Nowon sushi buffet for a salmon lover: avocado gunkan, mulhoe, Kuu Kuu

A sushi monster lives in our house, singing "sushi~ sushi~" all day.. So fine, let's eat every kind there is! With that, my husband and I headed to Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch (쿠우쿠우 노원점) 🙋 People kept saying you can enjoy sushi and plenty of other dishes in one place, and now that I've been, I see why it's called a Nowon go-to restaurant. It works for two people or the whole family, so I had high expectations before even going ✨

Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch hours and dining time

Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch is open 11:00–21:30 on weekdays (last order 20:00) and 11:00–22:00 on weekends (last order 20:30). The standard dining time is 2 hours, or 1 hour 30 minutes when there is a wait.

How does parking work at Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch?

If you park in the Seoul Onchon Building, you get 2 hours of free parking, and extra time costs ₩4,000 per 30 minutes (max ₩4,000). When the building is full, you have to use a nearby paid lot on your own.

I came by car and it was convenient to use the parking lot inside the building. I also liked that registering your license plate when you pay gets you 2 hours free. That said, the lot isn't very big, so you may need a nearby paid lot when it's full.

On weekends especially, lots of visitors fill the spaces fast, so I'd recommend taking public transport if you can. There may also be a wait for a table, so booking before you go makes things easier 😊

Atmosphere and kids' play room at Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch

The restaurant is spacious with generous space between seats, and it has group seating and a kids' play room. The moment I walked in, the wide open floor was the first thing I noticed. With the seats spaced out so well, I could eat comfortably without bumping into the next table or hearing their conversation mixing with ours.

There is also group seating on one side, which looked great for family gatherings, company dinners and all kinds of group events.

There was a play room for kids too. We didn't bring our baby this time, but it looks like a baby could play happily there while we eat, which made me like the place even more. Next time I'd love to come with the baby and enjoy a relaxed meal 😊

Sushi at Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch: a salmon lover's top picks

Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch is a sushi buffet with an overwhelming range of sushi: nigiri, gunkan (battleship rolls) and rolls. As a salmon killer, my top picks were the fresh salmon sushi and the avocado salmon gunkan.

Once we had a table, off we went to fill our plates!

Living up to its name, the sushi selection was truly overwhelming. There were so many kinds of nigiri, gunkan and rolls that I couldn't capture them all in photos 🥲

The sushi topped with fresh fish was neatly lined up and made my mouth water just looking at it. My top pick was definitely the fresh salmon sushi 🍣 and the avocado salmon gunkan 🥑! The richness and soft texture of the salmon were so satisfying (I'm a salmon killer, after all 😂)

Also, the Gwangyang sirloin sushi had an appealing sweet flavor, and the tuna tataki, which I didn't expect much from, was surprisingly good, so I went back for it a few more times 👏

Pairing mulhoe when the sushi gets heavy

After eating lots of different sushi, things can get a little heavy, and eating mulhoe (chilled raw fish in a cold, tangy broth) alongside cleaned up my mouth so I could enjoy sushi again. It's a surprisingly good match, and I'd recommend it.

BBQ, hot food and live-cooking stations at Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch

Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch has hot food such as pizza, pasta, steak and steamed shrimp, a BBQ station, and a live-cooking station for jjajang (black bean noodles), jjamppong (spicy seafood noodles), udon and soba. The lineup is enough to satisfy even people who don't like raw fish.

It's not only about sushi; the BBQ station was impressive too. A video of a campfire was playing underneath, and it felt as if a real fire were keeping the food warm, so my eyes kept going there 🔥🔥🔥 With pizza, pasta, steak, steamed shrimp and more hot food on offer, even people who don't like raw fish would be well satisfied.

And of course I couldn't skip the en croûte soup. The combination of crispy pastry and rich soup is satisfying every single time.

I also spotted cute steamed buns I couldn't just walk past. I was too full to try one, but they look like the Kuu Kuu mascot character. They were so adorable that I took a photo first 🥰

The live-cooking station caught my eye too. It looked like they cook jjajang, jjamppong, udon, soba and more to order, but there was so much to eat that I didn't try it this time. Calling dibs on it for my next visit!

Our plates at Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch: two different eating styles

At Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch, I picked a little of lots of different sushi, while my husband focused only on fresh salmon sushi and flounder sushi. Now it's time to show off what we brought back 📸

With so many kinds of sushi, I grabbed a bit of everything, and the plate came out looking so satisfying. Tasting lots of different kinds in small amounts was a lot of fun.

My husband, on the other hand, knew exactly what he liked 🤣 Only fresh salmon sushi and flounder sushi! A whole plate filled with his favorites, and he was so serious about it. It was funny how differently two people eat at the same buffet.

One more plate because I wasn't ready to stop,,, 🍽️ I was pretty full, but I couldn't just walk away. I loaded up once more, mostly with my favorites. A buffet should end with no regrets, right? 🤣 And I can't miss dessert 💕

Fruit, dessert and ice cream stations at Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch

The fruit station at Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch had grapefruit, watermelon, lychee, rambutan, pineapple and more, and I was personally delighted to see passion fruit. Its sweet-tart flavor made it perfect for freshening up after the meal.

The dessert selection was more varied than I expected. From tiramisu to tteok (rice cakes) and jelly, picking and tasting was fun, and before I knew it my plate was full again 😆

There was an ice cream station too, but sadly the bead ice cream I was hoping for is only served at dinner time. Next time I want to come at dinner and try it.

Drinks, herbal tea and unlimited draft beer at Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch

The drink station at Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch has Pepsi, Sprite-style soda and zero-sugar drinks, two kinds of raspberry slush, plum juice, lychee juice and sikhye (sweet rice punch), plus 12 kinds of herbal tea. Pay an extra ₩5,900 and you can have unlimited draft beer.

The drink station was satisfying too. With Pepsi, soda and even zero-sugar drinks, it's easy to enjoy without worrying. There were two kinds of raspberry slush that kids would absolutely love. There was plum juice and lychee juice as well, and we drank plum juice with our sushi. It went better with sushi than I expected, so I kept refilling 🤣 They had sikhye too, which I think older adults would especially like.

After the meal I finished with a cup of warm tea. There were a whopping 12 kinds of herbal tea, and I chose the fruit melange tea. Drinking it warm made my body feel relaxed and somehow helped digestion, so it was a perfect last bite ☕️

By the way, for just ₩5,900 extra you can get unlimited draft beer. Definitely worth considering if you love beer! 🍺

Lastly, there was a chocolate fondue station that kids would love and a waffle station where you cook your own. I can see why so many families come.

Parking tip and final verdict on Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch

If you drive to Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch, make sure to use elevator no. 1 from the underground parking lot to get up easily.

With plenty of sushi, hot food and desserts, Kuu Kuu was a Nowon favorite where nothing felt lacking. If you're looking for a place for a family meal or a get-together, it looks like a satisfying choice. Nowon's Kuu Kuu, approved! 👍