Jonggak sushi with thick yet tender fish, sea bream belly: Choe Uyeong

I often stop by Jongno and Gwanghwamun for work, and around quitting time, or whenever I get peckish, I look for a place that serves properly good sushi without breaking the bank. That's how I found Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch (최우영스시야 종로점), a sushi restaurant near Jonggak Station. It's already known among office workers as a great-value spot. I went and stuffed myself with sashimi and all kinds of sushi, and the price was so kind for the quality that I was marveling the whole meal!

Where is Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch, and is there parking?

Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch is in the Tower 8 building, about 235 m on foot from Exit 1 of Jonggak Station. If you park in the Tower 8 car park, you get up to 2 hours of free parking. It was really easy to find, and it's close to Gwanghwamun Station too, so it's a perfect route for office workers nearby, whether for lunch or after work.

• Hours: daily 11:00–21:00
• Break time: 15:00–17:00
• Last order: 21:00 (as stated in the original)
• Parking: 2 hours free in the Tower 8 car park

Being able to eat in the middle of Jongno without worrying about parking is a big plus.

Choe Uyeong Sushiya atmosphere and seating: good for eating alone?

Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch has a well-equipped bar counter (dacchi-seok) where you can eat alone without feeling awkward. Inside, I was greeted by the clean, tidy, modern look typical of a Japanese restaurant, and the lighting wasn't too dim, just warm and cozy, perfect for a relaxed meal.

True to its reputation as a Jonggak Station spot for solo diners, there was plenty of bar seating where you can sit comfortably by yourself.

I visited around 7 p.m. on a Saturday, and even on a weekend evening there were couples on dates, and also quite a few people who had come alone and were leisurely enjoying their sushi, which was nice to see.

Choe Uyeong Sushiya menu prices and what we ordered

The most basic, cheapest sushi set at Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch is 12 pieces for ₩13,000. It's a generous, great-value lineup that's hard to find around Jongno, so it's ideal for office workers near Gwanghwamun or Jonggak Station to drop in at lunchtime without a second thought.

Miso soup comes as the basic side, and if you have it just when the raw fish starts to feel heavy, it's like a fresh restart, haha. Dipping pickled ginger in the house-made soy sauce and eating it with the fish makes it even tastier!

That day we wanted to eat properly, so we ordered the 16-piece top sushi (₩27,000) and the assorted sashimi (₩40,000), plus the beef tartare gunkan (₩1,500) and monkfish liver gunkan (₩1,500) we were curious about. The total came to ₩70,000.

Corkage is also just ₩3,000 per bottle, so it's heaven for anyone who likes a drink with their meal. Regular drinks are ₩4,000! Really cheap, right?

• 16-piece top sushi ₩27,000
• Assorted sashimi ₩40,000
• Beef tartare gunkan ₩1,500
• Monkfish liver gunkan ₩1,500
• Total ₩70,000

Is the thick-cut sushi and sashimi at Choe Uyeong Sushiya tough?

The top sushi at Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch had quite thick fish (neta), yet it was so tender it seemed to melt in my mouth. As the food arrived and I tried each piece in turn, all I could say the whole time was, "Wow, this is really good."

The rice (shari) is formed by machine, so the shape and size were uniform, but the fish was quite thick.

Usually, when fish is too thick it's so tough it's hard to swallow, so I personally never liked it, you know? But here the fish is thick and still melts in your mouth, so I ate to the end feeling moved.

Best of the assorted sashimi: sea bream belly

The assorted sashimi (₩40,000) was generous, from the basic flatfish to soft, sweet shrimp, and salmon and scallop that melt in your mouth, but the sea bream belly was outstandingly rich and delicious.

Squeezing the slice of lemon that came with it over the fish brought out its clean, mild flavor much more.

Sea urchin, beef tartare and monkfish liver gunkan (battleship sushi)

The sea urchin (uni) gunkan (battleship-style sushi wrapped in seaweed) had no fishy taste at all, and the extra beef tartare gunkan and the rich monkfish liver gunkan were perfect too, so I'm certain I'll be back.

Sushi near Gwanghwamun and Jonggak for solo lunches, dates and team dinners

Having been, I'd say Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch lacks nothing whether you come with someone or alone. There's a dedicated bar counter for solo diners, so the layout is very comfortable for a light meal by yourself.

The atmosphere is tidy and the interior clean, so it works fine as a date spot, and with the sashimi lineup and the drink and corkage terms, I thought it would also be handy for a small after-work dinner or gathering. If you want fresh sushi with easy parking near Jonggak Station or Gwanghwamun, I recommend going without hesitation!

Final verdict from someone once put off by tough sashimi

I once went to another famous sushi place where the fish was so tough that I put down my chopsticks after only a little, a bitter experience. Ever since, even slightly thick fish had me worrying in advance, "What if it's tough again?"

But this time, the moment I put the thickly sliced sea bream belly and other fish in my mouth at Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch, my mind changed. It kept its thickness, yet the fresh, tender texture wrapped around my whole mouth,

and it was so good it couldn't even be compared with the tough fish I had before. Add the sea urchin gunkan without a trace of fishiness, and I thought, wow, the quality really does differ from one sushi place to another.

Of course a truly high-end sushi restaurant would feel different, but I can't go to those often, so I was happy with Choe Uyeong Sushiya sushi! It was a rare meal I enjoyed from start to finish, a happy time with 200% satisfaction! I'll be back!