Gyeongsan sushi restaurant with apple vinegar sashimi bowl: Sonsi

My friends and I finally made a trip out to Yeungnam University after a long while! It was so nice to see this place still standing strong since it's been famous for ages, haha.

Sonsi Sushi Yeungnam University Main Branch is one of the most talked-about sushi spots near Yeungnam University in Gyeongsan, so I always get a little excited going there. And once again, today's meal didn't let us down.

Do you have to wait at Sonsi Sushi? Peak times vs. an early dinner

Sonsi Sushi Yeungnam University Main Branch is so popular that waiting is basically required during peak hours. We met up a bit earlier than usual for dinner, and even so, the place filled up right after we walked in!

Luckily we got seated without a wait this time, though it took a little while for the food to arrive. Still, chatting with friends in the cool restaurant was way better than waiting outside, haha. They'd apparently just installed some nice new partitions, so even with lots of customers around, it felt perfectly private for our own conversation.

Ordering the aged sushi set and sashimi rice bowl by tablet: how long the food took

Ordering was easy with the tablet at the table. I'd really wanted to try the ankimo futomaki, but sadly it was already sold out... The popular items apparently go fast.

Setting aside our disappointment, we ordered the aged sushi set, sashimi rice bowl, and a few extra à la carte nigiri picks. We sipped on the cool barley tea placed at each table and waited (reverently?) for the food, haha.

Sonsi Sushi's sashimi rice bowl and homemade apple vinegar sauce

My sashimi rice bowl came out first, and honestly, doesn't it pass the visual test right away?! They make their own apple vinegar sauce here, and its sweet-tart flavor pairs perfectly with the fresh sashimi. The portion was so generous that this alone left me full.

Water-aged olive flounder plus octopus and salmon nigiri

Then my friends' aged sushi set arrived! Sonsi Sushi says they only use flounder over 3kg, which gives it a chewy texture with balanced fat content. Maybe because of the water-soaking aging technique, but the texture was amazing... 👍

A friend who tried the octopus nigiri raved about the pleasantly bumpy chew. Every ingredient was so fresh you could really taste the ocean in each bite.

And the salmon was so soft! They say they only use Superior-grade Norwegian salmon, and being able to enjoy both raw and seared versions at once was completely satisfying.

The warm udon served alongside had nice springy noodles that really got the appetite going too!

It tastes exactly like what we used to eat back in school!

my friends said as we all devoured it without a word, haha. Maybe because of the aging process, but the umami ran deep, and it was almost a shame to see each piece disappear.

Sindongjin rice and Cheongsong apple vinegar: the ingredients posted on the wall

Reading the sign posted on the wall, it's clear Sonsi Sushi Yeungnam University Main Branch takes the basics of sushi — the rice — seriously. So today I read the ingredient descriptions closely.

They use Sindongjin rice to keep the grains springy, and they clearly put a lot of thought into balancing it with the vinegar dressing. And there's the story behind the apple vinegar sauce I was raving about earlier! They use vinegar fermented from Cheongsong apples for deep umami flavor, so of course the combination was delicious, haha.

Amenities by the register, and why Sonsi Sushi is a Yeungnam University favourite

Finally, on the way out to pay, I was touched all over again by the owner's thoughtfulness! Disposable mouthwash, hair ties, floss, and fans — all these amenities for customers were perfectly stocked. Seeing plenty of phone chargers on hand too, I completely understood why this place is loved not just for the food but for the service, as a favorite spot near Yeungnam University.

It was a perfect evening catching up with friends, eating until we were stuffed and chatting away. 🥰 If you're looking to enjoy proper sushi near Yeungnam University in Gyeongsan, this place is well worth stopping by without a second thought!