Incheon sashimi restaurant with saury: Veteran General Fish Market

A spacious sashimi restaurant tucked into a Guwol-dong alley

While looking for a good sashimi spot in Guwol-dong with my sashimi-obsessed unni (older sister/female friend), we happened upon this place—and it somehow became a life-changing sashimi restaurant. Seriously, we walked out swearing, promising, vowing to come back.

It is hugely set right among the alleys of that very famous street in Guwol-dong, so it is easy to find and really stands out.

The restaurant is very big to start with—and just looking at those tanks, I had total faith that fresh fish would be there to greet me from the moment I walked in.

Sure enough, the interior was seriously spacious. It felt reliably grand, like about ten company departments could hold dinners there at once.

This is only part of the interior. There is dining space from the entrance onward, and amazingly, there is outdoor space too.

This is the outdoor area, and it is the kind of place that made me think a rainy-day kimchi pancake with a shot of soju would be absolutely perfect. Romance level: a lethal 100%. Next time, I am definitely bringing soju and sitting here.

Seasonal assorted sashimi and roe rice for lunch

After looking around the huge restaurant with unni, we hurriedly started studying the menu. We got the seasonal assorted sashimi for two, and since we came at lunch, added the lunch-special al-bap (fish roe rice). I mean, in this economy, how can dolsot-style hot-pot roe rice be 7,000 won? Wait until you see it—it makes even less sense.

What made this sashimi restaurant so endearing was the range: seasonal fish such as spring mullet and gizzard shad sashimi, plus raw shrimp sashimi that is all over Instagram. It honestly felt like there was no seafood they did not sell. Why go to the Noryangjin or Soraepogu fish markets when you can just come to Veteran General Fish Market Incheon Guwol Branch? But the positive madness of this place does not end there.

A self-service bar with kimchi pancakes and vegetables

That next-level generous self-service bar. Chewy, crisp kimchi pancakes are unlimited. My kimchi-pancake-loving unni screamed. (And this lowly helper who cooked her two pancakes screamed too.) More than anything, the frying pan was cleaner than my kitchen at home, the batter was neatly lined up, and there was not a single spill around it. Even the cooking-oil bottle was so clean—none of that greasy sliminess.

The cleanliness of this basic-side-dish self-service bar goes without saying, and there were unlimited ramen noodles. The lettuce and perilla leaves were in the best condition I have ever seen—seriously, I thought they had a vegetable garden behind the restaurant. You can freely help yourself to simple seasonings and sauces, salad, and even those precious expensive vegetables without feeling self-conscious.

Time to introduce the kimchi pancakes made by this helper. They have magic batter that lets even a total disaster in the kitchen make two delicious pancakes in no time.

They gave us these mixed vegetables as a standard side to eat with the sashimi, and the detail that absolutely floored me was the aged kimchi, fresh wasabi, and Cheongyang chili pollock roe. Those are all different sauces and options thoughtfully provided to pair with each kind of assorted sashimi, according to your preference.

7,000 won roe rice and six kinds of assorted sashimi

Ah, how can this possibly be 7,000 won roe rice? The hot pot was piping hot, so we made a little scorched rice right away and mixed it all up, and this insane visual happened. Unni and I actually cleared the roe rice before the sashimi.

And finally, the star arrived: assorted sashimi for two. There were a whopping six varieties, plus grilled saury. It felt like a scam, in the best way—the amount was seriously huge.

Would you believe that six kinds of fish, including salmon, flounder, and mullet, served fresh, cleanly and neatly over ice, cost 38,000 won?

As you take in all the different textures, aromas, and flavors, you naturally realize the portion is no joke. And then, as a complimentary extra—

Crispy, savory grilled saury appeared too. Not fishy at all, and truly delicious. Unni picked it clean right down to the tail. In the end we were both so full that we loosened our belts before leaving. This is a place where you cannot help shouting about the incredible value. We decided we are absolutely coming back.

With such varied, thoughtful side dishes, plenty of six-kind sashimi, and all those extra sides, I really, really recommend visiting this great sashimi restaurant in Guwol-dong, Veteran General Fish Market Incheon Guwol Branch. I mean it.