much trouble, and even the exterior gives off a tidy Japanese restaurant vibe.

Out front there are large photos of the kaisendon and sashimi menu items, so it's nice to check out the lineup before you even step inside.

If you're driving, the building's parking lot is available, which is convenient! In Magok, parking can be a surprisingly important factor when you're eating out with a car, so having parking available made it a low-stress choice for a family meal or a date.

Inside Ilpum Magok: counter seats and table seating

Step inside and a calm space done in warm wood tones opens up.

Both counter seats and regular table seats are available, so you can pick based on why you're there.

What is on the kaisendon menu at Ilpum Magok?

There was a wide variety of kaisendon on offer. From the basic kaisendon to the premium kaisendon, special ilpumdong, sashimidon, uni-dorodon, uni-ikuradon, honmaguro tsukedon, and salmon sakedon — you can pick according to your seafood preferences.

Beyond kaisendon, there's sushi, sashimi, uni, eel rice bowls, and tempura too, so the options are pretty wide!

What I especially liked was that the menu shows photos of each dish, making it easy to choose even on a first visit. That day we ordered one kaisendon, one salmon sakedon, and added a croquette.

What comes with the meal: chawanmushi, soup and gim

Before the main event, chawanmushi (steamed egg custard) and soup came out.

The warm, soft chawanmushi practically melted in my mouth, making it a nice light start before the main dish, and the mild soup on the side felt like it was gently opening up my appetite.

They also served gim (seaweed) separately so you could enjoy it alongside the kaisendon. You can eat the rice and sashimi as is, then wrap some in gim in between bites!

Which sashimi tops the Ilpum Magok kaisendon?

The kaisendon caught my eye the moment it landed on the table haha.

The bowl was packed with salmon, tuna, shrimp, scallop and various other sashimi, plus roe, wasabi, and vegetables on top — the colors alone made it pretty.

It looks generous even in photos, but seeing it in person, the seafood feels even more abundant.

The thick-cut salmon was soft and rich, the tuna went down clean, and the scallop had this appealing subtle sweetness with a bouncy yet tender texture. The shrimp was springy too.

Being able to taste a variety of ingredients rather than leaning on just one is exactly the charm of kaisendon!

The rice was seasoned just right too, blending naturally with the sashimi.

It's already tasty spoonful by spoonful, but wrapping some rice, sashimi, and a bit of wasabi in gamtae (seasoned seaweed) added a fragrant note and gave it a whole different flavor to try!

How is the salmon sakedon different from the kaisendon?

The salmon sakedon had thick-cut salmon covering the rice completely. On top of the vivid orange salmon sat torched (aburi) salmon and salmon roe — it looked gorgeous!

I really got to taste the rich flavor unique to thick-cut salmon, and the onion on the side cut through any heaviness, keeping it delicious to the last bite. If you love salmon, this is a menu item to enjoy for a charm all its own, different from kaisendon!

Scallop croquette sold out, so we ordered the crab croquette

For a side, I originally wanted scallop croquette, but they'd sold out that day, so I ordered crab croquette instead!

Turns out the crab croquette was delicious too haha. The outside was golden and crispy, while the inside was incredibly creamy and soft.

Pannacotta for dessert at Ilpum Magok

After the meal, pannacotta comes out for dessert! The soft, jiggly pannacotta had a sweet mango sauce on it, which was just right for cleansing the palate.

Getting to enjoy dessert after filling up on Japanese food made for a satisfying finish!

Is Ilpum Magok worth a return visit?

I remember enjoying my meal when I visited before, paying with my own money, and this time too, the sakedon, kaisendon, crab croquette, and dessert were all delicious. I liked the flow — starting with chawanmushi and soup, then enjoying the mains with gamtae and gim, and finishing with pannacotta. With both counter seats and table seats available, it's a solid spot to visit whether you're dining solo, on a date, or with family. If you're looking for a tidy Japanese restaurant in Magok, why not check out Ilpum Magok, the kaisendon place?