Kombu-cured tuna 2-person course, eye and swordfish belly: Maguro Tuna

I want to tell you about a place where I had tuna so good it melted the moment it hit my tongue. If you're after a special-occasion dinner or a proper Japanese-style meal, this is the Chuncheon tuna restaurant to go to — Maguro Tuna! I enjoyed a full course meal in a refined, upscale setting at this Hupyeong-dong spot in Chuncheon and had to share it with you.

Location and parking at Maguro Tuna

🏠 63 Boan-gil, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon, 3rd floor, unit 306 ⏰ 17:30 - 22:00 | Closed Sundays

Maguro Tuna is easy to find — it's on the 3rd floor of the Shinhan Bank building, directly across from the main gate of the Posco Apartments in Hupyeong-dong. If you're driving, you can use the basement parking lot at M Tower building, or the large open parking lot above MS Mart, so parking is never an issue.

Private rooms and partitioned seating

As it turns out, this place has been a beloved go-to tuna sashimi restaurant among Chuncheon locals since 2006. Walk through the door and you're greeted by a sleek, clean interior.

There's counter seating, a general hall, and private rooms, all thoughtfully arranged. Even the general hall seats are screened off with partitions, so you can enjoy a meal that feels independent and private.

I'd booked ahead, so I was shown to a cozy private room. Both the owner and staff were warm and welcoming, and the service was excellent — I felt well taken care of throughout the meal.

Four course options, priced by cut

There are four course menus: Seon, Jin, Teukseon, and Sil-jang Teukseon. What's distinctive here is that pricing is based on the cut of fish, not the quantity of sashimi!

There's also a wide range of drinks, perfect for pairing with the delicious tuna.

What is kombu-jime curing? Why Mediterranean tuna

What gave me the most confidence was that all the tuna used at Maguro Tuna is 100% top-grade, imported via Dongwon Industries from the Mediterranean coast of Europe — Spain, France, Malta, and more!

In particular, they use Korea's first kombu-jime (kelp-curing) technique, sprinkling the fish with thousand-year deep-sea salt from Goseong, Gangwon, then wrapping it in kelp from Sokcho, Gangwon, to cure. It's a completely different level of depth compared to ordinary tuna restaurants that just thaw frozen fish and serve it.

They're also running a Naver receipt review event — write one and you get to choose a highball, sake, or otoro (fatty tuna belly) sushi.

I was even touched to find thoughtful extras on hand, like phone chargers and hair ties.

The 'Jin' course, ₩53,000 x 2 — overwhelming from the first plate

We ordered the 'Jin' course, which lets you enjoy a generous variety of special cuts and belly meat.

Jin ₩53,000 x2

First came a warm, soft tuna porridge. Its light yet savory flavor gently settled my stomach and got my appetite going right from the start.

Then came the main event — the first full platter of tuna! Five dishes were neatly arranged on a round wooden tray, and it was visually overwhelming from the start.

With know-how built up since 2006, this place mainly works with top-grade Mediterranean bluefin tuna in the 200-300kg class.

Thanks to the kombu-jime curing using Sokcho kelp and Goseong deep-sea water salt, there was no fishy taste at all — just maximized umami and a wonderfully soft texture.

The slices were also cut nice and thick, making for truly artful chewing.

Eye and gill meat with salted sesame oil

The deep red tuna eye and gill meat — a special head cut — I tried dipped in salted sesame oil, as the owner recommended.

It had a chewy, savory flavor that spread through my mouth, almost like eating fresh beef tartare or the finest, most tender beef.

The belly, marbled with bright red streaks, was topped generously with fresh wasabi, and the sharp bite of the wasabi blended perfectly with the tuna's savory fattiness. The wasabi's spiciness disappeared entirely, leaving only a pleasant, savory finish.

The bluefin belly melted the instant it hit my mouth, bursting with rich, savory juices. The more I chewed, the more the deep, robust flavor of the bluefin filled my mouth.

The red spots on swordfish belly

Swordfish belly is distinguished by red spots dotted across its white flesh, and the owner explained that these red spots are exactly what proves it's good-quality swordfish belly.

Its slightly crunchy texture and clean, mild flavor were unmatched.

Banchan, sushi, and complimentary grilled tuna

The golden-grilled rockfish served as a basic banchan (side dish) had a crispy outside and moist, mild inside, so my chopsticks kept going back for more, while the crunchy lettuce salad refreshed my palate in between bites.

The tuna sushi that followed also had a perfect rice-to-fish ratio, dissolving smoothly in the mouth.

The complimentary grilled tuna in sweet-savory sauce was infused with flavor and had a springy, chewy texture — like braised short ribs or a well-grilled steak. A real treat.

The second tuna platter and otoro sushi

Just as we were finishing the first platter, staff checked in kindly, and a second full tuna platter was set out.

The second platter featured 4 different cuts, just as thick and high-quality as the first. Freshness held right down to the very last piece.

Here's the highlight — the otoro (fatty bluefin belly) sushi we got through the Naver receipt review event is a must-try.

The densely marbled otoro burst with savory fatty aroma and rich juices the moment it hit my mouth — a truly fantastic flavor.

Braised tuna, fried items, and egg-topped rice to finish

Next came spicy braised tuna in red sauce, macaroni salad, and a warm, refreshing soup.

Piling the well-braised radish and tuna together made the sauce's savory depth explode — I kept eating even though I was already full. Partway through, the owner kindly asked if we'd like more sashimi, but the portions were already so generous I gratefully declined, worried I might burst. This truly is a place where you can fill up on tuna alone.

For the finishing course, fried items and a rice dish came out.

The shrimp, crab, and sweet pumpkin tempura had a thin, crispy coating that let the natural sweetness and savoriness of the ingredients really shine through.

For the rice course, you can choose between egg-topped rice (albap) or soba, and I went with the warm albap — the popping flying fish roe and stir-fried kimchi crisped up nicely against the hot stone bowl for a perfectly clean finish.

Why I'd recommend it

• 100% Mediterranean top-grade tuna with kombu-jime curing — cured with Goseong deep-sea water salt and Sokcho kelp for supreme umami and a soft texture, completely free of fishy taste.
• A private, comfortable dining space — private rooms and partitioned hall seating make it perfect for dates, family gatherings, or company dinners.
• Overwhelming value and a full course lineup — for around ₩50,000 per person, you get top-grade tuna sashimi, grilled items, sushi, braised dishes, tempura, and a rice course, all in generous portions. One of the best tuna restaurants in Chuncheon.

For around ₩50,000 per person, the quality of the tuna, the course composition, and the sheer quantity were all so on point it was hard to believe the price. If you want to taste truly great tuna in Chuncheon, or want an atmospheric meal with someone special on a special day, be sure to visit Maguro Tuna, a Hupyeong-dong specialist in tuna course meals. I'd give it a 300% strong recommendation to return!