Hongdae sushi date by the open kitchen, torch aburi: Yu Iksang Sushi

Where is Yu Iksang Sushi, and is it easy to find?

Yu Iksang Sushi (유익상스시) is a Hongdae sushi spot a 5-minute walk from Exit 9 of Hongik Univ. Station. I went with my excited sushi-loving Mija ❤️. It's our go-to whenever we date in Hongdae or crave proper sushi. It's super close to the station, so access is great, and the freshness, portions and value are all spot on, so I just had to review it! Getting there is so easy, hehe.

Yu Iksang Sushi exterior and parking

The restaurant is on the ground floor, and its black sign with gold lettering is neat and easy to spot! It has that casual Hongdae alley feel, and while the streets around are lively, the front of the shop is relatively quiet, so even solo diners could walk in without pressure. When the lights come on in the evening it looks even cozier, like a proper good-eats spot! Parking is hard, but it's perfectly placed for public transport 😣

Is the inside of Yu Iksang Sushi good for a date?

Inside, Yu Iksang Sushi is small, with about 14–16 seats in total, and full of snug, warm Japanese-style charm. Because it's so compact, you can really focus on the sushi, and it feels kind of private too 😙

Torch aburi in the open kitchen

You can see the open kitchen clearly from your seat, and watching the chef, who has 16 years of experience and trained in Japan, work with his hands is totally reassuring! The flames of the torch-seared aburi and the careful way he shaped each piece were impressive 🤩

One Piece posters, cherry blossom art and kiosk ordering

There are also two tables for four, so it should work for couples or small groups too! The walls are decorated with One Piece posters, a cherry blossom painting and cute little Japanese knick-knacks, which makes the place feel friendly and adorable. Unlike the noisy Hongdae restaurants, it was quiet and cozy, so we could have a really deep conversation on our date 😌

Ordering is by kiosk, which is convenient, and the owner and staff were all kind, so waiting was no trouble at all! The space is small but clean and tidy, so we enjoyed our meal 😄

Yu Iksang Sushi menu and the long-tail sushi

Sushi is the main thing here, alongside sashimi, rice bowls (donburi), rolls and other Japanese dishes, and it's especially famous for its long-tail sushi 😋 The fish is sliced long and thick, and the chewy bite when you fill your mouth is seriously addictive! There are singles, sets and lunch menus. We ordered the Couple A Plus (₩56,000)!

What comes in the Couple A Plus (₩56,000)?

The difference from the regular Couple A set is that the Couple A Plus has more salmon, beef, tuna and aburi pieces! The plate was packed the moment it arrived, and the amount and the look were so overwhelming I wondered if two people could finish it 🤭

The set comes with a fresh salad, warm broth, chewy cold soba (buckwheat noodles) and crispy shrimp tempura on the side, and that lineup was great for cleansing the palate between pieces of sushi!

The main sushi includes red drum (jeomseongeo), salmon, tuna, beef, tamago aburi, garlic shrimp aburi, garlic mecha aburi and more, and the long-tail sushi is the real signature 😆

Long-tail salmon and red drum sushi, scooped up with a spoon

The salmon and red drum sushi come with the fish sliced long, so one bite fills your whole mouth! The chewy, fresh texture made me clap 😁 They're about twice the length of normal sushi, so the amount of fish is really generous! The pieces were so big I couldn't pick them up with chopsticks at all, so I scooped them up with a spoon, haha.

Aburi pieces and garlic shrimp with mayo

The aburi in the Couple A Plus had a subtle torch smokiness, wasn't greasy at all, and the savory depth was unreal ☺️

The garlic shrimp is loaded with mayo sauce, totally my taste! The crispy tempura crumbs made it crunchy and nutty, so good!

Beef, tamago, tuna and the free fried eggplant sushi

The beef and tamago (egg) were nicely balanced too! The tuna was fresh with just the right amount of fat and melted in my mouth! Overall, the thickness of the fish, the amount of rice and the acidity blended perfectly, and we cleared every plate, leaving nothing 🥰

The fried eggplant sushi that came as a freebie was a treat too, crispy yet soft! We left completely full, and for the price we were thoroughly satisfied with the freshness, texture, portions and lineup! For this quality in Hongdae, I think it's a top-value pick 🤓

Yu Iksang Sushi verdict: worth it for a Hongdae sushi date?

Yu Iksang Sushi isn't just a place with big portions. It pays careful attention to ingredient freshness and details like rice seasoning, flame temperature and plating, so the quality was really good 😀 The open kitchen makes it more trustworthy, and the coziness of the small space seems just right for a date!

I highly recommend Yu Iksang Sushi for a Hongdae date. There may be a wait, so go with time to spare or call ahead before visiting! 😃

• Address: 18-7 Wausan-ro 23-gil, Unit 101, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea (Yu Iksang Sushi)
• Hours: 11:00–21:00 (Tue–Sun), last order 20:00
• Closed: Mondays
• 5-minute walk from Exit 9 of Hongik Univ. Station
• No parking