Jonggak sashimi spot after Seoul Museum of Craft Art: Suksseong

I went to Suksseong Susan Jongno Main Branch (숙썽수산 종로본점), a great Jonggak lunch spot, and had the special kaisendon (sashimi rice bowl) set with my husband. We came after a date at the Seoul Museum of Craft Art and enjoyed a bowl of assorted sashimi plus a nutty egg yolk rice finish. Here's everything from the lunch menu and prices to the partitioned seats and tips for year-end gatherings :)

One weekend morning, my husband and I went on a date to the Seoul Museum of Craft Art. After browsing the exhibits, it was suddenly lunchtime! We both love sashimi, so we decided on a kaisendon topped with seafood. That's how we ended up at Suksseong Susan Jongno Main Branch around 1 p.m. We picked at the sashimi piece by piece and finished with nutty soy-sauce egg rice, so the one bowl turned out surprisingly varied.

Suksseong Susan Jongno Main Branch: location, hours and reservations

Suksseong Susan Jongno Main Branch is at 16 Samil-daero 19-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 3rd floor, 285 m from Exit 4 of Jonggak Station. Hours are Monday 13:00-22:30, Tuesday to Friday 11:00-23:30, and Saturday and Sunday 12:00-23:30. There is no parking.

• Address: 16 Samil-daero 19-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 3rd floor (285 m from Exit 4 of Jonggak Station)
• Hours: Mon 13:00-22:30 / Tue-Fri 11:00-23:30 / Sat-Sun 12:00-23:30
• No parking
• Naver reservation available
• Groups welcome
• Separate men's and women's restrooms

Finding the entrance to Suksseong Susan near Jonggak Station

The restaurant is on the 3rd floor, and you have to climb the stairs, so heads up if getting around is difficult for you.

When we arrived, people were already enjoying food and a drink here and there, and I was glad we had booked. Since it was a weekend lunch and I figured it might get crowded, I reserved in advance through Naver.

What are the partitioned seats like at Suksseong Susan Jongno Main Branch?

Every seat inside Suksseong Susan Jongno Main Branch is divided by partitions. The mood was dark-toned with soft lighting, and what I liked most was exactly these partitioned seats!

You don't lock eyes with the next table, so my husband and I could chat comfortably while eating. It would suit not just dates but also get-togethers with friends.

They aren't fully closed private rooms, but the partitions made it feel cozy and private.

The restrooms are inside the restaurant, separate for men and women, and they were pleasant to use.

They had Iljum Jinro and 19 Hwayo soju, and even Japanese sake like Dassai. It looked like a perfect place for anyone who loves a drink.

Suksseong Susan lunch menu and special kaisendon price

The special kaisendon at Suksseong Susan Jongno Main Branch was ₩68,000 for two, and besides kaisendon, lunch included negi maguro-don (scallion tuna rice bowl), a chicken nanban set, hanwoo beef tartare bibimbap and more.

Suksseong Susan is said to specialize in aged sashimi, cold-aged for over 24 hours. We each ordered the special kaisendon set we had picked out before visiting.

• 2 special kaisendon ₩68,000
• Singha soda ₩3,000
• Zero Cola ₩2,000

We ordered by table order right from our seats :) The menu said the special set adds seasonal fish and daebaetsal (tuna belly), which made it a good pick for the two of us sashimi lovers.

What comes with the special kaisendon set?

The special kaisendon set at Suksseong Susan starts with silken tofu topped with bonito flakes, a salad and edamame, followed by the sashimi rice bowl.

While we waited, the tofu with bonito flakes, the salad, edamame and drinks came out first. We soothed our empty stomachs with the soft tofu and salad and shelled the beans one by one while waiting. Just as we finished most of the beans, the kaisendon arrived.

Lots of different sashimi sat colorfully on top of the bowl, a treat for the eyes first.

Flounder, salmon, tuna and even shrimp! With pink tuna, red flesh and white fish all together, I had to stop and think about which to eat first. It included several cuts, including the daebaetsal noted on the menu, and came with minced tuna, fish roe, rolled omelet and seaweed.

Best ways to eat the special kaisendon

I picked one piece of each kind of sashimi, and adding rice or seaweed changed the combination, so it stayed fun to the very end.

The rich tuna on a sheet of seaweed with a generous dab of wasabi really brought out the nutty flavor.

A spoonful of rice topped with sashimi and a little wasabi was great too.

One bite wrapped in seaweed, another with rice, another with white kimchi! You can mix and match to your taste in the same bowl, so sashimi fans should enjoy it.

Finishing with soy-sauce egg rice, yolk and minced tuna

The special kaisendon comes with a raw egg yolk served separately. The staff told us we could put it on top of the kaisendon. I wanted to enjoy the texture of the sashimi first, so when I had eaten most of it and some rice was left, I added the minced tuna I'd saved and the yolk, drizzled a little soy sauce, and mixed it all up.

This was the final kick of the meal! The yolk coated each grain into nutty soy-sauce egg rice, and with bits of tuna in between, even familiar egg rice tasted better.

Topping it with the sweet rolled omelet I'd saved for the end made even the last spoonful satisfying.

The hot fish cake broth that came with it was nice to sip in between too. Drinking something warm between bites of sashimi felt soothing for my stomach.

Is Suksseong Susan Jongno Main Branch good for dinner gatherings and year-end parties?

According to the restaurant, Suksseong Susan Jongno Main Branch has 120 seats in total, including seating for groups of 10 or more. Besides aged sashimi and seafood, there are plenty of side dishes like pasta, fried dishes and stews, and I saw several kinds of sake and traditional Korean liquor.

This time we had the lunch set, but I'd like to visit for dinner next time. If you come in a group, ask about seats for your party size when you book. Corkage-free is said to be offered conditionally, so if you plan to bring your own drinks, check in advance which drinks are allowed and whether the restaurant sells them.

Lunch was busy too, but what stuck with me is that every seat has a partition, so groups can eat comfortably. If you're looking for a private-feeling restaurant in Jongno or a sashimi place for a year-end gathering, keep it in mind.

Verdict: a Jonggak sashimi lunch after the Seoul Museum of Craft Art

The special kaisendon at Suksseong Susan Jongno Main Branch was good just picking at the sashimi, wrapped in seaweed, or with rice. Finishing with minced tuna and yolk mixed into nutty soy-sauce egg rice made it a full, satisfying lunch from one bowl.

With museums, galleries and Insadong street nearby, it's also easy to combine an exhibition with a meal. If you're looking for lunch after a Seoul Museum of Craft Art date like us, try going at lunch time :)

Who Suksseong Susan Jongno Main Branch suits

• Anyone who wants kaisendon for lunch in Jonggak
• Anyone looking for a date restaurant after an exhibition
• Anyone looking for a Jongno gathering spot with partitioned seats