Jongno sushi with whole abalone and red shrimp: Choe Uyeong Sushiya

A sushi review from Jongno, Seoul — Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch.

I wanted to introduce a real gem in Jongno, Seoul where you can get a great value sushi spread. I went to Choe Uyeong Sushiya, a plate-sushi specialist famous in both Yeouido and Jongno!

• ⏰ Hours: 11:00–21:30 (Break 15:00–17:00 / Last order 21:00)
• 🗓️ Closed: None
• 🅿️ Parking: Available
• 📍 Address: 7 Jongno 5-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Where is Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch, and is there parking?

A great-value, high-quality sushi restaurant right in the heart of Jongno, located between Jonggak and Gwanghwamun stations. It's great for office workers' lunches nearby, or for a solo dinner or small gathering! It's on the basement level of the building, and they even support 2 hours of free parking. 🚗

It's right near the entrance of Pimatgol! There's a standing sign reading 'Choe Uyeong Sushiya, dining available, B1' so it was easy to find.

Inside Choe Uyeong Sushiya: bar counter, 4-person tables and tablet ordering

Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch has a modern, cozy atmosphere. There's bar-style counter seating that's great for eating alone, as well as clean 4-person tables for groups. Best of all, every table has a tablet, so ordering was easy, and the space was pleasant — I really liked it!

What we ordered at Choe Uyeong Sushiya, and what it cost

• <Set order> Premium sushi 17 pieces: ₩33,000
• <À la carte> Egg sushi: ₩1,000
• Yukhoe (beef tartare) gunkan, monkfish liver gunkan, negitoro gunkan: ₩1,500 each
• Cuttlefish ankimo, red shrimp, freshwater eel: ₩2,000 each
• Sea urchin, red shrimp with sea urchin, sea cucumber intestine gunkan: ₩3,000 each

The 17-piece premium sushi set (33,000 won)

I ordered the premium sushi 17-piece set, the restaurant's flagship menu. From fresh tuna, salmon, flounder, and red seabream sushi to abalone, sweet shrimp, uni, eel, and gunkan rolls — it was packed with pricey, high-grade cuts, and every single piece was satisfying.

What's on the 1,000–3,000 won single-piece sushi menu

Which add-on pieces we ordered twice at Choe Uyeong Sushiya

Great-value single orders in the ₩1,000–3,000 range you can enjoy to your taste! Egg sushi and the basic gunkan varieties come in at a good-value ₩1,000–1,500, and premium cuts like uni, red shrimp, ankimo, and the higher-end gunkan rolls are also priced comfortably at ₩2,000–3,000 — pure value itself ✨

• Egg sushi: ₩1,000
• Yukhoe gunkan, monkfish liver gunkan, negitoro gunkan: ₩1,500 each
• Cuttlefish ankimo, red shrimp, freshwater eel: ₩2,000 each
• Sea urchin, red shrimp with sea urchin, sea cucumber intestine gunkan: ₩3,000 each

Whole abalone sushi

The abalone's shell and innards were carefully cleaned and gently braised. Tender enough to bite through easily, yet pleasantly chewy and clean-tasting with a savory depth as you chew. So good... ㅠㅠ

Red shrimp sushi (2,000 won)

You could feel the heft the moment you picked it up with chopsticks — a large red shrimp. A distinctive sweetness hits the moment it's in your mouth, and the flesh is densely chewy the more you bite. The texture is the best. Highly, highly recommend if you like shrimp sushi!

Cuttlefish with ankimo sushi (2,000 won)

Over the chewy texture of finely scored cuttlefish, the richly mashed ankimo (monkfish liver) brings its flavor. A perfect balance of chewiness and savoriness. I really love ankimo, and since it had no fishy taste at all, I ordered two more!

Sea urchin roe gunkan (3,000 won)

No off odors or bitterness — it melts away into extreme richness! The sea urchin roe blends smoothly with the rice, and the flavor is insane... they controlled the fishy taste in the sea urchin really well too. This was so good I ordered two more!