Tower8 basement sushi restaurant in Jongno, Seoul: Choe Uyeong Sushiya

Today I visited a new hotspot for enjoying budget-friendly sushi and sashimi after work or on weekends near Jongno — Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch (최우영스시야 종로점)!!!

It's located between Jongak Station and Gwanghwamun Station, so it's super accessible, and the fresh cuts of fish plus generous portions had me so satisfied that I'm dropping this info right away for anyone looking for a good sushi spot near Jongak Station hahaha.

Where is Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch, and what are its hours and parking?

• Hours: Daily 11:00 – 21:30 (break time 15:00 – 17:00, last order 21:00)
• Signature menu: sushi, kaisendon, sashimi, and more
• Reservations & groups: by phone inquiry
• Corkage available, ₩3,000 per bottle
• Parking: use Tower8 underground parking (2 hours free)
• Highlight: a great-value sushi & sashimi specialist, perfect for solo meals to group gatherings!

Inside the Tower8 basement: atmosphere and solo seats

I found Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch easily in the Tower8 basement !! Parking safely in the underground lot was such a bonus haha.

For takeout, there's a kiosk right at the entrance where you can order directly !!

There are 4-person tables, solo seats, and a group-friendly area in the back, so it works well for both a date and a gathering !! There are plenty of solo seats in the middle of the restaurant too, so whether you're craving sushi for lunch or want sashimi with a drink at night, going solo is totally doable !!!

Ordering at the tabletop kiosk

Every table has its own kiosk, so ordering is easy !! Today we ordered generously — sashimi, sushi, tempura, and drinks — hahaha.

Pickled radish and pickled ginger on every table, plus a broth loaded with fried tofu — you can't eat sushi and sashimi without these! Total rice thief!! Hahaha.

Mixed sashimi, 40,000 won: how thick and fresh was it?

Between the mixed sashimi (40.0) and the special sushi set (19.0), my chopsticks reached for the mixed sashimi first!! Wow... can you see the thickness and freshness of the cuts?

With salmon, halibut, tuna and more, the lineup was so generous, and picking up a piece with a bit of wasabi and dipping it lightly in soy sauce, there was zero fishiness — it was chewy and just melted in my mouth hahaha.

What is in the 19,000-won 15-piece special sushi set?

Next up is the special sushi set with a whopping 15 pieces!! Since the exact lineup isn't written on the menu, food-obsessed Jang Chaekim went piece by piece to figure it out with my own eyes hahaha (peak passion ✌️)

• Egg, freshwater eel, monkfish liver gunkan, negitoro gunkan, sea urchin nigiri
• Tuna belly, crab nigiri, cuttlefish, scallop, red shrimp nigiri
• Halibut, salmon, red seabream, bluefin tuna, and probably a seasonal piece haha

(※ The lineup seems to change a bit depending on availability!)

It included monkfish liver, negitoro, sea urchin, and even tuna belly — for 19,000 won the quality was almost unbelievable! The neta (fish topping) on each piece was generously sized, and the ratio to the shari (rice) was just right, which I loved. There's real fun in picking through such a varied, generous premium sushi spread, so for anyone looking for a good sushi restaurant near Jongak Station, this special sushi set is genuinely a must-order!!

The fish nigiri didn't come with wasabi already added, so you can add as much as you like !! I'm a huge wasabi person hahaha.

Jang Chaekim's favorite here is the egg nigiri, hahahaha.

The size of the fish slices on the sushi was genuinely thick and generous — very satisfying !!

Mixed tempura, 13,000 won, and the glutinous rice mochi tempura

The ultimate in crunch — the 'mixed tempura' (13.0). To finish things off, of course, it's all about that savory fried goodness! Here comes the mixed tempura!!

• Fried shrimp x6
• Fried sweet potato x1
• Fried scallop x1
• Fried sweet rice mochi x1

The sweet potato tempura wasn't the usual flat slice — it seemed like a plump, well-steamed sweet potato that was then fried, so my mouth was full of sweetness !!! The savory-salty scallop tempura was — well, no words needed — and the shrimp tempura was, as always, great hahaha.

But the real hit was the sweet rice mochi tempura !!! Look at that mochi stretching so chewily hahaha. Chewy yet crispy texture — how can you resist that? >_<

Yuzu shu soda: why the 'non-alcoholic' label needs a second look

The drink we ordered, 'yuzu shu soda,' had a refreshing yuzu aroma plus fizz that completely cut through the richness of the sashimi and sushi — a real MVP menu item. Here's a small but important tip from food-obsessed Jang Chaekim! 💡 The menu lists it as a 'carbonated non-alcoholic drink,' and a lot of people seem to get confused about this !!

• Alcohol-free: a drink with completely 0% alcohol!
• Non-alcoholic: a drink that, by composition, may contain trace amounts of alcohol under 1%!

So if you're driving, pregnant, or extremely sensitive to alcohol, please keep in mind that the 'non-alcoholic' label doesn't mean a full 0% alcohol-free drink hahaha (drivers and pregnant folks, take note!! 🚗⚠️)

We really enjoyed pairing it — the tasty sweetness combined with the tingling fizz was delicious!

Is Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch worth a visit? Final verdict

For a meal appointment or a date near Jongno/Gwanghwamun, Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch lets you enjoy delicious sushi and sashimi in generous portions without breaking the bank! Fresh cuts of fish paired with crispy mixed tempura — an absolutely perfect combination!! I highly recommend enjoying a delicious meal here 👍