Jongno aged sashimi restaurant: amberjack, uni and sake, Suksseong

What is Suksseong Susan Jongno Main Branch like?

Suksseong Susan Jongno Main Branch (숙썽수산 종로본점) is an aged sashimi restaurant near Jonggak Station, and it's a place I visit fairly often. I was on a Jongno outing again, and my friend loves sashimi so much that we've been to almost every place people call really good, yet somehow there's still somewhere left to go, which amazes me. Every time I go to Suksseong Susan I'm satisfied, so I naturally end up coming back. You really get that chewy texture and deep savoriness that aged sashimi is known for, so I think anyone who likes raw fish will be happy here.

Above all, every seat is kept private, so your group can eat in comfort, which is a big plus. That makes it great for gatherings with friends, family dinners or a date. The cozy mood lets you enjoy aged sashimi at leisure, so it works for a special day and also for when you just suddenly crave good raw fish.

Basic information for Suksseong Susan Jongno Main Branch

• Address: 16 Samil-daero 19-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 3rd floor
• Hours: 11:00–24:00 (check Naver for Fri, Sat, Sun hours)
• Break time: none / Last order: none / Closed: none
• Parking: not available
• Reservations: available / Groups: available
• Corkage: available (fee charged)
• Delivery: not available / Takeout: not available
• Pets: not allowed / High chairs: none

What are the atmosphere and seating like?

The interior is a little dark, with soft lighting that makes the food look even more appetizing and pretty. From the moment I walked in I thought the mood was really good. Photos come out nicely, and the space itself feels upscale, which I liked even more. I booked ahead, and the staff kindly showed us to a good table, so we could start our meal comfortably. Popular places really are better with a reservation.

Looking around, there were more seats than I expected, and with the private spaces it looked great for small get-togethers and larger groups alike. We kept saying through the whole meal that our next gathering should be at Suksseong Susan. The mood and the food were both satisfying, so it's a great place to spend time with a bunch of people.

How were the complimentary starters, lemon highball and draft beer?

The menu at Suksseong Susan Jongno Main Branch has so many delicious-sounding dishes that choosing was really hard...

The complimentary starter was soft tofu drizzled with perilla dressing and piled with bonito flakes. It was nutty yet light, and it woke up my appetite first. A perfect, easy opener before the meal.

They also gave us edamame, the boiled soybeans, which were salty and nutty and weirdly hard to stop eating. They're good with a light drink and also work as a palate cleanser before the main meal. They gave us takana (pickled mustard greens) too, yum yum! Why didn't I get a photo of that?!! Oh no!

We ordered a lemon highball and a draft beer each, and I was really happy overall. I'd tell you to try the lemon highball here at least once, it's that good. It's refreshing, not too sweet, goes down clean and pairs well with the food.

The draft beer felt well kept and cold, smooth going down and nice with the food. It's a great way to enjoy the mood over a casual drink, and I had a good time all through the meal. Yay~~~

What comes in the small aged sashimi set?

What we ordered at Suksseong Susan Jongno Main Branch that day: the small aged sashimi set, cuttlefish perilla-oil makguksu (buckwheat noodles) and crab roe cream croquettes. Ta-da!! haha Every dish looks so appetizing... I'll dig in right away.

The small set has salmon and sea bream as the base, plus greater amberjack, bluefin tuna, croaker, Spanish mackerel, and it came with sweet shrimp and uni (sea urchin) too, so the lineup felt pretty luxurious haha. As you can see in the photo, it's a really generous spread.

Each fish was well aged, so the texture didn't fall apart and was chewier, with the savoriness alive. With so many kinds it was fun to eat, and alternating rich fish with light fish meant I never got tired of it and kept reaching for more! That thing that looks like caviar... is black flying fish roe!! Hahaha hahahaha

Croaker, greater amberjack, bluefin tuna and other fish my friend usually likes were all there, so I really liked the lineup. My friend looked very pleased all through the meal, and I naturally enjoyed it too.

When the sweet shrimp I love arrived I was extra happy. The owner thoughtfully brought exactly two, in case we fought over them, and that consideration felt lovely. We could eat in peace, and small details like this really raise my satisfaction.

Greater amberjack for fans of a firm bite

My favorite in the small set was the greater amberjack. When I eat sashimi I prefer a firm, springy bite over a mushy one, so the amberjack suited me especially well.

The flesh feels firm as you chew, with a subtle richness rising up, so both texture and flavor satisfied me and I kept reaching for more. The others were good too, but personally the amberjack stuck with me most because of that texture.

Aged sea bream, my friend's recommendation

My friend insisted the aged sea bream was really good and I had to try it, so we tasted it together, and I understood the recommendation right away. I liked its light flavor with a gentle savoriness, clean and not overdone, the kind you keep thinking about after one piece. The texture is chewy and springy, and the more you chew, the more the fish's own flavor comes through, if that makes sense~?

Compared with the other aged fish it isn't oily or strong but finishes clean, so it was nice in the middle of the meal and I never tired of it. Trying it myself, I could see why so many people love sea bream, and it was one of the most memorable items in this set haha

How does the cuttlefish perilla-oil makguksu taste?

The cuttlefish perilla-oil makguksu was new to me, and although I don't usually eat makguksu all that much, this time it was impressive enough that I really enjoyed it.

The chewy boiled cuttlefish hits first, then the nutty perilla oil aroma spreads gently, and the sweet-and-sour sauce ties it all together, so one bite fills your mouth.

The noodles themselves are really chewy, and together with the springy cuttlefish the combination is so good. It's balanced enough that even people who don't normally eat makguksu would enjoy it: nutty, tangy and chewy all at once!

The staff mixed the cuttlefish and perilla-oil noodles with skillful hands, and the glossy look alone raised my expectations. The springy cuttlefish and chewy noodles soaked up the nutty perilla oil, the flavor really came alive, and with the sweet-and-sour sauce it kept me reaching for more without feeling greasy.

The chewy cuttlefish with the noodles was fun to eat, and each bite felt well balanced in my mouth. The tangy flavor quietly calls for a drink, so it works great as a snack with alcohol, and you keep sipping as you eat, which made the table mood more relaxed and fun.

What does the crab roe cream croquette taste like?

The last dish at Suksseong Susan Jongno Main Branch was the crab meat and roe cream croquette. I'd never seen anything like it, so I was curious the moment it arrived. The cream inside, filled with soft crab meat and the rich flavor of crab innards, spread a deep nuttiness the instant I bit in.

The outside is fried crisp with a clear crunch, while the inside flows out soft and creamy, so you get two extremes of texture at once. If you love the deep, rich taste of crab innards, it's sure to hit the spot, and I immediately understood why it's a special menu item.

It could feel heavy, but the crispy coating balances it, so I kept eating without it being too much. I love fried food, so a snack like this that's easy to eat is great! But it fills you up more than you'd think, so keep that in mind when ordering!

How was the tokkuri sake?

Eating the crispy, rich crab roe cream croquette made me crave sake, so I had to order a bottle in a tokkuri (small sake carafe). I'm usually picky about sake and don't touch it if it doesn't suit me, but the sake in the tokkuri at Suksseong Susan Jongno Main Branch was not heavy and had a gentle sweetness, so I enjoyed it much more easily.

Each sip went well with the nutty snacks and slid down smoothly, and I enjoyed sake far more than usual, which impressed me. When the food and drink match, the whole meal feels more complete, so I could finish happily to the end. If you're looking for a sashimi restaurant in Jongno, I hope you have a great time with the wonderful dishes at Suksseong Susan Jongno Main Branch!