Mapo sushi omakase with valet parking for anniversaries: Danya

Ahead of an anniversary, I was looking for a place with a good atmosphere where we could quietly talk, and I ended up at Danya at Seoul Garden Hotel. I wanted somewhere near Mapo Station that wasn't too loud but still had high-quality sushi, and since Danya is inside a hotel, it turned out to be exactly the Mapo sushi restaurant we were after.

Where is Danya at Seoul Garden Hotel, and is there parking?

Danya is on the basement floor of Seoul Garden Hotel, 58 Mapo-daero, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea. Parking is always a worry when you're driving, but here valet parking is available, which made things really convenient.

Is the atmosphere at Danya right for an anniversary dinner?

Walking into Danya on the basement floor of Seoul Garden Hotel, the interior was really stylish and upscale. The soft lighting was just what I was hoping for too.

It's calm and private rather than noisy, so it's a great spot to head to for a formal gathering when you're searching for a Dohwa-dong restaurant.

What the 85,000 won dinner sushi omakase at Danya includes

We'd already booked the dinner sushi omakase menu, and as soon as we sat down they got things ready right away. At ₩85,000 per person, the number of dishes you get shows this is genuinely great value.

The dinner sushi omakase course at Danya, this Mapo sushi restaurant, goes: 3 appetizers first, then steamed abalone, 5 sashimi, a whopping 10 pieces of sushi, a main dish and a meal course, and finally dessert.

The 3 appetizers and steamed abalone

The 3 appetizers that came out first were perfect for lightly waking up the appetite. Eating through them already got me excited for what was coming next.

The steamed abalone had a really delicious sauce and was so tender I was genuinely impressed.

They also brought out soup to have alongside the dishes.

The 5 kinds of sashimi

The 5 sashimi pieces had just the right thickness on each cut, giving them a really nice texture.

You could really feel the freshness of the fish. It made me think that a place inside a hotel is genuinely on another level.

Which fish appeared in the 10 pieces of sushi

What surprised us that day was just how varied Danya's sushi lineup was.

They served flounder, striped mullet, sea bass, croaker, yellowtail amberjack, striped jack, flounder fin, bluefin tuna, tuna belly, and gamtae negitoro (minced tuna with sea tangle).

Each piece of sushi was made right in front of us, and they made it with such care that it was genuinely touching. The rice was pressed with just the right amount of firmness, which made everything taste even better. The gamtae negitoro in particular was excellent, with the distinctive aroma of the sea tangle and the softly minced tuna.

The bluefin tuna and tuna belly came out one after another too, and they tasted really clean without being heavy or greasy.

The savory fattiness suited my taste perfectly, and even though I've eaten a lot of tuna before, I could really tell the quality at Danya at Seoul Garden Hotel, this Mapo sushi restaurant, was on a different level.

Finishing with the specialty dish, rice course, and dessert

Danya's main dish was a salmon steak, and it was really tender with a delicious sauce on top.

The meal course was udon and rice, and even this closing course didn't feel thrown together at all — it was prepared with real care. Topping the rice with sea bream made it perfect.

Dessert was a fig-topped cheesecake and matcha, both really clean in flavor and a perfect way to cleanse the palate at the end.

Final verdict on Danya at Seoul Garden Hotel in Dohwa-dong

Danya at Seoul Garden Hotel lived up to its reputation as a Mapo sushi restaurant, with attentive service and delicious food from start to finish that made the anniversary even more enjoyable. The chef and staff were all considerate and kind at every moment, which made the whole meal feel really comfortable.

It's rare to find a place where you can enjoy this level of omakase at such good value, but Danya at Seoul Garden Hotel makes it possible. If you want delicious sushi in a great atmosphere for an anniversary, give this Mapo sushi restaurant a visit. You'll have a great time.