Seolleung okonomi sushi: pick pieces from ₩3,700 at Sakai

The sushi trend these days is shifting from omakase to okonomi — order-what-you-want style. A great okonomi sushi spot has opened near Seolleung Station, letting you pick only the sushi you actually want to eat, at reasonable prices.

Honestly, ordering omakase or a set course often meant getting stuck with pieces I don't love (eel, shrimp), so a place where I could choose exactly what I wanted sounded appealing — that's what brought me here.

Where is Sakai? Five minutes from Seolleung Station

Sakai, a sushi spot near Seolleung Station, sits in a quiet residential area about 5 minutes away. Being tucked away from the busy Seolleung Station restaurant strip gave it an even more upscale feel.

No sign out front: look for Knock Cafe next door

It can be tricky to find on your first visit since there's no sign. There's a cafe called Knock next door, and right beside it is the upscale-feeling Japanese restaurant that's today's Seolleung okonomi sushi spot: Sakai.

The place has both counter and table seating, and it looks like they allow corkage — they even had wine glasses and a chiller set up.

Sakai sushi prices: 3,700 to 11,000 won per piece

Since it's a fancy Gangnam sushi place, I expected steep prices, but they were surprisingly reasonable! Starting at ₩3,700 with the priciest piece at ₩11,000 — this is basically a value-for-money spot.

You can't actually order everything on the printed menu though — the sushi available that day is listed on a wooden board in the kitchen, and you choose from that.

Drinks are a bit pricier. I was craving a cold draft beer so I ordered a Suntory.

I was seated at the counter, and I personally love being able to watch the chef making sushi right in front of me.

The wooden board listed the sushi available that day — sadly, my favorites, herring and sardine, weren't on it that day. It would be great if they posted available sushi on Instagram in advance.

Even the foam on the draft beer was a work of art. Nothing like the canned Suntory you get at a convenience store — this was smooth on a whole different level.

The nigiri I picked: halibut, red seabream, benjari

Started with halibut. They tucked shiso leaf inside the neta, which added depth to what could've been a plain flavor. The aging was so well done that the halibut was bursting with umami and just melted away in my mouth. From the very first bite, I knew this place was the real deal.

Next up, red seabream! One piece for ₩3,700... The distinctive premium flavor of red seabream filled my mouth. The sushi was seasoned just enough, and it hit exactly right for my taste.

Was this benjari? My memory's a bit fuzzy, but I ordered it since it's a fish I'm not usually familiar with, and it was delicious as expected. A rich, savory flavor spread through my mouth — excellent.

Miso soup at Sakai is a separate 3,700 won order

Miso soup isn't included by default — you have to order it separately (₩3,700). But it's loaded with clams and has a premium flavor. A whole different level of depth compared to the store-bought stuff!

Amberjack and horse mackerel nigiri

Next up was rich, savory amberjack! I generally love amberjack, and even though it wasn't in season, it was still fatty and full-flavored — a genuinely happy bite.

Horse mackerel — one of my favorite blue-backed fish! I was disappointed they had no herring or sardine, but glad they had horse mackerel. It's great fried too, but eating it as upscale sushi like this was a whole different experience.

Free potato salad for a Naver photo review

Writing a Naver photo review gets you a free potato salad (₩8,000). It's something I always order at izakayas, and Sakai's version comes topped with plenty of fried bacon for even deeper flavor.

Mackerel, akami, chutoro and egg nigiri

Mackerel — another blue-backed fish I love! It's hard to get fresh mackerel sashimi on land, but Sakai's mackerel was fresh and well-aged, with incredible umami.

Tuna is a must for any sushi meal, so I ordered two pieces — akami and chutoro — and just the color alone looked fresh and delicious.

The akami sushi had a pleasant, distinctive tang! I'm usually not a fan of akami when eating tuna, but this one melted in my mouth.

But nothing beats chutoro, the emperor of tuna. The moment the rich, heavy chutoro hit my mouth, it melted away — a genuinely wondrous experience.

The egg was slightly sweeter than at your typical sushi place, but it was fluffy and delicious. Glad I ordered it.

The horse mackerel was the tastiest thing I had today, so I ordered another one! I had no idea horse mackerel sushi could be this good.

Verdict: is Sakai worth it for Gangnam sushi?

Given the upscale atmosphere and the Gangnam location, I expected prices to be steep, but despite the premium taste, the meal was genuinely satisfying value for money. I'd confidently say there's nowhere else in Gangnam where you can get sushi at this level for less. Highly recommended for anyone wanting quality sushi in Gangnam without breaking the bank.