Itaewon sashimi bar for aged fish and monkfish liver sushi: Midoriya

I was looking for a good sashimi place in Itaewon and ended up visiting Midoriya, known for aged sashimi in Itaewon.

Midoriya Itaewon: location and opening hours

• Location: 19 Itaewon-ro 26-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
• Hours: Daily 17:30–05:00 the following day
• Parking: No dedicated parking
• Reservations: Naver Booking, Catchtable
• Recommended order for two: Assorted sashimi + monkfish liver inari sushi + one cooked dish

I looked up the menu before visiting, and the aged assorted sashimi seemed especially popular. I hurried over at a brisk pace 🏃💨

Midoriya menu lineup

The menu is broadly divided into sashimi, cooked dishes, and alcohol and drinks.

I had a reservation, so the table was set like this.

A quiet mood with graffiti walls and rattan lights

The interior was darkly lit, with walls filled with graffiti, giving it the soft atmosphere of a moody bar. The rattan lights hanging from the ceiling and slightly different wooden chairs at each table made it feel as comfortable as an old izakaya (Japanese pub).

There was so much graffiti that I couldn't imagine how many people had come and gone. Seeing notes left years ago made me oddly sentimental 🫧 There were around 10 tables. The spacing between them wasn't too tight, and the atmosphere felt comfortable.

Best menu items

• Midoriya sushi
• Today's sashimi for two
• Salmon 35

Seasonal and half-and-half sashimi

The seasonal menu includes sea bream, sea bass, herring, yuk sashimi (raw beef sashimi), sea urchin roe (uni), raw shrimp sashimi, sweet shrimp, and sea urchin roe.

There was also a wide variety of half-and-half sashimi combinations pairing popular salmon with another sashimi. Choices included uni, sea bream, yuk sashimi, sweet shrimp, and mackerel sashimi.

What side dishes are there?

Red snow crab ramen with green-onion kimchi; thinly sliced pork belly and stir-fried mung bean sprouts; tantan nabe (sesame-spicy hot pot); steamed scallops with sake; soft tofu, pollock roe, and egg soup; red snow crab fish-cake nabe; stir-fried fish roe and milt; potato salad; cream cheese tomato salad; chicken karaage; chicken neck meat grilled over straw; grilled salmon collar; fried eggplant; grilled pollock roe with cucumber; grilled Patagonian toothfish with tomato salad; whole steamed squid; beef brisket yukjeon (pan-fried beef); and ⭐️ monkfish liver inari sushi.

Whoa, there are so many menu items. I couldn't stop once I started writing, so I wrote them all out. You absolutely have to order the monkfish liver inari sushi 🫡

Ordering the two-person assorted sashimi and monkfish liver inari sushi

• Two-person assorted sashimi
• Monkfish liver inari sushi
• Sake tokkuri (sake carafe)

Since we ordered sashimi, the complimentary sides included roasted seaweed, white kimchi, hijiki seaweed, and sesame oil dipping sauce—things that go well with sashimi.

When we ordered a sake tokkuri, they gave us cute cups too. I was touched that the carafe was filled with sake right up to the opening 🥹

There was a generous spread of tuna, yellowtail, salmon, mackerel, and sweet shrimp, so the presentation passed immediately. Everything was fresh and thickly sliced, and even within the same type of fish there were different cuts mixed in, which made comparing the different textures really fun.

The tuna had just the right amount of fat and was tender, while the mackerel was clean and delicious without any fishiness. The sweet shrimp had a deep savory, rich flavor, and it was sooo good with the monkfish liver inari sushi 🤤 With just a little wasabi and soy sauce, the sashimi itself was savory and delicious.

You have to get the monkfish liver inari sushi

And then... there it was: monkfish liver inari sushi. You get two large pieces, too big for one bite, so I split each one in half. The monkfish liver was so rich that putting any sashimi on top felt like an instant flavor upgrade... give me more...

Ta-da. Once again, we finished every last bit.

For a quiet sashimi drink in Itaewon

I recommend it to anyone who likes the feel of a dark, moody barrr. Rather than being loud and bustling, it has an atmosphere that's good for quietly talking over drinks, so it's especially nice for two people.

I think I'll remember Midoriya whenever I want a quiet drink with sashimi in Itaewon. Next time, I want to try the assorted sashimi + monkfish liver inari sushi + an extra cooked dish too 😤