Ilsan sushi and cold soba: delivery regulars' first dine-in, Hwangje

Hwangje Sushi (황제초밥) is a place my family orders from by delivery all the time. We'd only ever had it delivered, but this time we finally went to the Hwangje Sushi Ilsan Main Branch (황제초밥 일산본점) to eat in for the first time. We're always happy with it, so I went in with high expectations!

Hwangje Sushi Ilsan Main Branch: location, hours and parking

Hwangje Sushi Ilsan Main Branch is on the ground floor of the Sangga-dong building at SK M City, 195 Baengma-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi, and it's open daily 11:00–21:30. You can park in the SK M City shopping complex parking lot.

• Address: 195 Baengma-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi, SK M City Sangga-dong building, 1st floor
• Hours: daily 11:00–21:30
• Break time: 15:00–17:00
• Last order: 14:20 / 20:50
• Parking: available (SK M City shopping complex parking lot)
• Payment: Zero Pay, high fuel price relief support funds (debit, credit card)
• Reservations: available via Naver Reservation
• Free corkage!

Come out of Gate 11 of the SK M City shopping complex and Hwangje Sushi is right there on the right!

Atmosphere and seating at Hwangje Sushi Ilsan Main Branch

The restaurant was so clean it looked freshly opened, and there are counter seats (dacchi, 다찌석) that are great for eating alone. We've been ordering from Hwangje Sushi by delivery for 3 years, but this was our first time visiting in person. I was surprised at how spotless it was, like it had just opened.

We went a bit early (11:30), but once lunchtime hit, the hall filled up fast. With the counter seats, it seems like a good spot for solo meals too.

They also sell draft beer here, so there are Ebisu and Sapporo draft machines. There's a self-service bar where you can freely grab things like shichimi (Japanese seven-spice) and scissors.

What we ordered at Hwangje Sushi Ilsan Main Branch

You order easily at the kiosk at each seat. We ordered the VIP sushi, the sushi and soba set, a single cold soba, and one bottle of Kelly beer.

• VIP sushi ₩25,000
• Sushi and soba set ₩11,000
• Cold soba (single item) ₩9,500
• 1 bottle of Kelly beer

Order done!

What comes free when you dine in at Hwangje Sushi

Dining in at Hwangje Sushi Ilsan Main Branch includes seasonal porridge, salad, mini udon, grilled fish, and tempura. After we ordered, they brought out pickled vegetables, grilled salmon, and abalone porridge. The water is bottled water too, which I liked ꈍ◡ꈍ Each seat has rakkyo (pickled shallots) and ginger ready, so there's no shortage.

Hwangje Sushi VIP sushi (25,000 won): pieces and taste

The VIP sushi at Hwangje Sushi is ₩25,000 and consists of 2 sea bream, flatfish, seasonal live fish, 2 salmon, akami (lean tuna), mecadoro (tuna belly), abalone, torched red shrimp, grilled beef, and grilled freshwater eel.

The neta (topping fish) in the VIP sushi is quite thick, so the texture was great, and with so many kinds it's fun to pick through! How did they steam the abalone to be that tender? It's so good!

They also gave us potato croquettes and mini udon, so it's really filling! The udon broth is delicious.

Is the weekday-lunch sushi and soba set (11,000 won) worth it?

The sushi and soba set at Hwangje Sushi is a weekday-lunch-only set for ₩11,000, with a half portion of soba and 6 pieces of sushi (live fish, salmon, shrimp, cuttlefish, egg, and fried tofu).

The set is well put together, and the portion was quite generous for "half soba." It was perfect for me! For a dieter, isn't soba diet food? (shameless)

Why Hwangje Sushi's cold soba (9,500 won) is our family favorite

The single cold soba at Hwangje Sushi is ₩9,500, and the broth is rich and full of umami, which makes it our family's favorite dish haha. Cold soba at sushi places is often just so-so, but Hwangje Sushi's is a taste I keep thinking about.

It doesn't taste like store-bought broth; you can taste a deep flavor that seems brewed in-house. The cold soba here is on another level.

Even for delivery, they pack it in a thick stand-up bag, so the slushy ice really doesn't melt, and it's delicious even delivered!! Highly recommend!

Other dishes to try at Hwangje Sushi Ilsan Main Branch

Beyond what we ate, Hwangje Sushi has so many tasty things. The plain egg roll sushi is good, and the salmon sushi, my son's favorite, has thick salmon and is delicious! There are just so many recommendations.

Delivery vs dining in: what a 3-year regular thought

The sushi at Hwangje Sushi Ilsan Main Branch was satisfying, and the cold soba is perfect for this weather. We were happy with it by delivery, but visiting in person reminded me again why we've been regulars for so long. If you're looking for good sushi in Ilsan, I recommend Hwangje Sushi Ilsan Main Branch! 🍣💛