Sangsu ochazuke spot with eel and cod roe bowls: Ochaya

Today I'm bringing a review of Ochaya, an ochazuke restaurant in Sangsu-dong! Maybe it's the weather lately, but I've been craving warm, mild meals over spicy heavy food ㅠㅠ so I finally went to this ochazuke spot I'd been curious about for a while!!

Sangsu Station restaurant · Sangsu Station ochazuke · Hongdae restaurant: Ochaya

Where is Ochaya and what are its hours?

Ochaya is an ochazuke restaurant on the 2nd floor at 49 Wausan-ro 13-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, 237m from Sangsu Station Exit 1. Hours are daily 11:30–20:30 (last order 19:50), and you order via kiosk inside. Rice and broth refills are available, and they also offer group use, reservations, wifi, and pet-friendly seating.

Ochaya is near Sangsu Station but also within walking distance from Hongik University Station. It's on the 2nd floor so you have to climb stairs, but the wood-tone interior felt aesthetic right from the entrance haha

Ochaya menu and prices

You order at the kiosk by the entrance. I agonized over the menu so much,,, but ended up ordering both the eel ochazuke (unagi) and the cod roe ochazuke!! So many things looked delicious that I decided I'd have to come back again..

• Unagi (eel) ochazuke ₩16,000
• Cod roe ochazuke ₩10,000
• Butano kakuni ₩14,000
• Kaisen chazuke ₩14,500
• Mito udai chazuke ₩15,000
• Sake chazuke ₩15,000

Can you eat alone at Ochaya? Solo seats and the window counter

I loved that Ochaya's restaurant space was pretty spacious. These days I eat out alone a lot, and big tables can feel awkward when you're solo.. but Ochaya has single seats too, so eating alone here felt totally comfortable ꒰( ⁎●᷄⌳●᷅⁎ )꒱

There's also a full window wall that lets light in, which made the space feel more open and even nicer :-)

How to eat ochazuke at Ochaya

Ochazuke is eaten first with just rice and toppings for about half, then broth is poured over the remaining rice haha. First-timers might not know exactly how to eat it, right? But Ochaya has friendly instructions written on the tables and walls, so even people unfamiliar with it can eat comfortably haha

What the 10,000-won cod roe ochazuke tastes like

Ochaya's cod roe ochazuke passed the visual test right away! The toppings are neatly arranged on the rice, and it comes with side dishes of pickled radish, takana, and kimchi ㅎ

The cod roe's color alone looked appetizing, and it wasn't very salty, leaning more into savory umami, so it was easy to eat without feeling heavy. Scooping it up with rice, the cod roe's signature popping texture came through, and I kept going back for more,, no fishy taste at all — actually kind of nutty — so even people who don't usually like cod roe would probably be fine with this!!

Eel ochazuke, 16,000 won: portion and flavour

Ochaya's eel ochazuke had big chunks of eel piled on top, so I was surprised by the portion. I expected ochazuke to come with just a little eel on top, but it turned out generously loaded, which boosted my satisfaction a lot haha. Everyone posting about it on SNS says it's really good value,,

The eel sauce wasn't aggressively sweet either — it was mildly seasoned, so it never got tiring even eating it continuously. The outside had a slight glossy coating, but when I pulled it apart with chopsticks, the flesh came apart softly, and it was moist rather than dry when chewed 𐔌ᐡᴗ͈ ̫ ᴗ͈ᐡ𐦯

The eel was so good I kept reaching for it even plain, and after eating about half and pouring broth over the rest, the eel's richness blended with the broth for a whole different kind of appeal. Considering the price, the amount of eel felt like really solid value — highly recommend!!

Definitely recommended for anyone tired of spicy, heavy food, solo diners, or anyone looking for a mild, warm meal!! Next time I'm planning to go back and try the kaisen chazuke,,