Gwanghwamun sushi lunch: smoky swordfish B set at Elephant Sushi

A Gwanghwamun sushi favorite, Elephant Sushi.

I've been coming to Gwanghwamun a lot lately. This time I stopped by to pick up a bouquet for my mom's birthday, and decided to grab lunch while I was at it. 😊

I'd heard there was a place in Gwanghwamun known as one of Seoul's top three sushi spots, so I went looking for it — and found Elephant Sushi.

True to its reputation as one of Seoul's top three sushi restaurants, you could feel the pride in the sushi, and honestly, the taste exceeded my expectations. ✨

Where is Elephant Sushi Gwanghwamun, and is there parking?

• 🏠 Address: B1F, KT Tower West, Jongno-gu, Seoul
• 📍 Location: Connected to Gwanghwamun Station exit 2
• 🚗 Parking: 2 hours free in-building parking

Elephant Sushi is located on B1 of KT Tower West. It's connected to Gwanghwamun Station exit 2, so it was really convenient to get to by public transit.

For those driving, the building offers 2 hours of free parking, which is worth noting. If you're looking for sushi near Gwanghwamun Station, this place is solid in terms of accessibility too.

Inside Elephant Sushi: old-school charm with a sleek finish

The basement of KT Tower is lined with restaurants, and among them, Elephant Sushi stood out with its completely open layout — no walls at all. The wooden framework gives it an outdoor, old-school feel, while still having a charm quite different from a typical sushi restaurant. 😊

The lighting floating from the ceiling and the neatly set tables added a touch of upscale atmosphere. It's a comfortable yet distinctive space that made for an enjoyable lunch, and a good spot to visit if you're after sushi near Gwanghwamun. 🍣

What I ordered: the Elephant Sushi B set

This time I ordered the Elephant Sushi B set, which lets you enjoy a wide variety of sushi at once, plus grilled salmon and tamago.

The B set came loaded with everything from white fish to tuna, shrimp, and futomaki.

The colorful pieces were arranged neatly on a wooden board, and they looked delicious just by sight. 😍

What comes in the Elephant Sushi B set?

12 pieces of sushi 2 kinds of white fish, tuna belly Horse mackerel, tuna akami Amberjack, grilled salmon Soy-marinated shrimp, chojanchi (seasoned squid), monkfish liver Swordfish, futomaki +cold soba

You get to try a little of many kinds of sushi, so if it's your first visit, going with the set menu seems like a good idea. 💛

Grilled salmon: light smoky char with sweet-tangy sauce

The first piece I tried was the grilled salmon. Lightly torched, the salmon was about 30% cooked, and the faint smoky char plus soft texture were the main draw.

On top sat a sweet-and-tangy cabbage slaw that brought out the salmon's richness. The soft, savory flavor of the salmon comes through first, and then the fresh, sweet-tangy cabbage lingers at the end for a clean finish. 💛

Swordfish sushi: smoky char meets creamy sauce

The swordfish sushi also came grilled — lightly charred swordfish topped with a creamy mayo-based sauce gave it a unique flavor.

The clean fish flavor combined with the subtle smokiness and savory sauce had a charm quite different from typical fish sushi. The sauce really served as the highlight of the piece, and I enjoyed it a lot. 😊

Chojanchi (seasoned squid) sushi topped with fragrant shiso

The chojanchi (seasoned squid) sushi came topped with shiso — sometimes called 'Japanese perilla leaf' — and a sauce. The refreshing herbal aroma of shiso spread subtly through my mouth, blending with the salty sauce and the chewy texture of the squid.

The chewy squid combined with the fragrant shiso made for a clean yet distinctive flavor.

Amberjack and white fish sushi at Elephant Sushi

Now onto the white fish sushi. 😊

First, the amberjack had a nice springy bite. With just the right amount of fat, it was clean yet subtly rich.

The fattiness wasn't overwhelming, so I could fully appreciate the amberjack's distinctive flavor without it feeling heavy. ✨

The red seabream sushi looked pretty, with the wasabi and green leaf faintly showing through the fish. 🌿 The clean flavor of the sea bream paired with a hint of spicy wasabi made for a refreshing bite.

The flounder sushi also had a clean, chewy texture, letting me enjoy the classic clean flavor of white fish. 🤍

Whole abalone sushi: chewy yet tender

The whole abalone came gently braised in soy sauce. It had that signature chewy abalone texture, but was tender rather than tough. The salty soy seasoning was subtly infused into the abalone, adding umami while letting the abalone's own clean flavor and aroma come through. ✨

Tuna sushi: clean akami and nutty belly

The tuna akami (lean red meat) had a vivid red color that looked delicious. ❤️ It had a clean, light flavor with a subtle hint of that signature tuna umami.

The tuna belly sushi was even softer and richer — a real charmer. ✨ It practically melted in my mouth, with just the right amount of fat, and you could really tell it had that unique belly-only flavor.

Sweet-salty soy-marinated shrimp and rich monkfish liver

The soy-marinated shrimp sushi had a plump yet tender bite. 🦐 The soy seasoning was salty with a subtle sweetness that really brought out the shrimp's umami.

The monkfish liver gunkan hit with a rich, savory flavor the moment it hit my mouth. Creamy and almost melting in texture, it had that deep, intense flavor unique to monkfish liver. 🤎

Futomaki that fills your mouth in one bite

The futomaki was enormous — jaw-dropping just to look at. 😳 It was packed generously with salmon, fried shrimp, white fish, and more, giving you a really hearty bite.

Honestly, it was so big it wasn't easy to eat in one bite, but I had to force it in one go to really taste how all the ingredients came together. 😂

It was fun how the flavor shifted slightly depending on which ingredient I bit into more as I chewed. The savory notes of salmon and fried shrimp came through first, followed by the clean taste of the white fish, and then the subtle sweetness of fried tofu skin and burdock root — a whole sequence of flavors in a single bite. ✨

Cold soba to finish clean and refreshing

I also tried the cold soba that came with the set. The chilled broth and chewy buckwheat noodles had a light, clean flavor. 😊

After trying so many different types of sushi, all sorts of flavors linger in your mouth — eating the cold soba in between helped reset my palate and keep things clean.

Tamago, the dessert-like grilled egg

Last, I tried the tamago as a kind of dessert. At first I assumed it would be the same egg used in tamago sushi, but once I tried it, it was a completely different experience from what I expected. 😳

The texture reminded me of a canelé, and the subtle sweetness of the egg made it feel like eating a 'sweet egg canelé.' 🍮✨ Ending the meal with this after all the sushi felt like a fun, unexpected finish. 😊

Is Elephant Sushi worth it for a Gwanghwamun sushi lunch?

True to its reputation as one of Seoul's top three sushi restaurants, I got to try a wide variety of sushi and enjoy each ingredient's distinct texture and flavor. The combination of the grilled salmon's subtle char and the sweet-tangy cabbage slaw was especially memorable, and I also loved the more unique pieces like the swordfish and chojanchi. 🍣

If you're craving a sushi lunch in Gwanghwamun or looking for a good sushi spot near Gwanghwamun Station, Elephant Sushi is well worth a visit for its variety. 💛

Elephant Sushi Gwanghwamun: location and details

• Elephant Sushi Gwanghwamun
• B109-5, B1F, 178 Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Connected to Gwanghwamun Station exit 2
• ⏰ Hours: Daily 11:00–21:00
• ☕ Break time: 15:00–17:00
• Parking: 120 minutes free