Gangnam Station sashimi with flatfish in garlic aged kimchi: Damiseon

I went looking for a good-value sashimi restaurant in Gangnam and visited Damiseon Gangnam Station Branch 😉 This place was super accessible — just a 1-minute walk from Gangnam Station Exit 5! ➡️ It's really perfect for group gatherings or dinners. The live fish set even comes out course-style, so I left completely full. Here's my honest review 🩷

• 🚩 Fresh sashimi cut from fish sourced that morning
• 🚩 A vibe-y sashimi restaurant with old-school interior
• 🚩 Spacious store, great for group gatherings or dinners
• 🚩 1-minute walk from Gangnam Station-👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Where is Damiseon Gangnam Station Branch? One minute from Exit 5

Damiseon Gangnam Station Branch is on the basement floor (B1) of Daewoo Dossi Evit 1st. Walking from Gangnam Station toward the Damiseon building, there's an entrance behind the building — since the restaurant is on B1, you go down the stairs in the photo and you've arrived! Step inside and there's a cozy, old-school gem waiting 🔥

The place felt cozy and warm, almost like being in Japan. I even kept hearing songs I love, and before I knew it I was humming along 😆 It was a comfortable space where you'd lose track of time chatting.

Damiseon live-fish set prices: basic set vs. special set

The menu at Damiseon Gangnam Station Branch is a live fish set: Special Set — Small (2p) ₩100,000 / Medium (3p) ₩150,000 / Large (4p) ₩200,000, and Basic Set — Small (2p) ₩80,000 / Medium (3p) ₩120,000 / Large (4p) ₩160,000.

• 📌 Live Fish Set
• 1) Special Set - Small (2p) ₩100,000 / Medium (3p) ₩150,000 / Large (4p) ₩200,000
• 2) Basic Set - Small (2p) ₩80,000 / Medium (3p) ₩120,000 / Large (4p) ₩160,000

For anyone deciding between the two, here's my experience: I ordered the Basic Set for 2 + a Coke 🐶 I didn't need to order any sides — the Basic Set alone was more than filling. Abalone, boiled octopus, sea squirt, soy-marinated shrimp and more came out in such variety that I can't wait to show you the photos ✨️

Since I'd reserved ahead, the table was already fully set up when I arrived — very satisfying 😚 That's part of why I recommend this as a Gangnam group-dinner spot~~~ Now let's get into the food ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Damiseon starters: side dishes, clam soup and steamed egg

First, a salad, corn cheese and old kimchi (aged napa cabbage kimchi) to whet the appetite-✌🏻 The old kimchi especially had a garlic seasoning that was insanely savory ➡️ I got a refill plate of it, hehe.

+ A clear clam soup also came out and wow... it was so refreshing 🤤 The kind of clam broth that makes soju go down easily as an accompaniment! The broth was especially amazing that day~~~

Next was soft steamed egg-💛 Pairing warm steamed egg with the cold nature of sashimi felt balanced and soothing for the stomach! Not overly seasoned, savory yet light.

The sashimi spread: red seabream, large flatfish, seasonal fish and seafood

Finally, the main event — sashimi 😉 (red seabream + flatfish + seasonal sashimi) The thick-cut slices were plated so neatly I was moved by the presentation ㅠㅠ All the staff were friendly, and the price relative to the portion felt so good I think I'll become a regular ❤️

Glossy, high-quality sashimi alongside sea squirt, abalone, octopus, whelk and soy-marinated shrimp — such a great lineup 🤤 I'm usually not great with sea squirt, but Damiseon's was delicious...! I think it's all thanks to the freshness.

The freshness was obvious to both eyes and taste buds-👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Thanks to their principle of using seafood supplied that same morning, everything was really fresh! Each piece was so tasty I devoured it in no time 🐶

Soy-marinated shrimp, cut into bite-sized pieces

This soy-marinated shrimp in particular just melted in my mouth-👍🏻 The sauce wasn't too salty and was packed with savory depth — if they sold it separately I'd want to take some home. They even cut the shrimp so it fits in one bite! Care and attention down to the smallest detail 😉

Red seabream with fresh wasabi, flatfish with garlic aged kimchi

Now for the real sashimi feast 😚 Flatfish and red seabream — my mouth was watering just looking at it, hehe. Overall the sashimi was cut thick, giving it a really chewy, satisfying texture (slurp).

First, the red seabream had a nutty yet chewy texture! Dipping it lightly in soy sauce brought out the texture even more, hehe. + Piling on a generous amount of wasabi made it absolutely perfect 🔥 Since it was fresh wasabi, even a generous amount didn't have that sharp, stinging spiciness.

Next, eat the flatfish with the old kimchi (please). This old kimchi is seasoned with garlic, so it's genuinely delicious even on its own, you know? But eat it together with flatfish and it's insane 🤤 The bouncy texture plus the savory depth of the old kimchi is 200 out of 100 points-💪🏻 There was also a generous amount of engawa (fin muscle), which was a bit oilier and chewier — engawa really is the tastiest part of flatfish, hehe.

Sides along the way: grilled saury, fried shrimp and flying-fish-roe maki

In between eating all that delicious sashimi, tasty sides kept coming out in order!

A big whole grilled saury, four pieces of freshly fried, hot shrimp tempura, and one flying fish roe maki per person! The live fish set was so substantial that I really felt like I'd found a proper hidden gem 😆

To finish, a spicy fish bone stew came out, and the broth was truly amazing-👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Full of big fish chunks and fish roe, I scraped the pot clean, hehe.

Is Damiseon a good group dinner spot in Gangnam?

If you're looking for an incredibly fresh sashimi restaurant near Gangnam Station, this Damiseon Gangnam Station review is a strong recommendation 🩷 The quality of the flatfish and red seabream sashimi was excellent, and every other item was fully satisfying too! ➡️ A Gangnam Station spot I'd love to come back to. The interior is clean and the restroom is tidy too, so I'd recommend it for group dinners or gatherings 😉