Nowon sushi buffet lunch-to-dinner timing tips: Kuu Kuu

This time, I visited Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch (쿠우쿠우 노원점). I had heard that the menu and facilities had recently received a major upgrade, so I had to go! It felt much more upscale than before and there was food everywhere—200% satisfied!

Getting to Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch from Hagye Station

From Exit 3 of Hagye Station, take bus 1221 or 1224 and it takes you right there; buses come pretty quickly too! If you arrive by subway, definitely transfer to a bus. It can be a bit far on foot.

It is right there when you get off on the sixth floor.

A 4 PM lunch and the 5 PM dinner switch

I wanted to go for weekday dinner, but work finished early today, so I ended up having lunch instead 🤣 I went around 4 PM, so there was no fresh salmon served at dinner, and although the dishes looked good, some sections were a little empty, which was a shame! Dinner starts at 5 PM, so I guess that was only natural.

So, in my opinion, do not go at an in-between time like I did—try to arrive right at 5 PM for dinner. Once it passed 4:50 PM, they started freshly cooking and filling the stations right up.

A huge restaurant of over 300 pyeong and group spaces

The first things that caught my eye upon entering were the clean interior and the overwhelming size. Decorated in natural wood and white tones, it had a very bright, comfortable atmosphere overall.

As it turns out, the restaurant is over 300 pyeong in size—nearly 1,000 square meters. The tables are generously spaced too, so there was none of the crowding or stuffiness typical of a buffet.

It is truly ideal for group gatherings or company dinners! Private room-style spaces can accommodate from 40 to 60 people, and there are well-equipped separate spaces that can be used almost like private rentals for 50, 80, or up to 300 people. Keep it in mind if you are planning a family gathering or company dinner! It is even suitable for a first-birthday party!

Review-event draft beer and salmon dishes

Another thing that impressed me during the meal was the drinks and dessert perks. Join the review event and you get unlimited draft beer, normally valued at ₩5,900, for free! And it is not budget Filite beer either—you can enjoy unlimited glasses of genuinely crisp, refreshing TERRA and Kelly draft beer. A cold beer alongside sushi and lamb chops sounds like pure healing.

Norwegian fresh salmon sashimi starts at dinner

Amazingly, they have introduced Norwegian fresh salmon sashimi, which is not even available at Kuu Kuu Gold branches. It is a weekday dinner, weekend, and public-holiday item. Since I arrived around 4 PM today, I could not have the fresh salmon sashimi, but I could have fresh salmon sushi. Most value buffets only have smoked salmon sushi, so unlimited salmon sushi for ₩27,900! That alone made it an excellent spread.

Sushi with generous fish toppings and lamb chops

You cannot leave out sushi at a buffet, right? One of my favorite parts of the Nowon Branch upgrade was this sushi station.

• Flounder sushi and salmon sushi: They have made the fish toppings, or neta, much bigger than before! Unlike low-cost buffets with lots of rice and thin fish, each bite felt satisfyingly full with the texture of flounder and salmon.
• Shrimp sushi: They use premium sweet shrimp, called northern pink shrimp, which really brings out the shrimp's savory sweetness. The combination of punchy wasabi and fresh sweet shrimp was excellent.

• Lamb chops: Tender, flavorful lamb chops with no gamey smell are available all day. Being able to enjoy nicely grilled lamb chops to your heart's content at a buffet felt like incredible value.
• Smoked duck: There is also pleasantly chewy smoked duck that goes well with any sauce. It is a weekday dinner, weekend, and public-holiday item.

Dippin' Dots even at weekday lunch

One dessert I was so happy to see was Dippin' Dots. Apparently, these little bead-like ice cream treats, previously served only at weekday dinner or on weekends, have now been upgraded to be available at weekday lunch too. Not just the kids—even I, as an adult, got swept up in childhood memories and finished two bowls! It seems perfect for visiting with children during school vacation season.

The salmon sushi has the soft, rich flavor characteristic of fresh salmon, and tartar salmon sushi topped with onion and horseradish sauce is also served. There are smoked salmon and fresh salmon sushi too!

There were lots of delicious, varied desserts too, including fruit, cake, chocolate fondue, and Dippin' Dots.

Dining time and parking information

• The standard dining time is 2 hours; if there are waiting guests, it is limited to 1 hour 30 minutes.
• The parking-lot entrance is at the back of the building.
• Parking is free for 2 hours when using the Seoul Oncheon Building parking lot.
• There are many visitors on weekends and public holidays, so the parking lot may be full. If it is full, parking is unavailable and you will need to use a nearby paid lot independently. I recommend public transportation where possible, or arriving early on weekends.

Overall visit review

From the spacious, pleasant dining room to upgraded fresh salmon sashimi, lamb chops, fresh sushi, free draft beer, and Dippin' Dots desserts—my visit to Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch was satisfying with nothing missing! If you are looking for somewhere for a family meal, date, or large group gathering, I strongly recommend visiting the newly refreshed Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch at least once!