Gyeongsan sushi near Yeungnam Univ.: ₩2,700 value set upgrade, Sonsi

Why is there always a line at Sonsi Sushi near Yeungnam University?

Sonsi Sushi Yeungnam University Branch is a sushi place in front of Yeungnam University in Gyeongsan where Catch Table (a reservation and waitlist app) registrations pile up even at weekday lunch. Why is this sushi place by the university packed every single time? I'd walk past, see the line, and just get more curious. Yeungnam students all say "once you eat sushi here, you can't go anywhere else," and after this visit I finally understood why.

So I went to check out the generous portions and the crazy quality I'd only heard rumors about at Sonsi Sushi, a Gyeongsan favorite!

What's on the menu at Sonsi Sushi Yeungnam University?

The menu had a huge range: lunch specials, hearty set menus, assorted sushi, single-piece nigiri, plus rolls, rice bowls, udon and tempura. There were also kid-friendly items and drinks and alcohol that go well with a light drink, so it was easy to choose to your taste.

We couldn't decide what to eat, so we went with the most popular value set (for 2–3 people) and 8 pieces of thick salmon nigiri.

Can you get a seat right away at noon on a weekday?

We went in around 12 on a weekday, a little after the 11:30 opening, and we were the last ones to fill the place up. We got seated right away, lucky us, but a waiting line formed immediately. Had we been a bit later, we'd have had to register on Catch Table and wait outside, so yes, this place is definitely popular.

We were shown to a table by the window with lots of sunlight.

What does Sonsi Sushi's jujube sushi soy sauce taste like?

Among the soy sauces on the table was one billed as the first of its kind in Korea, a "jujube sushi soy sauce" (대추초밥간장), which caught my eye. There were real jujubes in the bottle! The subtle sweetness of jujube came through, and it went really well with the sushi.

The sashimi rice bowl and shrimp tempura in the value set

The value set comes with a mini aged chojang (sweet-and-sour chili sauce) sashimi rice bowl and 4 pieces of shrimp tempura. The bowl was generously loaded with salmon and flounder. Savory sashimi with that tangy-sweet chojang sauce was perfect for getting the appetite going before the sushi.

The 4 shrimp tempura came out freshly fried, crispy outside and plump inside, so good.

Thick salmon nigiri, 8 pieces: half raw, half grilled

When you order the 8-piece thick salmon nigiri, you can choose half of them grilled (4 pieces), so we got 4 raw and 4 grilled. The salmon really is as thick as the name says. It melted in my mouth and the rich salmon flavor filled it, which I loved. The raw salmon was delicious as raw salmon, and the grilled was delicious in its own grilled way. Really, so good.

Upgrading the value set to the 12-piece premium aged set for ₩2,700

For just ₩2,700 more, the value set can be upgraded to the premium aged set (12 pieces), so we switched right away. With 12 pieces of sushi plus hot katsuo udon (bonito-broth noodles) and salad, the table became properly generous. There was fresh fish sushi like flounder, salmon and bluefin tuna, along with soy-marinated shrimp, gunkan (sushi wrapped in seaweed), egg and eel, so picking through them one by one was fun.

The basic salmon nigiri was also thick, and the more I chewed, the more I tasted its clean, rich flavor.

The soy-marinated shrimp sushi wasn't too salty, just pleasantly savory, so the chewy texture of the shrimp really came through.

Standouts of the 12-piece set: monkfish liver gunkan and bluefin tuna

The anki (monkfish liver) gunkan is something you'd usually see at a high-end Japanese restaurant, and its rich, savory taste was so distinctive that it stuck with me for a long time.

The bluefin tuna sushi was clean and soft with no fishy taste at all, and I really enjoyed it.

Is Sonsi Sushi Yeungnam University worth a return visit?

The staff were friendly, and the sushi quality and portions were satisfying, so I left feeling happy. Judging by the price, the lineup and the overall taste, I think it deserves to be called a Gyeongsan favorite. If you're looking for a good sushi place near Yeungnam University, I'd recommend giving Sonsi Sushi a visit!

Sonsi Sushi opening hours and parking

• Hours: daily 11:30–21:00
• Break time: 15:30–16:30 (no break on weekends)
• Last order: 15:00 and 20:30
• Parking: on weekdays, roadside parking next to Mega Coffee; on weekends, the street in front of the shop