Table-seat sushi omakase with kaisendon in Gwanak, Seoul: Sushi Ryeo

I went with my mom for a nice dinner at Sushi Ryeo, a sushi spot near Seoul National University of Education Station. It's a sushi omakase place, close to the station and with a calm atmosphere, so it seemed like a great spot for a special meal with my mom.

We booked the dinner omakase for two. The course went from sashimi to sushi, grilled dishes, fried dishes, kaisendon, and udon — the variety and portions were so generous we came home completely full, haha. If you're looking for a great-value omakase, pay attention! I'll walk you through it below.

Sushi Ryeo basics: address, hours and seating

• Location: 456 Bongcheon-ro, 202, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 12:00 - 22:00 (last order 20:30)
• Break time: 15:00 - 17:30
• Other: Parking available, Naver reservations accepted, corkage allowed

How to walk from Seoul National University Station to Sushi Ryeo

Sushi Ryeo is a 2-minute walk from Exit 5 of the station, so it's really accessible. It's located on the 2nd floor of the Yeongin MC building, behind the NongHyup bank. I took the elevator up to the 2nd floor, and it was right there when I stepped out, so it was easy to find.

Inside Sushi Ryeo: bar seats, tables and the private room

Walking in, the first thing that caught my eye was the long bar counter. At the bar you can watch the chefs cooking right in front of you, so it seemed like a great way to really enjoy the omakase atmosphere. There's also a 4-person table and a separate private room, so it looked like a good spot not just for dates but also for family gatherings or wedding-invitation meetups. Overall the mood is calm and clean, so it seemed like a nice choice for anniversaries or special occasions.

We booked a table seat that day. At the bar, it looked like the chef hands you each piece of sushi directly, while at our table, the staff brought the food over and explained each dish one by one.

What is on the Sushi Ryeo menu?

Sushi Ryeo's main offerings are the lunch and dinner omakase, and you can also order individual sushi pieces separately. Apparently the lunch menu is available even in the evening, limited to 10 people, so if you're interested, it's worth asking when you make a reservation.

They also had a good variety of alcohol to pair with the meal. We ordered the dinner omakase for two.

What comes with the Sushi Ryeo dinner omakase course?

First, they set out pickled ginger and soy sauce for each of us. And before the food even arrived, what caught my eye was... the chopstick rest shaped like a dog! It was so cute I had to take a photo, haha.

Chawanmushi (savory steamed egg custard)

The first dish was chawanmushi, Japanese steamed egg custard. I already love chawanmushi, and the subtle truffle aroma paired really well here — there was also plump, springy shrimp meat inside, so I enjoyed the texture against the soft egg custard.

Whelk and minari in vinegar dressing

Seaweed noodles topped with whelk, minari (water dropwort), and cherry tomatoes, finished with a tangy vinegar soy sauce — this dish really woke up the palate. The chewy whelk and fragrant minari went well together, and the sweet-tart cherry tomatoes made the whole thing feel fresh and light.

Sashimi and steamed abalone

The wild sea bass in the bowl came topped with ponzu, and they told us just a little wasabi on the side was enough. Then out came the steamed abalone with its liver sauce, amberjack, and fatty tuna belly. For the fatty tuna belly, they recommended piling on plenty of wasabi and dipping it lightly in salt — it melted in the mouth and had a rich, fatty savoriness.

The steamed abalone was really tender too. The accompanying liver sauce was especially rich and savory, and dipping the abalone generously into it was so good.

The amberjack was clean-tasting yet grew more savory and umami the more you chewed it — it had its own distinct charm.

Short-neck clam soup

Midway through, a warm clam soup arrived. It had cod and shrimp in a clear clam-based broth. The broth was light yet had a refreshing depth from the clams, and it was nice to sip while warm. The fish inside was also fairly thick, so there was plenty to eat.

Grilled black cod

Grilled black cod served with a miso-marinated garlic sauce. The flesh was really tender and boneless, so it was easy to eat. It was delicious even plain, but pairing it with the sauce added the savory umami of miso and the aroma of garlic, which matched the soft black cod really well.

First sushi round: 6 pieces

Finally, the sushi we'd been waiting for! Red sea bream, tuna, horse mackerel, tuna, shrimp with sea urchin, and hairtail — 6 pieces in total. Each fish had a different taste and texture, and each had a strong, distinct flavor — I enjoyed every piece.

They recommended eating the tuna topped with salt as is, and dipping the rest lightly in soy sauce. I always follow the recommendations exactly — it never fails, haha.

A warm broth that pairs well with sushi came out alongside it too. Slurp~

Kaisendon (seafood rice bowl)

Kaisendon topped with tuna, salmon roe, and sea urchin! They explained you should mix it well with the rice and wrap it in seaweed.

The savory tuna, the bursting umami of the salmon roe, and the rich, soft sea urchin combined for a really deep flavor even in a small bite. Wrapped in seaweed, the ocean aroma and savoriness came through even more, and it was so good I wanted another bowl...

Fried monkfish with shishito peppers

Next was fried monkfish and fried shishito peppers. The batter was really crispy and the monkfish inside was moist and tender — I loved it. Eating the shishito peppers in between kept things clean and not too heavy.

Second sushi round: 4 pieces

The second round of sushi was herring, blackspot sea bream, sea eel, and tamagoyaki — 4 pieces total! By this point I was starting to get full, but the generous portions of the course were a nice touch. My favorite of the bunch was the eel sushi! It was the best eel sushi I've ever had. The flesh was so tender it practically melted apart in my mouth, and you could really taste the eel's savory richness.

This was my first time trying herring sushi. The glossy, shiny blue-fish color was fascinating. It had a rich, savory flavor with good umami, and I really enjoyed it.

The tamagoyaki, Japanese-style grilled egg, was fluffy and soft, almost like eating castella cake. It had a subtle sweetness, so it tasted like a dessert.

Fish rice bowl

Mixing it all together, the soft fish flakes blended well with the rice, and the seasoning was just salty enough that I kept eating even though I was already full.

Inaniwa udon

The final dish was inaniwa udon! Instead of the thick, round noodles you'd normally picture for udon, these are thin and flat. The noodles were smooth and easy to slurp down, and paired with the warm broth, it was the perfect way to close out the omakase course.

Dessert: green tea ice cream

We could choose between mango and green tea, and I went with green tea! The green tea flavor was strong, and it was topped with crushed Oreo bits for a nice crunchy texture. The slightly bitter green tea ice cream was a great way to end the meal.

Who should book the Sushi Ryeo dinner omakase?

Sushi Ryeo near Seoul National University of Education Station — we left full and happy! I was so stuffed I ended up walking an extra stop home, haha. From sashimi to sushi, grilled dishes, fried dishes, kaisendon, udon, and dessert, the course had so much variety that I kept looking forward to the next dish the whole time. The sushi especially came in two generous rounds, and the flavors overall were satisfying — a great-value omakase.

The atmosphere is calm, and with bar seats, tables, and a private room, it seems like a great spot for dates, family gatherings, or special occasions like anniversaries. If you're looking for a good sushi restaurant near Seoul National University of Education Station, or a tasty, great-value omakase, I really recommend Sushi Ryeo!