Kaiseki ryokan lunch set at Akiaki, a Cheongju Japanese restaurant

Akiaki, a Japanese restaurant worth visiting in Cheongju

On the day I came back from my daughter's graduate school graduation, we headed to Akiaki in Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju for lunch. Cheongju isn't a city I know well, so I searched around and settled on this place for its clean private-room layout and lunch specials.

Where is Akiaki? Address, hours and parking in Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju

Akiaki sits at 528 1-sunhwan-ro, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si. Even from the outside, there's a calm, authentic Japanese atmosphere, and it gave me the impression of a solid Cheongju spot well suited for family gatherings or special-day meals.

🍣 Akiaki basic info

• Name Akiaki
• Address 528 1-sunhwan-ro, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk, South Korea
• Hours 11:30 – 22:00
• Break time 14:00 – 16:30
• Lunch last order 13:30 / Dinner last order 20:30

This upscale Japanese specialty spot has plenty of parking right in front, so getting in and out is easy.

At the entrance there were cute little miniatures on display, and I ended up lingering there a while before going in.

Are Akiaki's all-private rooms good for a family gathering?

Akiaki has no open seating at all — it's 100% private rooms, and apparently they host a lot of group gatherings, company dinners, first birthdays (dol), and 70th/80th birthday parties here.

The space has a subtle Japanese mood that feels calmer and more upscale than a typical restaurant. It was a great fit for a family meal on my daughter's graduate school graduation day.

Akiaki menu and lunch special prices

• Summer health omakase Uk (旭) course ₩89,000
• Summer health omakase Chan (燦) course ₩125,000
• Summer health hatsu course ₩79,000
• Summer health three delicacies Myeong (明) course ₩160,000

• Sushi seafood mulhoe ₩29,800
• Lunch special sashimi course A ₩50,000
• Lunch special sashimi course B ₩39,800
• Kaiseki-style ryokan set ₩25,800–30,000
• Sushi pollack roe stew set ₩20,000

We ordered the sushi seafood mulhoe and the kaiseki-style ryokan set, both of which were especially good for lunch.

What comes with the 29,800-won sushi and seafood mulhoe

Akiaki started us off with a watermelon salad appetizer. The refreshing watermelon scent lingered in the mouth and really got the appetite going.

Before long the table was completely full — two orders of sushi seafood mulhoe and one ryokan set.

The sushi seafood mulhoe comes with three pieces of omakase sushi, Naju sinko pear, live fish, abalone, sea squirt, seasoned pollack, and more in a cold raw-fish soup, plus a spicy fish stew. It was loaded with all kinds of seafood and looked seriously appetizing — enjoying cool mulhoe alongside sushi made for a really satisfying lunch.

The seafood was especially fresh — every bite tasted straight from the ocean. The tangy, cool mulhoe combined with all the different seafood made for a really appetite-whetting flavor.

The abalone in the mulhoe felt incredibly fresh too.

Three pieces of sushi, some fried items, and even a spicy fish stew — the sushi seafood mulhoe comes with a really generous amount for one lunch.

And the sushi seafood mulhoe comes with a complimentary spicy fish stew, which was so rich and delicious I kept scooping more.

An omakase that gives you three pieces feels even more special because it's exactly three.

Inside the kaiseki ryokan set: steak, sashimi and side dishes

The steak ryokan set is basically authentic kaiseki cuisine styled like a ryokan meal, so tasting a bit of many different dishes was really enjoyable. Working through the neatly arranged dishes one by one almost felt like eating a ryokan meal on a trip to Japan.

The ryokan set comes with two pieces of freshly grilled steak. You can enjoy Japanese-style food without leaving the country here at Akiaki in Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju.

There were four thick pieces of sashimi as well, plus a delicious fresh salad.

Japanese food served in small portions rather than one huge amount somehow tastes better. Nibbling through everything, you end up full before you know it, haha.

The steak was tender and full of juice, and the salmon was fresh and moist, melting in the mouth. Every single item was so well made that whatever you picked, it was satisfying.

Wrapping rice in savory seaweed and piling on plenty of seasoned pollack was a real treat in itself. The salty, tangy pollack blended so well with the rice that I couldn't stop reaching for more.

After finishing the meal, we even got a healthy dessert — a fully complete lunch at Akiaki that I'd recommend as a Cheongju spot worth trying.

Is Akiaki worth it for a celebration lunch in Cheongju?

The staff were friendly, and being able to eat leisurely in a private room made the meal even more satisfying. Overall, if you're looking for a good restaurant in Cheongju, a private-room restaurant in Cheongju, or an upscale restaurant in Cheongju, this is a decent choice for a family gathering or celebration meal.

If you're looking for a clean, well-atmosphered Japanese restaurant for a special day, it's worth a visit.