Sea bass steak and clam udon omakase near Gongdeok, Seoul: Danya

What is Danya at Seoul Garden Hotel?

Recommending a sushi omakase spot in Mapo/Gongdeok — Danya at Seoul Garden Hotel. On a nice day I took my mom out for a cozy date after a long time, and this time we went to Danya, a sushi omakase restaurant located in the basement of Seoul Garden Hotel in Mapo. Both the atmosphere and the course were satisfying enough that I'd happily bring my parents here, so let me introduce it.

• 📍Address: Basement 1F, 58 Mapo-daero, Mapo-gu, Seoul
• 🕐 Hours: Mon–Sat 12:00–22:00 / Closed every Sunday
• 📞Reservations: Naver Reservation / Catch Table
• 🚘Parking: Available / Valet available

Danya runs on a 100% reservation-only basis. Being in the hotel basement made parking and access really convenient. If you're going for a special occasion or bringing your parents, I'd recommend booking well ahead of time.

Inside Danya: entrance and counter atmosphere

This was my first time at Seoul Garden Hotel itself, and overall it had a light, casual feel rather than a heavy one, which made it easy to visit without pressure.

Going down to the basement floor, the entrance to Danya greets you with a clean, proper Japanese-restaurant look. The moment I stepped inside, I got a warm, cozy mood that made a great first impression. Inside, it's neatly arranged with counter seats and private spaces, and we took counter seats. The chef carefully checked our eating pace throughout the meal and served accordingly. Thanks to that, my mom and I could chat comfortably without interruption and enjoy a pleasant meal.

Danya's menu and course options

Danya runs on neat, substantial course meals.

There are budget-friendly lunch and dinner courses, of course,

and there's also a kaiseki course paired with beer,

The drinks menu is solid too, so it's a good spot for a proper meal as well as a few drinks.

What comes in Danya's premium kaiseki course

This time I tried the premium kaiseki, made up of the following:

• 1 draft beer
• 5 appetizers
• Steamed abalone
• 7 kinds of sashimi
• 8 pieces of sushi
• Specialty dish (1)
• Specialty dish (2)
• Meal

The lineup can change, but let me walk you through exactly what I got, with photos!

Opening bite: melon with jamon

The first thing out was melon hamon — sweet melon paired with salty jamón — a perfect way to whet the appetite.

Five appetizers

Next came five small appetizers: fried halibut, a Japanese-style castella-egg roll, sweet fried chestnut, marinated tomato, and fig topped with cream cheese. Each was plated neatly, so there was plenty of fun eating with your eyes first. The freshness and clean flavors of the ingredients really came through, making for a great start to the course.

Steamed abalone with snow crab innard sauce

Next up was steamed abalone with snow crab innard sauce. The abalone was steamed really tender, with no chewiness at all. Interestingly, instead of abalone liver sauce, it came with a rich, savory snow crab innard sauce — a different kind of appeal from the usual liver sauce.

Seven kinds of sashimi

The sashimi proper came in seven kinds: halibut, striped jack, flathead grey mullet, halibut fin, sea bass, tuna, and red seabream. Well-aged, with a chewy yet soft texture that was excellent.

Then came a broth with blue crab in it, refreshing and great as a palate cleanser in between.

Eight pieces of sushi

The sushi lineup that followed was solid too —

• Halibut
• Sea bass
• Croaker
• Red seabream
• Halibut fin
• Tuna (akami)
• Medium fatty tuna

Negi-toro and sea urchin,

and finally futomaki — a satisfying, well-balanced omakase all around ♥️

First specialty dish: fried chicken tenders

The first specialty dish was fried chicken tenders — crispy and tender, paired with a sweet-and-spicy chili sauce that cut right through any richness.

Second specialty dish: sea bass steak

The second specialty dish was sea bass steak. The well-grilled, clean-tasting sea bass paired wonderfully with the salty pollock roe cream sauce.

Rice course: hot clam udon and conger eel tempura

For the meal course, we got deep-flavored clam udon and crispy fried conger eel tempura. The clams gave the warm broth a refreshing edge that settled the stomach completely and gave the meal a perfect finish.

Dessert: fig cheesecake and green tea

The final dessert was fig-topped cheesecake with green tea. The cheesecake was so good that even though I was already full, I cleaned my plate — a perfect course all the way to the end.

Final verdict: is Danya worth booking for parents?

Every single dish was made with care, and the quality showed the freshness of the ingredients throughout the meal. At omakase places, portions can sometimes fall short, but at Danya the overall course was really generous, so even those who normally eat a lot could leave full.

The hotel's own comfortable, tidy atmosphere plus the chef's kind and attentive service made me feel well looked after throughout the meal. If you're looking for a clean sushi restaurant in Mapo to take your parents to, or considering a proper hotel omakase for an anniversary, I'd definitely recommend a visit to Danya at Seoul Garden Hotel.