Chuncheon tuna restaurant course with aged cuts: Maguro Tuna

While looking for a good tuna spot in Chuncheon, I visited Maguro Tuna (마구로참치). The restaurant was spacious and brightly lit overall, so it felt comfortable from the moment I walked in. The owner and staff were kind too, which made it easy to enjoy the course meal without feeling pressured.

Maguro Tuna location and visitor information

• Address: 306, 3F, 65 Boan-gil, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do, South Korea (강원 춘천시 보안길 65 3층 306호)
• Hours: 17:30–22:00; closed Sundays
• Parking: M Tower Building underground parking or the open lot above MS Mart; both are free
• Reservations, group visits, takeaway, walk-ins/on-site service, Wi-Fi, separate restrooms for men and women, delivery, high chairs, and paid corkage are available

What made the konbujime-aged tuna special

Maguro Tuna says it is the first place in Korea where you can try konbujime-aged tuna sashimi.

After an initial saltwater thaw, the tuna is aged once more using Cheonnyeon salt from the deep seawater of Goseong, Gangwon-do, and kelp from Sokcho. That gave it a point of difference from ordinary tuna restaurants.

Perhaps because it has operated in the same spot for 20 years, it felt less like a place that simply serves a lot of tuna and more like a Hupyeong-dong, Chuncheon course-meal restaurant that properly introduces the flavor of each cut and how to eat it.

Tuna course and side-menu prices

• Seon ₩43,000: swordfish belly, bigeye tuna belly and head meat, bluefin tuna No. 5 belly and rib meat
• Jin ₩53,000: swordfish belly, bigeye tuna belly, collar meat, and head meat; bluefin tuna No. 4 and No. 5 belly, head meat, collar meat, rib meat, and crown meat
• Special ₩80,000: swordfish belly, bigeye tuna head meat, bluefin tuna No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4 belly, head meat, collar meat, crown meat, and throat meat
• Manager's Special ₩100,000: bluefin tuna No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 belly, head meat, collar meat, throat meat, and navel meat
• All prices are per person; the price difference reflects quality rather than portion size
• Sanuki udon ₩7,000, fried shrimp (10 pieces) ₩15,000, grilled mero ₩25,000
• Konbujime-aged tuna sushi (10 pieces) ₩20,000; konbujime-aged fatty tuna sushi (10 pieces) ₩30,000

There were drinks as well, from soju and beer starting at ₩5,000 to sake and highballs.

Tuna cuts and accompaniments in the Jin Course

That day, the two of us ordered the Jin Course. It began with tuna porridge. Once you finish the porridge, the tuna starts arriving in earnest.

Unlike all-you-can-eat tuna places where similar cuts seem to keep coming out, I liked that we could taste various cuts in order, including eye meat and head meat.

The tuna was clean rather than fishy, and the careful thawing and aging brought out a deep savory flavor.

Adding just a little wasabi to the rich belly cuts cut through the oiliness and brought the flavor forward even more.

For leaner cuts such as rib meat, pairing them with sesame oil sauce or white kimchi gave the flavors a nice balance. We ate at the counter, where the owner sliced the tuna himself and explained the name of each new cut and how to eat it as it came out. It made the meal much more fun than simply eating it.

The course was not just tuna sashimi. It also included salad, fried items, steamed tuna, and grilled fish, making for a very generous meal.

I thought it was a lineup that would satisfy people visiting in the evening for a Chuncheon sashimi restaurant or drinks spot.

They also served sushi between courses, and the combination of richly fatty belly tuna and shari (seasoned sushi rice) was truly the best.

For the course finish, you can choose between albap (fish roe rice) and memil (buckwheat noodles). My companion and I chose one each. They were finishing dishes, but both were as tasty and generously portioned as the main course!

A dinner for enjoying tuna cut by cut

Maguro Tuna was a good place to visit when I wanted to slowly enjoy the distinct flavor of each tuna cut.

The staff were kind and the atmosphere was comfortable, making for a lovely mealtime. There are private rooms too, so it looked suitable for a family gathering or date. In particular, it is worth a visit if you want to properly enjoy a tuna course or are looking for a quiet dinner spot. It stayed in my mind as one of Chuncheon's tuna restaurants where you can experience both the aging method and explanations of the different cuts.