Jongak Station sushi restaurant with 8-fish mixed sashimi: Choe Uyeong

I was out near Gwanghwamun and stopped by Choe Uyeong Sushiya, a brand-new spot that just opened up. Between the varied sashimi lineup, the fresh and generous cuts of fish, and the overwhelming value for money, I was totally satisfied 🫶 If you're looking for a sushi restaurant around Gwanghwamun or Jongak, let me give you the full rundown!

How to find Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch, and where to park

Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch is at 7 Jongno 5-gil, B1 Unit 104, Jongno-gu, Seoul, open daily 11:00–21:30 with a break from 15:00–17:00 and last order at 21:00. Takeout, group visits, delivery, mobile payment, and parking are all available.

Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch is a fresh, brand-new store that opened recently. It sits between Gwanghwamun and Jongak stations, so no matter which one you get off at, it's about a 5-minute walk — really convenient. It's located inside a basement arcade in a building, so it's easy to find, and there's 2 hours of free parking in the building too, so it's convenient even if you're driving.

Inside Choe Uyeong Sushiya: bar seats for solo diners and group tables

In the middle of the restaurant there are bar-style seats that feel comfortable even for solo dining, and on either side there's plenty of group seating and regular tables. Maybe because it's newly opened, the moment I walked in I noticed how clean and tidy the interior looked. It felt spotless overall, and that first impression was really nice ☺️

The layout seemed perfect for office workers nearby to drop in alone for lunch without any pressure. Of course, there's also plenty of group seating and regular tables, so it looked great for after-work gatherings or company dinners too.

Menu and prices: single sushi pieces from 1,000 won

The menu at Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch isn't just sushi sets — it also has sashimi and rice bowls, and à la carte sushi ranges from 1,000 to 3,000 won. Sitting down and looking through the menu, I was surprised at how varied it was!

I assumed it was just an ordinary sushi place, but true to its reputation as a Gwanghwamun sushi restaurant, it had a full lineup of sushi types plus fresh sashimi and rice bowls.

The à la carte sushi also comes in a range of prices from 1,000 to 3,000 won, so it's great for picking exactly what you like. Ordering piece by piece instead of going with a set felt a bit like being at a conveyor-belt sushi place.

The sushi sets come in various sizes and compositions — 12, 15, 16 pieces and more — so whether you're dining solo, a hungry adult man wants to eat his fill, or two people are sharing, there's a good range to choose from. Here's what we ordered for two 👇

• Mixed sashimi (small) ₩40,000
• Special sushi (15pcs) ₩19,000
• Flounder fin, 2 pieces ₩5,000

Small mixed sashimi, 40,000 won: which eight fish you get

The mixed sashimi (small) came to 40,000 won and included 8 kinds — sweet shrimp, scallop, cuttlefish, flounder, yellowtail, tuna, red seabream, and salmon. The dishes we ordered arrived almost at the same time.

Let me start with the sashimi (small). The moment I saw it, my eyes widened. Even though we ordered the smallest size, it came neatly arranged with a whopping 8 kinds of fish — sweet shrimp, scallop, cuttlefish, flounder, yellowtail, tuna, red seabream, and salmon.

Beyond the lineup, the fish itself was absolutely fresh. Firm texture with a rich, savory flavor came through clearly, and the size of each piece was no joke ❗️ They were cut so thick that a single piece filled your mouth haha

I thought it would be perfect with a light drink alongside it, too.

Out of all the sashimi types, my pick was, of all things, the tuna ❣️ I don't usually love tuna, but the chewy, rich flavor here was outstanding 👍 The first bite made me think, wait, is this yukhoe (Korean beef tartare)? — it tasted that luxurious.

15-piece special sushi set, 19,000 won: more fish than rice

The 15-piece special sushi is 19,000 won, and at Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch, the sushi isn't about a big rice portion — it's the fish on top that's overwhelmingly large. Beyond the sashimi, the 15-piece special set was also excellent in quality.

From the moment it arrived, each piece of sushi looked much bigger than what I've seen elsewhere, and even with two of us eating, we got full quickly.

Out of curiosity I lifted up a piece of fish, and the rice portion turned out to be smaller than expected — a nice twist haha. Turns out it wasn't that there was a lot of rice, it was that the fish on top was overwhelmingly large ....👏👏

It's genuinely rare to see fish cuts this size at a sushi restaurant, but at this Gwanghwamun sushi restaurant, that's exactly what you get 😘 Even one piece really lets you feel how generous the fish portion is haha

What's in the 15-piece special sushi set

Tuna x3, scallop x1, egg x1, crab meat x1, cuttlefish x1, salmon x1, flounder x1, red seabream x1, sweet shrimp x1, ankimo (monkfish liver) x1, sea urchin roe x1, negitoro (minced fatty tuna) x1, eel x1

The biggest advantage of the special sushi set was being able to try many different types of sushi at once.

I got to taste the distinct character of each ingredient — ankimo, negitoro, sea urchin roe — things I don't usually try, which made for a fun and different experience.

The add-on order: two pieces of flounder fin for 5,000 won

This is the flounder fin we ordered as an extra. It's the part I always order without fail whenever I go to a conveyor-belt sushi place. The crunchy texture with a fatty, savory flavor was amazing... so glad I ordered it 🫢🫢

Seeing how good even the à la carte sushi was, it made me think that next time I should just order exactly what I like, piece by piece haha

Whether you judge it by taste, price, or quality, this is a Jongak Station sushi spot I'd fully recommend for a solid meal or a meetup spot 🫶 Another delicious meal today!