Nowon sushi buffet with Mom: yellowtail sushi, chili pork, Kuu Kuu

Today's story is about filling my belly with delicious food alongside Mom, which I haven't done in a while. Every time we pick a place to eat out, it's really hard to suit everyone's taste, from kids to grown-ups. This time I went somewhere with no worries and loads of variety to enjoy as much as I liked: Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch (쿠우쿠우 노원점), a great Nowon spot for family get-togethers! Besides delicious sushi, it has a varied salad bar, warm hot dishes, BBQ and desserts, all fully stocked. I left satisfied, so I can recommend it with confidence.

Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch: location, hours and parking

Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch is on the 6th floor of 247 Nowon-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, a 10-minute walk from Hagye Station Exit 2. It's open 11:00–21:30 Monday to Thursday and 11:00–22:00 Friday to Sunday.

If you come by car, you can park free for up to 2 hours in the Oncheon Building, so it should be easy to visit!

Entrance event and how to wait at Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch

At the entrance there was a standing sign announcing a new menu item, raw salmon sashimi, and an event offering unlimited draft beer if you write a Naver review. When it's crowded and you have to wait, you can use Catch Table to get a waiting number!

How good is the sushi at Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch?

The sushi was good quality: a sensible amount of rice, with thick, fresh slices of fish and toppings. After we were shown to our seats, the first place I ran to was of course Kuu Kuu's main attraction, the sushi corner. As you'd expect from a place famous as a Nowon sushi buffet, chefs at the live station kept making sushi and refilling it nonstop.

Fatty tuna sushi and yellowtail sushi

The sushi that stood out most was the fatty tuna and the yellowtail. It felt amazing to get fresh fatty tuna and yellowtail sushi at a buffet. The fatty tuna kept its grain intact, and the moment it hit my mouth, rich oil and tenderness spread out. The yellowtail was chewy and clean-tasting, as if it were in season, and I went back for it several times.

Hot dishes at Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch: LA galbi, chili pork and flower buns

On one side of the hot dish corner was a big pile of sweet-and-salty LA galbi (marinated beef short ribs), braised until the meat slid right off the bone. The seasoning had soaked in well, and it was a total rice thief. Next to it were a zesty, spicy stir-fried chili pork (gochujapchae style, with peppers) and steaming flower buns (kkotppang) you tear apart along the layers. The chili pork had a subtle smoky, wok-fired flavor, and I think I liked it even more than the Chinese restaurant version.

Steamed crab and grilled corn and salmon

There was also a heaping pile of steamed crab for seafood lovers. Next to it, grilled dishes like grilled corn and grilled salmon were well stocked, so I think anyone who likes grilled food or crab will be happy!

The sushi plates Mom and I brought back

I went back and forth between the sushi corner and the hot dish corner several times, filling my plates. I brought back a whole plate of just salmon sushi and had a salmon party, and I liked being able to try all kinds of sushi, like beef sushi, eel sushi and monkfish liver gunkan (sushi with a seaweed wall). The sushi has no wasabi inside, so you can add as much as you like to suit your taste.

Finishing the meal: drinks and fruit

At Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch, after you finish eating you can have tea time with a latte, coffee, drinks or tea.

The fruit corner had a variety of fruit like dragon fruit, grapefruit, apple, melon and lychee, so I could wrap up the meal on a clean note.

Is Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch okay with family who don't like sushi?

Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch is a great Nowon spot for family get-togethers, and even if you go with someone who doesn't really like sushi, the hot food is so varied, with chicken, galbi, chili pork, pork ribs and more, that I think everyone can enjoy the meal together with smiles!